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Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World Review Online

Nintendo often gets a bad rap for making “kiddie” games. In my world, however, kid-friendly games aren’t a bad thing.

Who’s a good boy? Poochy’s a good boy! Yoshi won’t have to adventure alone with this faithful companion by his side. Poochy’s always ready to lend a paw to help Yoshi travel over dangerous terrain, fetch hard-to-reach collectables, or sniff out secrets.

As a gamer who was raised during the heyday of 8-bit gaming, I still have a soft spot for the classic genres I grew up with such as sidescrolling platformers. Personally, I also tend to focus more on gameplay as far as my gaming preferences go, not whether a game looks edgy or visually “mature.” I’ve found many gamers tend to think the same way once they start hitting their 30s or have kids.

Besides, given all the terrible games that kids have access to in today’s smartphone and tablet app-dominated world, it’s nice to see the level of polish that Nintendo typically places on its “kiddie” games — at least so children know what a well-designed game looks like. The original “Yoshi’s Woolly World” on the Wii U is a perfect example. Featuring a nice mix of classic platforming combined with a unique and adorable presentation, the game features the kind of charm and attention to detail that I like to see in my family-friendly titles. Plus it’s criminally cute, and I’m definitely a sucker for adorable character and world design.

This makes the game’s arrival on the 3DS with “Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World” a welcome development for yours truly. The question, of course, is whether it’s worth a second trip, especially for folks who already have the Wii U version.

First, let’s go through the game’s more familiar offerings. For the most part, everything I said in my original review for the Wii U version still applies for the 3DS version as well. This includes the story, which has Koopa wizard Kamek flying in and turning a bunch of Yarn Yoshis into pieces of yarn. Oh, Kamek, you disturbing, myopic, broom-riding turtle, you. Anyway, your job is to take control of one of the remaining Yoshi’s and save your hapless brethren, who can then be used in the game as well once they’re restored to their original form.

In addition to the Yoshis that you rescue, you can also grow your army of yarn dinosaurs by scanning all sorts of Amiibo. Figures I have scanned include Mario, Animal Crossing’s Isabelle, and a bunch of Splatoon Amiibo, resulting in an equivalent Yarn Yoshi being added to my stable. Scanning a Yoshi Amiibo, meanwhile, lets you use a Yoshi sidekick who can follow you in the game.

Visually, the 3DS version is not quite as nice as the Wii U version, which is understandable. If you have the New Nintendo 3DS, though, you benefit from smoother frame rates, which is a plus. One notable omission, however, is two-player mode, which is a bummer as Poochy would have been a great partner.

Although the overall adventure and mechanics are the same, Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World does try to add some new wrinkles to help keep things fresh. The most obvious change, of course, can be seen in the title as Poochy shares top billing with Yoshi this time around. The addition, however, is not as game-changing as some people might think. That’s because Poochy’s role is limited to the new Poochy Mode, which is more akin to a side-scrolling endless runner-ish exercise as opposed to a classic platformer. It’s interesting but feels more like a diversion, particularly given how you still can’t use Poochy in the main adventure. He does pop up in the adorable “Yoshi Theater” stop-motion video shorts, though, which add a fun element to the game.

One change that I find to be more impactful is the addition of Poochy puppies in the easier Mellow Mode. The Poochy pups are designed to provide hints by sniffing out secret items and spots — a great feature not just for kids but also completionists who may be having a tough time finding that last hidden flower or yarn piece. Granted, this makes an already easy game even easier. Lack of challenge continues to be an issue that carries over from the original game, especially for platforming fans who yearn for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze levels of difficulty. Then again, the game’s family-friendly approach will fit with certain audiences as well.

So do the new additions warrant a purchase for folks who own the Wii U version? The answer, as with a lot of things, depends. On face value, I wouldn’t describe the changes as major ones so it’s perfectly fine to stick with your Wii U copy should you already have it. If you have kids, however, who would benefit from the ability to use Poochy pups or simply want a Woolly World game that you could play on the go — barring a port to the Nintendo Switch, of course — Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World is worth another spin of this adorable yarn.

FINAL THOUGHTS

“Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World” takes all the charm and fuzzy feel of the Wii U version and squeezes it in portable form with some new additions. New features such as Poochy Mode and Poochy pups might not be enough to sway owners of the original game to take the plunge. If you’re pining for Woolly World action on the go, however, this is one yarn-filled adventure that you would want to spin.

• Rating: 4 out of 5​
• Cost: $39.99, 3DS​
• http://yoshiswoollyworld.nintendo.com/3ds/

Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS) Review

Poochy Yoshi

by Daan Koopman - February 1, 2017, 6:00 am PST
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Wait, you haven't played one of the most adorable games on Wii U? Well, this portable version is fine, too!

Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World takes one of most beloved games on Wii U and tries to create a portable version out of it. At first, this can be a cause for worry. Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS was pretty stripped down and Hyrule Warriors Legends felt like the lesser experience. Nintendo's track record of Wii U ports is nothing to truly shout about, so you can understand why people would be cynical. But then you start playing Poochy & Yoshi and realize that it doesn't matter anymore. The experience might not be perfect, but this entry is a perfectly fine substitute for the Wii U game.

