Yoshi: Touch & Go is one of the few titles to date that uses the full potential of the unique design of the Nintendo DS. Over the years, Yoshi has co-starred with Mario in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo, and has had his fair share of interesting games since then on multiple systems. Yoshi has developed from a string mascot spin-offs, to a handful of puzzle games, mere cameos, to a character with his own starring roles. In Yoshi’s latest installment the game makers at Nintendo have created a fun and unique title that could only be appreciated on the DS.

Features

• Five modes of unique game play
  
• Wireless two-player gaming on just one game card
  
• Saving of high scores which unlock new gaming modes.

The game Yoshi: Touch & Go had been originally known for some time as a technical demo going by the simple name of Balloon Trip. Balloon Trip was taken from a page of early Nintendo Entertainment System history in a title called Balloon Fight. Just like with Balloon Fight, the day portion of this game has a similar feel gameplay wise. Before you even get to control Yoshi in Yoshi: Touch & Go, you have to help Baby Mario coast to the ground where Yoshi is awaiting him. As with the Balloon Trip mode of the old Balloon Fight game, you have to help Baby Mario avoid all the obstacles in his path that will pop his balloons and send you to an early Game Over screen. Once at the bottom, it becomes a game of not just avoidance, but also of direct attacks using Yoshi and his egg creating and tossing abilities. Just like the old NES and arcade games of old the same rules apply in this game. There is no ending to the game at all, the score is what you are trying to beat. Once you're on the ground it just takes one hit and it's all over for Yoshi and Baby Mario.

Yoshi: Touch & Go is a very unique title that actually does not give the game player direct control over the main character. In order to get around, and why this game qualifies as unique, is that you must create an environment for the character to move around with using the stylus and microphone. During the descent and walking parts of this game the main form of control for the player will be to create cloud paths using the stylus to guide your characters. Using this you can also block enemies and encircle enemies into bubbles which in turn will change them into coins adding more to your score as you collect them. During the walking phase of the game there are added gameplay elements such as the ability to jump and float with the Yoshi and the ability to fire off eggs at enemies to clear a path and raise your score. Depending on the game mode if you gain enough hits, or you come by the item, you can grab a super star which will allow Baby Mario to become Super Baby Mario who can just bash into anything at a high speed, though paths will still need to be made. If you happen to make a mistake when drawing your path, a simple blow into the microphone will blow all the clouds away. This is a genius idea and fits quite well with the design of the game.