Nintendo: 9 Best Yoshi Games, Ranked (According To Metacritic)

Most know them as one of Mario and Luigi’s most beloved companions but Yoshi has had their own legacy in the Nintendo universe. They debuted with Super Mario World but the Yoshi species would go on to star in a plethora of games from the SNES to the Nintendo Switch.

According to Metacritic, there are only nine games starring Yoshi currently rated with the now-famous Nintendo dinosaur going on fantastical adventures. However, certain titles including Tetris Attack, Yoshi’s Cookie, and Yoshi’s Safari do not feature any critic or user ratings.

9 Yoshi Topsy-Turvy (2005) – 60

Also known as Yoshi’s Universal Gravitation, this GameBoy Advance title came with a built-in sensor to help with the game’s gimmick. Yoshi Topsy-Turvy has the player tilting the GameBoy Advance in various directions to move Yoshi, the environment, and the enemies for physics-based traversal and puzzles.

This kind of gameplay was new for the time, the precursor for some mechanics in Nintendo’s best-selling titles for the Wii U and the Switch. However, Yoshi Topsy-Turvy garnered a mixed reception with some finding the controls frustrating and awkward while others appreciated the attempt at something different.

8 Yoshi’s New Island (2014) – 64

While it retains many elements that made other Yoshi titles so beloved, from the art style to the cute characters, it suffers from a lack of innovation. Despite being called Yoshi’s New Island, it feels like less of a sequel but more of a 3DS remake of Yoshi’s Island. While some Nintendo games age remarkably well, Yoshi’s New Island is not one of them.

Fans were quick to point out that Yoshi’s New Island is far from bad but it lacked the heart that many of the Yoshi games are known for. Also, Yoshi’s New Island is critiqued for its attempt to make the music seem cute but came off as grating more than anything.

7 Yoshi’s Story (1998) – 65

This was Yoshi’s first leap onto the Nintendo 64 but would also set the standard that many Yoshi games would follow. Without Baby Mario, Yoshi’s Story relies on the player keeping track of the many-colored Yoshi babies going on a journey to save their families.

For the most part, Yoshi’s Story earned praise for its level design, streamlined gameplay, and always cute art design along with memorable music. However, it lacked the difficulty that made the first Yoshi’s Island so beloved with Yoshi’s Story sometimes seeming too easy to fans.

6 Yoshi Touch & Go (2005) – 73

Yoshi Touch & Go was released the same year as Topsy Turvy, coming across as the sister game for the Nintendo DS that also features a gimmick control. Rather than direct control, the player guided Yoshi and Baby Mario, using the touch screen and stylus to get them to the end of levels.

Fans seemed to adapt to this form of gameplay better: it is easy to learn but it can keep the player on their toes with tricky courses. Yoshi Touch & Go was also praised for properly utilizing both screens for gameplay instead of one while keeping the charming visuals and sounds of the series.

5 Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World (2017) – 77

In many ways, Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World is a 3DS port of Yoshi’s Woolly World which many considered a flaw. However, Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World makes up for it by adding new levels featuring the titular Poochy in the yarn-based aesthetic.

There was also the added function for fans to create their own yarn Yoshi; so while the game can come across as lost DLC, it is more of what gamers loved about the Wii U version as a solid but far from one of the hardest platformers. Plus being able to play it on the go was a bonus thanks to it being on the 3DS.

4 Yoshi’s Woolly World (2015) – 78

Showing off the surprising graphical capabilities of the Nintendo Wii U of the time, Nintendo gave Yoshi the same treatment they gave Kirby just years prior. The Yoshis were put in a world where everything is made of some kind of fabric, leading to unique environmental puzzles to solve in trying to get all collectibles.

Mixing classic Yoshi’s Island gameplay with new mechanics fitting within the Woolly World gimmick, this Wii U title came across as a breath of fresh air for the series. Completionists enjoyed going through the levels since getting to 100% was challenging but never cheap.

3 Yoshi’s Crafted World (2019) – 79

After the success of Woolly World, Nintendo took on a new gimmick swapping from fabric to a mixture of arts and crafts materials. Rather than just copy and pasting Woolly World, Yoshi’s Crafted World adds new perspective-based puzzles mixed in within the environment.

Being a relaxing title for the Nintendo Switch, the graphical fidelity was increased so the detail of the characters and the world was a highlight. Everything looked like paper, cardboard, plastic, and any other material possible while keeping the Yoshi formula familiar yet fresh at the same time.

2 Yoshi’s Island DS (2006) – 81

Acting as a quasi-reboot of Yoshi’s Island, Baby Mario and Yoshi must traverse the land to save Baby Luigi from Kamek. This time, there are more babies with Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Peach, Baby Wario, and Baby Bowser, each with unique abilities to help Yoshi along the way.

That is where Yoshi’s Island DS excels: making each baby actually helpful in the levels rather than a liability for the player to constantly worry about. It keeps the Yoshi’s Island gameplay while sprinkling new mechanics with the different babies that keep the game from feeling dull. On top of it all, Yoshi’s Island DS retains the colorful art style that further shows why Yoshi is a Nintendo character ripe for a movie or TV series.

1 Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (2002) – 91

While Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island does not have a Metacritic rating, it does have a port for the GameBoy Advance. This port is essentially the same game but now for a portable device that works in its favor, allowing fans to experience the now-beloved Yoshi title on the go.

For years, this prequel was often considered one of the more underrated Mario titles but now it has garnered quite the fanbase with some even arguing it being superior to the original Super Mario World. Tight and responsive gameplay, a coloring-book art style, and a fun platforming adventure make Yoshi’s Island a game that launched a whole spin-off franchise.

About The Author