Yoshi's Story

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Yoshi's Story
Box of Yoshi's Story
Developer(s) Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Designer(s) Takashi Tezuka
Series Yoshi
Platform(s) Nintendo 64
Nintendo iQue
Virtual Console
Release date Nintendo 64
JP December 21, 1997
NA March 9, 1998
EU April 9, 1998

Virtual Console
NA September 17, 2007
EU October 26, 2007
Genre(s) Platformer
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: E
OFLC: G
Media 128-megabit cartridge
Input methods Nintendo 64 controller
Classic Controller (Wii)
Nintendo GameCube controller

Yoshi's Story, known as Yoshi Story (ヨッシーストーリー Yosshī Sutōrī?) in Japan, is the Nintendo 64 successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. It was released on December 21, 1997 in Japan, March 9, 1998 in North America and April 9, 1998 in Europe. It was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console service in North America on September 17, 2007 and in Europe, Australia and Japan on October 26, 2007. The game was developed by the Yoshi's Island team, directed by Hideki Konno, and produced by Takashi Tezuka. This was one of the first EAD-developed titles that was not produced by Shigeru Miyamoto.

Like most Yoshi games, it is a 2D platformer. It features digitized 2D graphics of high resolution 3D models (similar to Donkey Kong Country), which resemble patchworks of fabric and other materials, giving it a unique look. While interviews and previews described these visual methods as 2½-D, the gameplay remains completely two-dimensional. The game received mixed reviews from video game critics.

Contents

[edit] Gameplay

The game begins by allowing players to choose from the Story, Trial, and Practice Modes. (An Options menu is available from the main menu, as well.) For the full single-player experience, the Story Mode contains the substance of the game. From there, the player will be able to select the level, Yoshi, and Lucky Fruit of the chosen Yoshi.

The levels are divided into six pages, each containing four stages. While only one stage per page is chosen, each has a number (1-4). The higher the number, the harder the stage. While any number can be chosen on the first page, players must find all the hearts in the previous stage to maintain the same difficulty (high page number). For example, collecting one heart would unlock the second numbered stage on the next page, two hearts would unlock the third stage, and all three hearts would unlock the fourth and hardest stage.

Yoshi's Story borrows the basic elements of the Super Nintendo game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. While Yoshi can jump, swim, and extend his tongue, he can lay and throw eggs and hover, as well. In each level, the goal is to eat 30 different fruits to advance. This must be done while avoiding the enemies that populate each scenario. When Yoshi comes in contact with an enemy, a "petal" is lost from the "Flower Meter." Eating fruit, while advancing the progress of the game, replenishes Yoshi's health (or "petals"), keeping the player in a comfortable state of platforming. In addition, a "Lucky Fruit" is chosen at the start of each level, and, when this fruit is found and eaten, all petals are restored to the "Flower Meter." Each Yoshi has a favorite fruit, which is determined by the chosen Yoshi's color. Eating this form of fruit restores 3 petals of health, identical to the effects of eating a Lucky Fruit. However, all other fruits only restore one petal.[1]

Many bonuses permeate each stage. For example, Small Hearts will fall from the sky or be found in special areas. These allow the Yoshi's to achieve a "Super Happy" state. During this time, the Yoshi is invincible, has a longer tongue, and has a longer "Pound Range." (Therefore, more enemies will be hit when the ground is "Pounded." In addition, Shy Guys will turn into the chosen Yoshi's Lucky Fruit if they are within the Pound Range, and all bubbles will pop.) Hidden coins will become visible as well, which contribute to Yoshi's overall score.

Despite these advantages, Yoshis are still susceptible to losing lives. There are numerous enemies that can cause damage, the most common of which is the Shy Guy. If the player's Yoshi runs out of petals, comes in contact with spikes or other hazards that trigger an instant death, or falls down a bottomless pit, it will be captured by Kamek's minions, or "Toadies." While that Yoshi is no longer selectable, the player can choose another and continue through the rest of the stage. In this case, any items or fruits already obtained will still be available. The game will end if all of the Yoshis have been kidnapped. Yoshis can be restored by finding a White Shy Guy and completing the level without losing it. After completing a level, the White Shy Guy can be selected from the "Yoshi Selection" screen, and a previously-lost Yoshi will be restored. Helpers are available to assist the Yoshis in specific areas, as well. Throughout the game, the Yoshis are aided by Poochy, a character first introduced in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Poochy can sniff for hidden items and give the Yoshis extra height for their jumps. The main advantage any player can have, however, is choosing their Yoshi carefully.

