Yoshi's Crafted World: Everything you need to know

While the Wii U seemed to be nearly overflowing with platformers based on Nintendo's most beloved mascots, the Nintendo Switch by comparison is still lacking a few of the most important platforming pals. Enter Yoshi, for Yoshi's Crafted World, which appears to be exactly the kind of wholesome Nintendo action platforming that fans of Nintendo's development studios love. This is the same Yoshi game that was originally announced at E3 2017, and after a long development, its release appears to finally be approaching.

Here's everything we know so far about what you'll get to do in Yoshi's Crafted World:

What is Yoshi's Crafted World?

Yoshi's Crafted World is the latest Yoshi title from Good-Feel, following Yoshi's Woolly World for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. It shares many similarities with its predecessor, the most obvious being that it's another Yoshi action-platforming game. But both games make use of a crafts-like aesthetic, with Woolly World focusing on fabrics and Crafted World using paper items in the style of a miniature diorama. Most of Woolly World's mechanics, enemies, and concepts make returns in Crafted World, though the game and its levels are entirely new.

One of the big draws of Yoshi's Crafted World is this craft aesthetic, which can manifest in interesting platforming sections where you're leaping across rolled bits of paper, flowers made of wood and string, and facing enemies that look like a 5-year-old made them in art class!

Is there a story?

Like many other Yoshi games, there is a light story guiding your adventures across Yoshi's island home. Baby Bowser and Kamek appear in the Yoshi's happy home and steal the coveted Sundream Stone, scattering its gems across multiple worlds. As Yoshi, you'll have to track down the Sundream Stone and stop a horde of Baby Bowser and Kamek's minions along the way. That means lots of collectibles and hidden secrets, just like in past Yoshi games!

How do you play?

Like past Yoshi games, Yoshi's main abilities are his flutter jump and his ability to eat enemies and turn them into eggs. As a platformer, you'll need to use Yoshi's ability to jump and flutter jump to climb and cross levels. But enemies will fly, run, and roll at you as you go, so you'll also have to work your way forward by eating them, turning them into eggs, and then using those eggs to throw at other enemies or at certain spots on the map to reveal hidden platforms or secrets.

And like its predecessor Yoshi's Woolly World, Yoshi's Crafted World will feature unlockable Yoshi color palettes you can swap to as you collect them, allowing you to play as an adorably soft Yoshi in any number of different colors and patterns.

What's this about flipping levels?

The big "gimmick" of Yoshi's Crafted World is that levels can be "flipped." Levels are designed on a three-dimensional plane, with enemies in the foreground and background and with the ability to flip the level backward and play from the other side. This is occasionally done as a part of the regular gameplay of the level, but you can also play any level from back to front flipped over after you beat it forward.

This doesn't just apply to the game's flip mechanics, though. Because the game is a 2D platformer on a 3D plane, you'll often find yourself moving forward and back in a three-dimensional space to avoid enemies, collect items and coins, and platform through obstacles.

This will surely result in some interesting challenges and platforming puzzles, so keep an eye out for ways flipping the level can change your perspective!

Can I play with a friend?

You can! Yoshi's Crafted World includes the ability to play with two players at once, each in control of a Yoshi. You can help one another get through all the levels for a bit of extra assistance you wouldn't otherwise have while playing solo.