There was a time when I shared Iggy Koopa and Mega 2's opinion of Yoshi's Island. (Well, perhaps I didn't feel QUITE as strongly as they do!) But I certainly wasn't a big fan of the game when I rented it shortly after launch.
****ed if I know why -- perhaps I was burnt out by the SNES era's tsunami of platformers. Perhaps I was in a bad mood at the time. Perhaps I was annoyed out of my skull by Baby Mario's crying... (probably the last!)
Flash forward four years to the day I start downloading ROMs for the emulator, and suddenly I feel very differently. VERY differently. Maybe it was the disappointment over Mario 64 and the dissatisfaction with most 3D games generally, maybe it because I was in love at the time and my mind was acting wonky, maybe I'd had some acid slipped into my beer. Whatever. I started playing as was immediately impressed.
and then I got to the "tough Fuzzy, get dizzy" level. My mind was blow. I was flaberghasted. My puny brain exploded. And i suddenly went from playing video games twice a year to relieve final exam stress to became as hardcore a devotee as I had in grade 7. Every level was a revelation - the pseudo 3D effects of the FX/2 chip was too cool to put into words, and the fact that EVERY level had unique enemies and gameplay challenges and I was hooked. A tour of the pawn shops in town found two copies of the game, and the quest to get 100% in each level continues.
Moral of the story - ummm... well... the game rocks. HARD. In a fair fight yoshi's Island will kick Mario world's heiny. As for Yoshi's Story, let's not get started on that piece of poo.
--
Elijah