In addition to the six Yoshis that are available at the start of the game, two hidden black and white eggs can be found in certain stages. These eggs contain a Yoshi of the same color, and, when the stage is complete, these Yoshis can be selected from the "Yoshi Selection" screen. Unlike the original six Yoshis, the Black and White Yoshis like multiple fruits, making the chances of obtaining a high score even greater. In addition, the Black and White Yoshis like peppers, and Shy Guys are considered Favorites.

Story Mode is accompanied by the Trial Mode, where the player can attempt a high score in each completed stage. There are multiple ways to increase one's high score, the most used being the "Melon Quest." With this goal, the player must eat nothing but Melons throughout the stage, earning a high score and a "Melon" symbol at the end of the level. This goal, however, is considered difficult due the requirement of beating all in-level mini-games perfectly. A "good score" in Trial Mode is considered a point range between 5,000 to 7,000 points. This contrasts heavily with Story Mode, which allows the player to earn up to 40,000 points in a single level.

A Practice level is also available from the main menu. This level contains most of the elements of the game. The game also has the 19-note Kazumi Totaka song in it.

Yoshi's Story was among the first generation of games to support the Rumble Pak and the first in the Yoshi series to use it.[citation needed]

[edit] Plot

The Yoshis live in harmony on their island, Yoshi's Island. Through the Super Happy Tree, a magical tree on the island, the Yoshis are able to maintain a perpetual state of joy. However, Baby Bowser becomes jealous of this happiness and casts a spell to transform the entire island into a storybook. In addition, Baby Bowser steals the Super Happy Tree in an effort to ruin the Yoshis' happiness. Six eggs survived in the dismal environment and hatched. While confused, the Baby Yoshis were aware of the gloomy atmosphere and set out to retrieve the Super Happy Tree and restore happiness to the Yoshis.

[edit] Development

Originally titled Yoshi's Island 64, the game was developed by the Yoshi's Island team, directed by Hideki Konno and produced by Takashi Tezuka. This was one of the first EAD-developed titles that was not produced by Shigeru Miyamoto. It was renamed Yoshi's Story in August 1997. At the same time, the size of the game was changed to 128 megabits from an initially planned 96.

[edit] Marketing and sales

According to Famitsu magazine, Yoshi's Story sold 53,428 copies on the day of its release in Japan. As a result, it gained the #7 rank in Famitsu's top ten best-selling video-games. [2]

Nintendo intended to release Yoshi's Story in North America by the 1997 holiday season, but the release was delayed until March 1998. A Nintendo official said that the delay was "based on us demanding A-plus quality."[3] Once the game was completed, Nintendo initially shipped 800,000 units to American retailers from Japan.[4] Retailers were concerned that there would be shortages (like there had been for GoldenEye 007), but a Nintendo official promised that the shipment would satisfy demand.[5]

In an effort to promote the game in the U.S., Nintendo direct-mailed advertisements to recent console buyers, put advertisements in gaming and children's magazines, and aired a 30-second television advertisement on NBC, Fox, WB and Nickelodeon during children's programming.[5][4] On March 7, 1998, Nintendo launched the game in Lizard Lick, North Carolina, a town of 1,300 residents. The event featured tongue-themed contests for children and video terminals that let people try out the game.[6] The game was officially released on March 9, 1998, with a MSRP of US $59.95.[7]

An article in Financial Times said that the late release, an inadequate supply, and distribution errors had led to poor sales for Yoshi's Story. Within a month, the game was being discounted by more than 50%.[8] Even so, Yoshi's Story became a Player's Choice title on August 23, 1998 and its MSRP was reduced to US $39.95.[9] According to The NPD Group, Yoshi's Story was the 16th best selling video game in the U.S. in 1998.[10]

[edit] Critical reception

Yoshi's Story has combined scores of 65% on MetaCritic[11] and 68% on Game Rankings.[12] GameSpot's Joe Fielder awarded the game 5.3 out of 10, a score the site labels "Mediocre",[13] and All Game Guide and Game's Domain both awarded Yoshi's Story a "5.0" out of 10.

