Yoshi And The Mysterious Book's Charm Doubles As The Game's Most Divisive Feature

Nintendo has made it abundantly clear that 2026 is the Year of Yoshi as everyone’s favourite green dinosaur has starred in several major projects so far, and we’re not even halfway through yet.

Yoshi made his big-screen debut in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, where he was played by Donald Glover, but what’s more exciting is his new game, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. It’s one of Nintendo’s strangest games yet and could be the most divisive.

A Whistle-stop Tour Of Nintendo Creativity

The premise of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is the following: A whole herd of Yoshis find a mysterious book. Shocking, we know.

Basically, the mysterious book actually goes by the name Mr E. and is a compendium of creatures not found in the world of Super Mario. The pages act as portals to their habitats, with Yoshi and co being given the task of entering these wacky worlds and investigating the beings that dwell within.

It’s like a safari but you never know what’s going to be on the next page.

Each level focuses on a different creature and to complete a level, you must learn and master its unique ability to clear the stage.

You’ll earn star points at the same time, accumulating more points based on how many discoveries you make about the creature. What Yoshi thinks it tastes like, its durability, and how it interacts with its habitats flora and fauna are just a few examples of the findings you’ll make.

The mysterious book’s inhabitants vary wildly and each one introduces some new mechanic or ability to play with. It’s comparable to Super Mario Odyssey in that regard. You’ve got crabs that play shells like musical instruments, frogs that spew out bubbles carrying you into the sky, and much, much more.

They’re not all winners but they are all different, and seeing the full extent of what they can all do will drive your playthrough forward, to the end credits and beyond.

Nintendo

Yoshi’s Book Is Written For The Slowest Readers

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book falls into the same trap of previous Yoshi games when it comes to difficulty. The last few Yoshi games have all had comfort and accessibility in mind, and this latest adventure knocks the challenge down to the ground-floor.

Throughout the game, you’ll encounter very few enemies or characters that want to actually cause you harm. Even when something is trying to attack you, Yoshi can shrug off pretty much any form of damage. Even pitfalls aren’t an obstacle as you’ll simply be whisked back up to wherever you fell from.

Now the lack of any real challenge isn’t a problem. Like we alluded to before, the Yoshi games have been repurposed as entry-level platformers perfect for children, with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book being no exception.

However, if you’re buying the game in the hope it’ll test your mettle, you’re going to be disappointed.

What you’re getting instead though is something that’s quintessentially Nintendo. It’s fun, whimsical, colourful and doesn’t take itself too seriously, because why should it?

The Nintendo Switch 2’s first-party offering has been pretty hit and miss so far but Yoshi and the Mysterious Book could easily stand side-by-side with Donkey Kong Bananza in terms of the feeling of the game.

Whatever it lacks in story or challenge is made up with clever gameplay mechanics disguised as weird and wonderful creatures. It’s unfortunate that some of that magic dissipates on a replay, but even when you’ve filled all of the mysterious book’s pages, you’re still left with another charming Yoshi platformer to enjoy at leisure.

Pros: Non-stop new gameplay mechanics, charming visuals, fun premise, good starting point for those new to gaming/platformers

Cons: Did you expect a story? Not for those seeking a challenge

For fans of: Super Mario Bros Wonder, Donkey Kong Bananza, Yoshi’s Woolly World

8/10: Excellent

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book launches on 21 May for Nintendo Switch 2. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.