Simple, Old-School Gaming Fun

In a day where graphic ability is usually the key to a game’s success, rather than its overall playability, Nintendo brings us “Yoshi Touch N Go,” a tribute to old school gaming that lives up to all the hype around it and then some.

“Yoshi: Touch N Go” is another game in the Nintendo DS library that takes full advantage of the DS’s capabilities. Players have to draw clouds to help guide baby Mario from the air to ground after he falls from the grip of a stork. After landing on the back of Yoshi, you have to guide baby Mario back to the stork by making your way through enemy filled environments. This is done by encircling enemies by drawing clouds around them using the touch screen. Enemies that can’t be reached on the bottom screen can be eliminated by throwing eggs by tapping Yoshi via the touch screen.

After playing this game for a while, it’s obvious to see that its creators have been influenced heavily by games the likes of the NES versions of “Super Mario Bros,” “Donkey Kong” and “Ice Climber.” At first glance, the game seems to not have many game play options, but after a few tries you’ll find yourself addicted. Not many games out right now have such a rock solid gameplay interface and are so fun to play.

However, what makes “Yoshi Touch N Go” so addictive is the control. Simply put, the control is perfect. No current game on the Nintendo DS uses the stylus the way Touch n Go does. The control immerses the gamer into the game in ways that just aren’t seen often. Despite the fact that you never have any sort of direct control over any characters in the game, controlling the environment around Yoshi and Mario provides a new and fun way of playing that has never been done before.

The graphics of “Yoshi Touch N Go” are nothing to scream about, but considering how great the game plays, they don’t need to be anything special. Brightly colored and full of life, the visuals here and are a throwback to the days on the Super Nintendo.

All this being said, any gamer looking for a great game for the DS needs to look no further. While the game never takes itself tremendously seriously, its overall charm and fun-factor are more than enough to keep any gamer busy for any prolonged period of time.