Subj : Yoshi and the Mysterious Book preview To : All From : Blue White Date : Thu Apr 23 2026 08:54:14 After months of waiting, I've finally played Yoshi's new game on Nintendo Switch 2 and its whimsy-filled world and engaging exploration have me feeling hopeful Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000 Description: I've played Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and now I'm feeling pretty excited for release day here's why. FULL STORY Yoshi has been a firm favorite for Nintendo fans for decades, but it feels as if hes been thrust further into the limelight as of late. Of course, the Super Mario Galaxy Movie released at the start of April, and the box office phenomenon placed Nintendos egg-lobbing dinosaur into something of a starring role. There was plenty of buzz around the casting of Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) as Yoshi, we saw an unending swathe of Yoshi toys and merch hit the shelves, and we even got a Yoshi popcorn bucket which I own, and yes, I did pay far too much for. It seems, then, that Yoshis position in terms of public consciousness is pretty prominent, and as a result, the stage is set for his return to the video game arena. So, in steps Yoshi and the Mysterious Book , a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive which capitalizes on the Yoshi hype in a big way. It will serve as the ninth entry in the Yoshi series, and has already got a lot of fans excited with its endearing visual style and color-filled world. Luckily, Ive already had the chance to play the game well, at least some of it. Thats right, Nintendo invited me to its UK headquarters to try out Yoshis new adventure and see what fans can expect upon release. I have to say, Ive got some pretty strong feelings about Nintendos upcoming title, so without further ado, lets discuss my experience with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book . In Yoshis latest outing, youll encounter a strange talking encyclopedia, named Mr. E. Right away, youll find that strange creatures lurk within Mr. Es pages, and I spotted everything from Shy Guys through to an unfamiliar bubble-blowing frog. Youre tasked with learning more about these mysterious beings: how they react to different environments, what powers they possesseven what they taste like. Yoshi can throw creatures, lick them, give them items, and even let them interact with others to learn more about their behaviors, and finding out every minute detail about them is seriously enjoyable. Whats more, the creatures both new and old are bursting with charm and whimsy. The hand-drawn, stop-motion-inspired visual style is brilliantly executed and brings so much charisma and life to each character youll encounter. It helps that many of the creatures have surreal, colorful designs, too. I was a big fan of the aforementioned frog, but I also enjoyed interacting with a singing bird-like blob and flying watermelons that violently spat seeds. Some characters will interact with one another, too, for instance, I got a Shy Guy to surf on this Skateboard-like monster and asked a few flowery dudes to pull up a vegetable for me, which really makes the encyclopedic world feel alive. I personally liked the art style of Yoshi s Wooly World and Crafted World , finding the yarn characters to be pretty appealing. But for me, The Mysterious Book has really taken things up a notch. The art direction is a little rough around the edges in a very intentional way, and the imaginative character designs add some much-needed variety to the Yoshi game formula, which was in need of a spruce-up, in my view. Explore at your own pace, Yoshi - You can interact with the various characters within Mr. E's pages to learn about their powers, how they react to different environments, and even how they taste. Its clear Im a big fan of the visuals in Yoshi and the Mysterious Book , but how does the action feel to play? Well, its pretty strong actually. Yoshi has his usual skills he can eat enemies and turn them into throwable eggs, he can flutter jump over long distances, and he can ground pound to deal damage. All of this feels great to control, and using the right stick to aim and release eggs was especially satisfying, but theres actually another neat ability to note. Yes, Yoshi has a new skill called Tail Flick, which enables you to bring creatures or items with you on your journey to uncover new areas and other secrets. As youd expect, Nintendo is keen to market this entry towards younger players. And in turn, the games baseline difficulty is pretty low. For instance, Yoshi couldnt take any damage during my time playing as was the case when I played Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition . However, this title feels less centered around traditional platforming and defeating your enemies, and far more focused on exploration and discovery. Each creature in the encyclopedia has its own bespoke level, and if you want to blitz through it, then you easily can. Theres usually one main discovery to make per level, after which you get the option to end your exploration. But for the more curious players, there are a lot of discoveries to be made. Youve got the usual collectible Smiley Flowers some of which are genuinely tough to find, especially in later-game levels. But there are also some hidden creatures and secret areas to uncover, which can open up all sorts of possibilities. I really liked how some creatures could use items and help Yoshi make new discoveries I gave a Shy Guy a dual-pronged garden fork, and it uncovered a cheekily-hidden Smiley Flower...well, that was before it accidentally impaled a few of its brethren. Whoops. Much of the games challenge, then, isnt in avoiding deadly attacks or making crazy jumps its in finding the obscured oddities that each level has to offer. And you truly can commit to as much exploration as you please. Before playing, Nintendo told us that it hoped this entry could appeal to and unite Yoshi fans of all ages and this user-led approach feels like a very sensible way of doing so. Final thoughts: a fantastic first impression -- You can pick from a wide selection of Yoshi colors, including green, pink, blue, purple, and more. At the end of my session with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book , my heart was filled with joy (and whimsy), and Im feeling positive in the lead-up to release. With impeccable art direction, buckets of charm, and no end of secrets to uncover, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is gearing up to be a blast for all ages. Yes, Yoshis apparent invincibility paired with low-difficulty platforming and action may prove to be a turn-off for those in search of a tougher gaming experience, but its not setting out to be that. I even had the chance to fight Kamek and Bowser Jr. on the back of a huge hog with a drill snout (Im pretty sure no other human has uttered those words in a sentence) and this was admittedly a very easy battle. But there were a fair few levels where I only found a couple of Smiley Flowers some of which were genuinely difficult to spot. Weve only really scratched the surface so far after all, I havent even mentioned your ability to play as multiple different colored Yoshis, the delightful soundtrack, or the fact that you can name the creatures you discover. Some highlights for me were Beehave for a buzzy fruit-like bug and Gary for a flowery friend. But Ill have plenty more to say after playing Yoshi and the Mysterious Book in full, so keep your eyes peeled for my review! Yoshi and the Mysterious Book will release on May 21, 2026, only for Nintendo Switch 2. Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/yoshi-and-the-mysterious-book-preview $$ --- MultiMail/DOS * Origin: SFnet Mission Control (42:1/100) .