One of Mario and Luigi’s best buddies returns to the gaming universe to star in his own side-scrolling adventure that offer a strange take on the world of knitting in Yoshi’s Woolly World (Nintendo and Good-Feel, Rated Everyone, $59.99).
The famed green lizard is now made of crochet and battling to save his species after they nearly all get turned into yarn strands by the diabolical wizard Kamek.
Up to a pair of players can cooperatively (or competitively) explore, with a green and red version of Yoshi, six gorgeous worlds within Craft Island, stitched together with cloth, felt, cotton and plenty of yarn that look ripped from craft class.
Our heroes battle Piranha Plants, Fluffy Phantoms, Smooch Spiders and even menacing Hot Dogs (flaming pooches) as they hop, bounce, squeeze, climb and turn into umbrellas, mermaids and motorbikes.
Now, I’m not sure how I feel about this part, but Yoshi can cannibalistically even gobble up his partner and spit him out at enemies, trigger events or reach higher platforms as a yarn ball.
Younger children taxed by the platforming conundrums can also play on the Mellow Mode that turns gives Yoshi wings, to fly around and get out of tough situations
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Action-enhancing gadgets or extras: The game comes with a cute, 3.5-inch tall plush Yoshi Amiibo with a crocheted texture. When an owner touches the doll’s butt to the right corner of the Wii U GamePad, the figure appears in the game.
Now the player gets to control a pair of Yoshis, making life much easier when battling enemies (always having a Yoshi ball ready to spit out is a luxury) and navigating the platforming action.
Other Amiibo figures ($12.99 and up) such as Mario and Donkey Kong work with the GamePad and give Yoshi a new textured costume as he saves his brethren.
• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com.
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