Yoshi and the Mysterious Book – First Impressions of a Calm, Exploration-Driven Adventure

The Yoshi franchise has always stood out for its carefully crafted, charming—almost storybook-like—aesthetic. Over the years, it has embraced a wide range of visual styles, from pop-up books to watercolor illustrations and yarn-inspired worlds, all reinforcing the character’s gentle and playful identity. This new console generation couldn’t move forward without one of Nintendo’s most recognizable icons, especially after Yoshi’s prominent role in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. As a result, Yoshi is set to headline one of the early releases for Nintendo Switch 2 this May. We had the chance to see Yoshi and the Mysterious Book in action, complete its first chapter, and begin exploring the strange and delightful pages that make up this new adventure.

Exploring the world with Yoshi

The opening moments introduce the Talking Encyclopedia, better known as Mr. E: an elegant, mustached book wearing a monocle, filled with vast knowledge that—ironically—it has never actually read. The Yoshis stumble upon this peculiar volume, and from that moment on, they gain the ability to step inside its pages, each one leading to different biomes focused on unique plant and animal species. This discovery sets the stage for Yoshi’s latest journey.

At its core, the game retains the series’ traditional platforming foundation. Yoshi keeps his familiar moveset: swallowing enemies to create eggs, flutter jumping, ground-pounding, and carrying objects or creatures on his back. However, there is a key twist—there are no true enemies. Instead, the experience revolves around learning about each creature you encounter through direct interaction.

Early on, for example, players come across a group of flowers. Interacting with them reveals information about their behavior: how they help other flowers grow, their affinity for water, their color variations, and even their effect on grass growth. There are no penalties for failure and no lives to lose. The goal is simple and refreshing—discover as much information as possible.

Each level requires reaching a minimum amount of discovered data, but how you obtain it is where the game truly shines. The experience avoids explicit guidance, encouraging players to rely on intuition, experimentation, and their understanding of Yoshi’s mechanics. Classic elements also return, such as collecting flowers and searching for hidden areas that are not immediately obvious. These secret spots often reward players with additional discoveries they may have otherwise missed.

While the overall difficulty is accessible, platforming still demands a degree of precision. You may not breeze through every section on your first attempt, but the challenge never becomes overwhelming. It strikes a careful balance between relaxed exploration and light mechanical engagement.

As you progress, Mr. E comments on your findings and can offer hints if you feel stuck during your research. Yoshi isn’t alone in this world either—familiar faces like Kamek and Bowser Jr. appear along the way, each pursuing their own parallel adventures within the book.

At the end of every level, players receive a research summary showing what they uncovered and what remains unknown. One of the game’s most charming features follows: naming the newly discovered creatures. While there is a character limit, it’s more than enough to come up with memorable names. And if creativity runs dry, Mr. E is always ready with a suggestion. Completing levels earns stars, which are used to unlock new chapters and biomes.

As the adventure continues, new species and environmental mechanics are introduced. One area, for instance, features frogs that generate bubbles, allowing Yoshi to float temporarily. Elements like mud can alter the properties of creatures and objects, opening up new mechanics and revealing additional hidden areas. At times, Mr. E will even send players back to previous levels after changes occur, encouraging completionists to revisit and thoroughly explore familiar spaces.

A living storybook

Visually, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book fully embraces its storybook identity. Everything feels hand-crafted, as if pulled straight from an illustrated encyclopedia. Discovered creatures are especially detailed, reinforcing the sense of curiosity and discovery at the heart of the experience. On a technical level, performance is solid, with smooth frame rates and responsive controls—particularly important during more precise platforming sections.

Based on this early look, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is shaping up to be a promising and distinctive exclusive for Nintendo Switch 2. If the full game builds on the ideas introduced in its opening chapter, it could offer one of the most relaxed and charming Yoshi adventures to date. Its official release is set for May 21, and for now, all signs point to a delightful journey waiting inside its pages.

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