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Spun Up in Yoshi's Yarn

by Neal Ronaghan - January 23, 2013, 8:35 pm EST
Total comments: 14

As one of the folks charmed by Kirby's Epic Yarn, Neal is super-hyped for the new Yarn Yoshi game.

I think we all had a feeling that Good-Feel, developer of Kirby's Epic Yarn and Wario Land: Shake It!, was going to make a Yoshi game. It just seemed to make sense, being the prediction of many Nintendo World Report staffers recently. Finally, nearly two and a half years after Epic Yarn's release, Good-Feel's next game, starring Yoshi in full wooly regalia, has been unveiled for Wii U.

I am stoked, as I both love Good-Feel's work and the charm of the aesthetic. I also think the crocheted world looks beautiful in HD. Is there that part of me that would love to see Good-Feel do something different than that tried-and-true style? Sure, but as long as this Yoshi game doesn't just replicate the concepts shown in Kirby's Epic Yarn, I won't complain. 

Some of the flourishes, like how Yoshi's yarn outline fills in when he eats an enemy, are adorable. Yoshi's transformations, as shown in Yoshi's Island, might make a return, as some of the footage shows a giant Yoshi. Either he ate a Mega Mushroom or he's getting transformed somehow. Remember, in Epic Yarn, Kirby transformed in ways similar to Yoshi.

The last exciting part about this new Yoshi game is Takashi Tezuka's involvement. Tezuka, best known for designing every relevant Mario and Zelda from 1986 to 1996, has been spending most of his time with 2D Mario titles. Considering Tezuka was a co-director on Yoshi's Island, I have faith he will make sure Good-Feel keeps up the legacy of that fantastic game.

When will this game come out, though? I think it's safe to assume this game could be a fall 2013 release, likely hitting in October. Tezuka's game generally seem to come out on time, as does Good-Feel's. With close to three years of time since Epic Yarn's release, it seems like Good-Feel should have had enough time to learn the Wii U hardware and make a kick-ass game. Seriously, just look at this freaking game. It is beautiful.

Images

Talkback

Pixelated PixiesJanuary 24, 2013

This game looks great. I'm surprised Goodfeel opted for an art style so similar to Epic Yarn, but I guess we'll see how that plays out.

Luigi DudeJanuary 24, 2013

Quote from: Pixelated

This game looks great. I'm surprised Goodfeel opted for an art style so similar to Epic Yarn, but I guess we'll see how that plays out.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Wii's hardware wasn't powerful enough to do some of the things they would have in Epic Yarn, so they're using it again in this game because they can fully realize everything they want to do now thanks to the Wii U's power.

Pixelated PixiesJanuary 24, 2013

Quote from: Luigi

I wouldn't be surprised if the Wii's hardware wasn't powerful enough to do some of the things they would have in Epic Yarn, so they're using it again in this game because they can fully realize everything they want to do now thanks to the Wii U's power.


No doubt. I guess I just feel like Epic Yarn had such a well realised and singular look to it, that to see that same look taken whole cloth (pun not intended) and applied to another franchise is a little underwhelming.

Given Goodfeel's work on Shake It! and Epic Yarn I had hoped their next project would once again wow me with a completely different look. I guess it doesn't matter that much, because this Yoshi game looks absolutely fantastic. Still, it would have been nice to see something as surprising as Epic Yarn had been.

Evan_BJanuary 24, 2013

I think that Yoshi's Yarn is going to look less like Epic Yarn and more like the shots that are seen later in the Direct- those glorious 3D fabric environments and not the 2D, static cloth background.

But we'll have to wait and see.

TJ SpykeJanuary 24, 2013

Yarn Yoshi (which is the name Nintendo is using for it) does look pretty good, just stunning.

CaterkillerMatthew Osborne, Contributing WriterJanuary 24, 2013

Yoshi and the enemies may be yarn but i'm expecting a full on Nintendo Land world mixed with some Yoshi's Story.

That Tezuka Mii in the article is the greatest thing I've ever seen. It just perfectly captures his look, better than pretty much any Mii I've ever seen.

Quote from: TJ

Yarn Yoshi (which is the name Nintendo is using for it) does look pretty good, just stunning.

Not true. It was used as a headline in a bullet-point list in a press release. The current title is "Wii U Yoshi (Name Not Final)" or something to that effect.

TJ SpykeJanuary 24, 2013

Quote from: NWR_Neal

Quote from: TJ

Yarn Yoshi (which is the name Nintendo is using for it) does look pretty good, just stunning.

Not true. It was used as a headline in a bullet-point list in a press release. The current title is "Wii U Yoshi (Name Not Final)" or something to that effect.

Since Nintendo's press material uses Yarn Yoshi, that seems pretty official (especially as they have not used "Yoshi's Yarn").

I think the impressive thing is that Neal managed to write a whole blog about the game without ever referring to it by a title. Which is good, becauseĀ  "Wii U Yoshi (Name Not Final)", which is indeed the name it has on at least some of the materials we got, doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

Mop it upJanuary 24, 2013

I think the graphics look like a 3D version of Yoshi's Story, so I don't think it's following Kriby's Epic Yarn, but rather that the games just happen to have somewhat similar styles. I like the look, and am looking forward to seeing more of the game.

Pixelated PixiesJanuary 24, 2013

Quote from: Mop

I think the graphics look like a 3D version of Yoshi's Story, so I don't think it's following Kriby's Epic Yarn,


Did you watch the trailer? It looked exactly like Epic Yarn (right down to the collecting of beads).

Quote from: TJ

Quote from: NWR_Neal

Quote from: TJ

Yarn Yoshi (which is the name Nintendo is using for it) does look pretty good, just stunning.

Not true. It was used as a headline in a bullet-point list in a press release. The current title is "Wii U Yoshi (Name Not Final)" or something to that effect.

Since Nintendo's press material uses Yarn Yoshi, that seems pretty official (especially as they have not used "Yoshi's Yarn").

Yes, but Yarn Yoshi wasn't used as a game title (as in, it wasn't formatted like one). I'll colloquially call it Yarn Yoshi on Twitter and stuff, but it is not the game's name as of today. The game is just an unnamed Yoshi Wii U game from Good-Feel.

ShyGuyJanuary 24, 2013

I'm calling it Yarn Yoshi.

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