Outside of the lesser visual fidelity, all the things you liked and disliked about Yoshi's Woolly World are here. The adorable story is of a clan of Yoshi (and Poochy!) living peacefully on Craft Island, a small island in the Handmade Ocean, whose peace comes abruptly to an end when Kamek shows up and turns most of the dinosaurs into various sets of yarn. Two Yoshis and Poochy manage to escape and pursue the trickster with all their might. As Kamek finally manages to escape, he drops yarn everywhere, and the fluffy friends go in at once to save their friends. It isn't deep, but is quite charming nonetheless. Due to graphical changes, it is told with a 2D world map, instead of the 3D hub that was on Wii U.

The 2D world map is where you see the first big change in the game. As you go forth from level to level, you can no longer freely roam the environment and will simply move to what's next on the road map. While some might miss it, I actually think it is better to instantly keep going and give the next level a gander. The change helps streamline the game for on the go as you can hop in, play a level and close the system. The levels might be slightly long in the tooth, but the 50+ stage package is impressive, and it doesn't make any compromises. I found myself enthralled by walking, running, jumping, pulling bows in the environments, transforming in different forms and so much more. Sadly, the load times haven't really seen a clean up for the Wii U and feel a little lengthy at times.

Throwing yarn balls is still what you do most in stages. You will need to attack enemies, destroy question bubbles and even use them to create platforms. The Wii U game would let you use a Wii Remote in the sideways position, which allowed you to tilt the controller for more precision. For the Nintendo 3DS, they found a solution to replicate this freedom of control: you can now tilt the system to accurately throw your eggs while performing other moves with the buttons. The possibility to flutter jump while you aim and press the R-button creates a solid flow. You can opt out of this by simply using the buttons which makes it more play like a traditional Yoshi game. The solution they have come up with isn't ideal, but I do see the appeal and used it more than I would like to admit.

For younger players, they found enough of a reason to revamp the Mellow Mode option, offering a more robust guided experience. Alongside the wings of the Wii U entry, you are helped by the Poochy Pups. These adorable critters will automatically run towards harsh enemies or secrets soyou can deal with them effectively. This helps players find more hidden trinkets within the levels and fully finish levels at a quicker rate. While I don't see much personal use for it, I can understand why people would like that option available to them. Many people found 100%'ing the original a frustrating ordeal, but that’s fixed right here and now. It doesn't make some of the recycled bosses throughout the adventure any better, though.

The collectibles have seen changes as well. Instead of the challenge minigames, there is now the brand new Poochy Dash mode, which sees Yoshi's best friend running automatically to a goal. It is up to you to collect beads, jump off enemies in quick succession, pop a bunch of balloons and collect the Poochy pups that are scattered around. While they are cute at first glance, there aren't many Dash levels, even when you purchase a Poochy amiibo. You will only get additional missions, which unlocks costumes for the puppy. While the roles of the beads and Wonder Wools haven't changed, the other major difference can be found with the Stamp Patches. Those have been replaced by Pencil Stamps, which grant you access to crafting materials that can benefit the creation of your own Yoshi. This is way deeper than it sounds, and I found myself trying to create something abstract. The tools are straightforward to use, which makes it more fun to toy around with the feature. Sadly, there aren't many sharing options as only StreetPass is available to you.

The last new inclusion are the 31 Poochy and Yoshi short videos. They depict the every day lives of the pair as they play, interact and go about their day. The videos don’t last long, but end with a trivia question that will earn you beads. Now I would love to say that they are incredible, but the quality is rather inconsistent. Some are charming, while others leave a lot to be desired. As they unlock every 24 hours, I don't exactly feel that they are a great reward for visiting the game every day. You can constantly skip the clock a day and unlock them, but that isn't worth the hassle. What doesn't help matters is that these shorts aren't even in 3D, which would have made it a lot better. The regular game does support this, despite it being not exactly build for the Nintendo 3DS. While the quality can't exactly compare with a console release, 60 frames per second on the New Nintendo 3DS is an impressive feat to be seen. In its own right, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World performs beyond expectations on the handheld.

Who is Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World meant for? Well, the people who haven't played the game yet. With the Wii U’s well-known fate, there are likely plenty of newcomers out there. This particular crowd is getting an incredibly solid 2D Yoshi platformer --one that not only performs quite well, but also offers additional trinkets over its original entry. The veteran will, however, more than likely skim over this one as the new stuff doesn't entice a secondary purchase. Next to that, the developers didn't exactly fix many problems, outside of making Mellow Mode more useful. Personally, I also slightly prefer to play it with a Wii Remote. The attention is on the 'slightly' part of that sentence, because I still found the same enjoyment as before. If you are up for a meaty platformer, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World will keep you entertained throughout February.

Summary

Pros

• Fun and charming levels
• Great performance on 3DS
• Making your own Yoshis
• Mellow Mode makes collecting easier
• Optimized for on the go

Cons

• Loading times and bosses still a bit underwhelming
• Some added bits disappoint

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