Yoshi's Island 2 - hands-on

If the completely classic style of New Super Mario Bros. isn't enough to satiate your 2D hunger, we're going to bet the animated-storybook presentation of Yoshi's Island 2 will serve as a welcome side dish of nostalgic dessert.

Instead of playing as Mario, you're the long-tongued dinosaur Yoshi - you do, however, carry Baby Mario on your back, and have to constantly monitor where he is at all times. If you're hit, Baby Mario pops off and floats around in a bubble until you pop him back out. Oh, and he cries incessantly until you do it. Just like a real annoying baby.

What makes this sequel to 1995's SNES original different are the new babies to choose from. Throughout each of the elaborate, secret-filled levels are checkpoints where you can swap out which baby rides along. As you may expect, each one brings a unique ability to the game. Baby Peach, for instance, can open her umbrella to coast her and Yoshi along wind currents.

Brett Elston

A fomer Executive Editor at GamesRadar, Brett also contributed content to many other Future gaming publications including Nintendo Power, PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazine. Brett has worked at Capcom in several senior roles, is an experienced podcaster, and now works as a Senior Manager of Content Communications at PlayStation SIE.