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Yoshi’s Woolly World Makes me Feel Warm and Fuzzy

Nintendo has a way with creating wonderful settings with its characters. In the past few years, the company has enabled some of their franchises to change things up with new styles and art directions. Kirby’s Epic Yarn was one of those experimental titles, but suffered from harsh criticism for its lack of challenge. Good-Feel, the same developers of Epic Yarn, took its knack for handmade adventures and brought it into its newest title, Yoshi’s Woolly World. 

From the onset, there is a clear difference visually between Woolly World and Epic Yarn. The Wii U’s high definition capabilities make every single asset stand out in Woolly World’s handmade style. The yarn-spun creatures and backdrops look tangible, with every fiber clearly visible, giving Yoshi’s environment a fuzzy feel. It’s hard not to smile while playing; even watching gameplay is a delightful experience as crocheted waterfalls and cotton ball clouds set the stage for Yoshi’s rescue mission. Yoshi must travel to each world to put together the other Yoshis, who have been unraveled by Kamek, all before Bowser Jr takes over the island. A simple story, but one that feels like a wonderful bedtime tale.

Yoshi's adventure through handcrafted levels is wonderful.
Yoshi’s adventure through handcrafted levels is wonderful.

Those expecting a casual experience should keep an open mind. There are over 2000 items to collect in the game and these items are well hidden from the beginning. Back on the SNES in Yoshi’s Island, I could usually snag all five flowers on the first run through, but in Woolly World, I’ve only managed to get all five flowers on a couple levels after two worlds. Players truly have to search each level thoroughly to succeed, but the drive to do so is built into the game’s premise. The main collectibles are bundles of yarn that, when collected, knit together a unique Yoshi that’s usually themed with the level. Players can then use these patterned friends as playable characters, including some that show off Nintendo’s legacy.

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Completing various challenges unlock console based skins! Image courtesy of NintendoNews.com

Woolly World can be described as an updated Yoshi’s Island in the best ways. The game challenges players to learn how the mechanics work, similarly to Yoshi’s Island, but the yarn-made aesthetics change up the way challenges are presented and approached. For instance, Yoshi now unravels his enemies and throws balls of yarn, which can bounce off of water to reach items that can’t be reached by swimming. Chain Chomps are now wire frames that chase the player, but can be covered in yarn to use as a boulder to reach new heights, crush enemies, and press weighted switches. The yarn-based physics creates new ways of thinking.
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Chain Chomps can be pacified with yarn!
Chain Chomps can be pacified with yarn!

Yoshi retains his strange ability to transform into various vehicles, but the forms make much more sense in this setting. In one level, Yoshi grows massive, stomping around like a Toho Kaiju. In another, Yoshi becomes a motorcycle for a high speed race across water spouts that look like blue, cozy blankets. Each form is used to break up the standard platforming gameplay in interesting, albeit brief, ways.

Some forms are stranger than others, but each section offers unique challenges.
Some forms are stranger than others, but each section offers unique challenges.

Good-Feel has gone above and beyond with Woolly World.  The entire game offers unique visuals and mechanics that are inspired by Yoshi’s Island, but add new layers of depth. Yoshi will forever hold his spot as a hero of one of the best Wii U titles in its sparse library. It’s a delightful experience for all ages, including veterans looking for a solid platforming game. Hopefully, Woolly Wold’s success will lead to more experimentation from Nintendo.

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Alex’s Take: Nintendo E3 2014

 With so many safe games being released by Nintendo recently and their company teetering on the Wii U with the 3DS barely keeping them afloat, there must have been a lot of pressure for Nintendo. This was the event I looked forward to the most. I’ve always enjoyed their characters and most of their games, even though I’ll admit that they’ve made some mistakes recently. Nintendo has a chance to make a comeback, but they’ve got to be careful with their games. Super Smash Bros. 4 looks like it will be Nintendo’s saving grace.

Nothing says childhood like putting toys together in a battle arena; that’s exactly what Smash Bros. is all about. Recently, Nintendo leaked that they are releasing toys with chips in their bases to be used in the game, much like Skylanders and Disney Infinity. These toys were shown in a hilarious video as Miyamoto pulls out a sweet-looking Mario figure to help him in his fight. It was also said that four other games would also be compatible with the figures: Mario Kart 8, Mario Party 10, Captain Toad, and Yoshi’s Wooly World. These toys could be the edge Nintendo needs to come out on top, especially during this holiday season.

While I could say just how excited I am to play the new Zelda or Pokemon, I’m choosing to highlight one of the more interesting games coming soon. Because every game company needs a multiplayer shooter, Nintendo stepped up to the plate to reveal Splatoon. Splatoon, at a glance, looks like a child’s Team Fortress 2; however, the more it was discussed, the more unique it revealed itself to be. In the game, players play as squid people who use ink guns to cover a map with their color. The team with the highest percentage of the map covered wins. Things get even more complex as players can transform into squids to move quicker on their color or hide from enemies beneath their ink. The ink can also be used to defend, as members of the opposite team can cut off a route, slowing down enemies tremendously. The sheer strategy and whimsy of Splatoon is staggering. I’ve never been more excited about something brand new from Nintendo. Now if only Nintendo would release a PC client so I can continue yelling obscenities at cartoons on my monitor.

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Overall, Nintendo’s press event was fun and showed off the innovation they’re famous for. Choosing to take a more direct route, they showed off their games in a digital broadcast without an audience. Their videos were expertly designed and showed the attention to detail that Nintendo has. Each game was shown in its best light and was discussed by the people behind them with super relevant backgrounds. Unfortunately, this expert delivery was lost as soon as the Nintendo Treehouse began after the broadcast.

There’s nothing more painful than watching television hosts struggle on a live show. The two people chosen for the event were awkward and seemed really uncomfortable. It was a terrible contrast to the previous video mastery. There were a few funny moments though, especially when they started discussing Mario Party 10. Apparently, the player with the Wii U Gamepad will be able to play as Bowser and be a big jerk to the other players. The male host responded with, “I’m sure I’ll be at the receiving end of your jerkiness.” Honestly, I tuned out when they said that the Treehouse was going to last over 20 hours. I couldn’t take it anymore, but even with that blunder, Nintendo’s event was still exciting and a blast to watch.

Nintendo brought a level of wonder and humor to E3 that other developers didn’t have. Robot Chicken actually helped open the digital event, in which Nintendo made fun of themselves. I thought I was going to die of laughter when the man yelled, “Come on Nintendo! Where’s Mother 3?” Almost every gamer has grown up alongside Mario and his crew, making him special and relatable. The developers of these games have fun and enjoy their jobs. They want to bring that fun and joy to their audience, even if that means making Yoshi out of  yarn or Kirby out of clay. No other video games capture this magic, which is why gamers of all ages love Nintendo.