Given that I brought it up, I should say that I don't hate Yoshi's Island. I just don't really rate it that highly. It seems to focus more on collecting things and moving around an open level rather than challenging platforming. The levels, therefore, are much more open, but that's not really what I'm looking for in a platformer.
Also, I've never really enjoyed playing as Yoshi (even in SMW). The trade off was never worth it for me. I'd much rather be more nimble, and Yoshi always felt like a weight around my ankles.
I do appreciate Yoshi's Island's approach to art design, which I feel holds up to this day, but I just don't get why it's so beloved by some people. I thought, in gameplay terms, it was a step backward from SMB3 and SMW.