Critics widely acknowledged that Nintendo obviously designed Yoshi's Story for younger children.[13] Compared to its predecessor Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, the game has simplified level design, bright, cute graphics, and low difficulty. One critic attributed this to the fact that the game was originally developed in Japan, where "the whole Yoshi phenomenon is very much a child's thing."[14][15][16] Many critics thought that the game was fun and appropriate for its target audience, but was a disappointment for more experienced gamers.[16][17] One critic wrote: "Nintendo prides itself on producing games that won't make parents cringe, but with 'Yoshi's Story ,' all you get is wholesome and cheery... Let's hope the golden age of Nintendo 64 games has not come and gone. If Nintendo wants players to take it seriously, it needs to take players seriously."[18] Despite this, Yoshi's Story won an "Award for Excellence" from the Computer Entertainment Software Association and was the only N64 game that won one of the 13 different awards from CESA that year.[19]

Yoshi's Story's Virtual Console sales have highlighted the appeal of the franchise and fan reception. Yoshi's Story made second place on the Virtual Console downloads behind Super Mario Bros. on the week of its release. However, the Virtual Console reviews of Yoshi's Story are generally low.[20][21] When GameSpot reviewed the Virtual Console version of the game, it received an even lower score of "4.0"[20] In addition, GameSpot's Virtual Console review gave Yoshi's Story five negative descriptors: "Derivative," "Shallow," "Short," "Stripped," and "Too Easy." IGN Editor Lucas M. Thomas wrote a review for the Virtual Console version stating that Yoshi's Story's gameplay is "nonsensical" and "unengaging."[21] Thomas commented that Yoshi's Story's "system of grocery-hunting was far and away removed from the style of play presented in the SNES Yoshi's Island, and far and away removed from that game's sense of fun."[21] In addition, the absence of Baby Mario and 50+ levels made the "premise [feel] disconnected. Boring."[21] In the end, Thomas felt that Yoshi's Story was "not the sequel to Yoshi's Island that it could have been."[21]

[edit] Game Boy Advance demo

For the unveiling of the Game Boy Advance in 2000, Nintendo developed an original technical demonstration, or "tech demo," that was based directly on the first level of Yoshi's Story. This tech demo was developed specifically to show off the Game Boy Advance's graphical power. While the gameplay was slower, it looked identical to the Nintendo 64 game.[22] A full version of the game was never released for the Game Boy Advance.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Aldo Merino. Yoshi's Story. Nintendojo. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
  2. ^ IGN Staff (1998-01-13). IGN: Yoshi Sells. IGN. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  3. ^ Snider, Mike. "Nintendo games will miss holidays." USA Today. 29 August 1997.
  4. ^ a b "Nintendo Thinks 800,000 Yoshis Will Last Two Months." Multimedia Wire. 18 March 1998.
  5. ^ a b Sporich, Brett. "Unlike with 'GoldenEye,' Nintendo sees no shortage for 'Yoshi's Story.'" Video Business. 2 March 1998.
  6. ^ Barnett, Cynthia. "Town basks in publicity." The News & Observer Raleigh, NC. 8 March 1998.
  7. ^ "Nintendo 64 unloads price breaks on seven games." The Kansas City Star. 23 January 1998.
  8. ^ Abrahams, Paul. "Nintendo's errors could well end up costing it the game." Financial Times. 17 October 1998.
  9. ^ "Nintendo 64 Smashes the $100 Price Barrier; Video Game Fans Treated To Early Holiday Gift With N64 Price Drop." Business Wire. 16 August 1999.
  10. ^ "NPD Reports the U.S. Video Game Industry Hit an All-Time High in Annual Sales for 1998." Business Wire. 25 January 1999.
  11. ^ Yoshi's Story (N64:1998) Reviews. MetaCritic. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
  12. ^ Yoshi's Story Reviews. Game Rankings. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
  13. ^ a b Joe Fielder (1998-03-10). Yoshi's Story for Nintendo 64 Review. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
  14. ^ Polak, Steve. "Just Yoshing." The Australian. 28 March 1998.
  15. ^ Marriott, Scott Alan. Review of Yoshi's Story. All Game Guide.
  16. ^ a b Schneider, Peer. Review of Yoshi's Story. IGN. 11 March 1998.
  17. ^ Hill, Jason. "Soft-Boiled Yoshi." Herald-Sun. 22 April 1998.
  18. ^ Curtiss, Aaron. "Cyberculture Gamers' Corner Fun Ways to Off Your Friends Online; Yawner of a 'Story'". Los Angeles Times. 16 March 1998.
  19. ^ IGN staff (1998-04-07). IGN: Yoshi Receives CESA Award. IGN. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  20. ^ a b Frank Provo (2007-09-24). Yoshi's Story review. GameSpot. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  21. ^ a b c d e Lucas M. Thomas (2007-09-18). Yoshi's Story Virtual Console Review. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
  22. ^ Harris, Craig. "Yoshi Demo". IGN. 6 December 2001.

[edit] External links

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