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I was lucky enough to preview Yoshi and the Mysterious Book back in April, and it genuinely caught me off guard. After all, this Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive seemed to break the mold. Not only did it swap Yoshi’s usual platforming-focused formula for a more explorative and puzzle-oriented adventure, but it also felt like it held the substance and creativity that the dino’s more recent outings lacked.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2 only
Release date: May 21, 2026

And I’m glad to report that the full game only reinforced my initial impression — Yoshi and the Mysterious Book feels like a step-up on many of its predecessors, offering a level of intrigue and ingenuity that’s sure to entice players of various ages.

But is this the right game for you? And does it stand among the very best Nintendo Switch 2 games? Well, after playing through the main story and collecting no end of Smiley Flowers, I have a fair few thoughts — which are mostly, but not entirely positive. So, here’s what I made of Yoshi’s latest game.

Whimsy overload

(Image credit: Nintendo)

As I mentioned in my preview, two words come to mind when I think of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book: charm and whimsy.

A lot of this stems from the Nintendo Switch 2 title’s art direction, which is truly exceptional. Everything from the hand drawn creatures through to the stop-motion style animation is executed brilliantly, and provides each character with bags of personality and uniqueness. The game is just overflowing with charisma, and I can see the visual style being a hit with younger players and fans of cozy games, for instance.

For anyone out of the loop, this game follows Yoshi’s journey of discovery through the many pages of Mr. E, a sentient encyclopedia filled with many mystical creatures. Yoshi will have to learn about the behaviour, abilities — and even taste — of these characters, and help Mr. E recover knowledge about them.

I loved how each creature had a distinct set of skills, all of which can be utilized to solve puzzles in the game’s various levels. The main puzzles are usually straightforward, and won’t have more experienced gamers scratching their heads for too long, I expect. Younger players may need a while to solve later-game conundrums, although Mr. E is at hand to offer advice if things get too confusing.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nintendo)

You can give whatever name you want to the creatures in Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and I had a fantastic time picking weird and wacky monikers for each of them. Mr. E can suggest names, but I preferred to use my own, such as ‘rodney’ for a blob-like creature that comes equipped with a fishing rod.

Where the real challenge comes in, is in finding the numerous collectibles dispersed throughout each page. There are occasionally secret hollows that you can uncover, and there are coins buried away in harder-to-reach areas too. But the main collectible is the Smiley Flowers, which often require the player to get creative with creature abilities or to stray far from the beaten path.

Some of these flowers are super-easy to find, but many are hidden with great care. Even as someone who’s played many platformers — and indeed, Yoshi games — I still struggled to hunt a bunch of the Flowers down. By keeping some of the collectibles shrouded in mystery, I’d argue that Yoshi and the Mysterious Book does just about enough to maintain appeal for all ages.

Having said that, I did occasionally wish there was a little more difficulty mixed in. Most of the platforming is very easy, and Yoshi’s continuous flutter jump makes getting to distant segments pretty seamless. Most enemies pose little to no threat as well, and Yoshi will quickly respawn in the rare event of a deadly fall or attack. This remains the case in boss fights, which are creatively crafted, but lack threat.

So many secrets

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Again, though, the game is not centered around its platforming and action — it’s all about the exploration. As much as I was hoping for a little more difficulty here and there, the straightforward action did keep me laser-focused on learning more about the various creatures and searching for new secrets.

And there are so many secrets to discover. One of my favorites came during a level with Shy Guys, where I was able to give them a range of items to unveil a hidden room and obscured Smiley Flowers. There are six chapters in the main story, and a further four after that, so there really are a huge amount of creatures to learn about and discoveries to make.

These chapters aren’t massively rich in terms of narrative —Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn’t trying to be a deep or layered piece of media. You’ll repeat the same loop in just about each one: discover a few creatures, run into Bowser Jr. and Kamek, fight the boss, and move onto the next.

In terms of length, then, each chapter can be completed quite quickly — especially if you’re playing through levels without finding each and every secret. Still, I found the game to be best-played in short sessions. The discovery formula is enjoyable, but not addicting to the point that I wanted to play for hours on end. And personally, I enjoyed finishing one chapter per night — almost as if I was reading an actual book.

Wrapping up the story

(Image credit: Nintendo)

There’s only one main game mode in Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, but there are a few ways to customize and enhance your experience.

The first thing that comes to mind is your ability to play as multiple different color Yoshi. I played through most of the game in orange, but there’s the typical green, as well as yellow, pink, purple, and more. Another neat addition is Amiibo compatibility. If you’ve got any kind of Yoshi, Poochey, or Bowser Jr. figure, you can ask Mr. E to tell your fortune, and unlock in-game currency.

This currency can be used to reveal hints to new discoveries, enabling you to fill out Mr, E’s pages more rapidly. But it’s also possible to exchange Smiley Flowers that you collect for exploration tools. You can get a radar to discover nearby Flowers, creatures, and the like, a heart-rate tracker, a speedometer, and more.

Yoshi can actually get up to some impressive top speeds, but even when the game is at its most chaotic, it runs without a hitch. I experienced very little in the way of frame drops or delays, with just a couple of rare performance dips in handheld mode. In docked, the game played flawlessly and looked stunning in 4K. It’s hardly the most demanding game, of course, but this is great to see regardless. Yoshi also feels great to control, and I never got frustrated with awkward platforming or janky combat.

With its endearing visual style, enticing exploration, and charisma-filled creatures, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a delight on Nintendo Switch 2. Yes, its low difficulty could leave me wanting more during boss fights, and those hoping for perilous platforming may not gel with this entry so well. But this title concentrates carefully on its core objective — of being an exploration-focused puzzle platformer — and gives Yoshi his most enjoyable game in many a year.

Should you play Yoshi and the Mysterious Book?

(Image credit: Nintendo)Play it if…

You want a slower-paced adventure to relax with
If you’re looking for a game that’s low on intensity and high on relaxation, then Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is perfect for you. Playing one chapter per night was a very calming experience for me, and the lack of high-octane action will suit more laid-back gamers.

You’ve got a younger player in your household
Although some collectibles are very challenging to locate, the main objectives in Yoshi and the Mysterious Book are simple to complete. With its straightforward puzzler gameplay, this entry is ideal for younger players, and it’s sure to help develop skills such as problem solving and critical thinking.

Don’t play it if…

You want a challenging platformer
If you’re on the hunt for a tough Nintendo platformer, then this isn’t it. Yoshi’s new game is very much focused on discovery — to the point that platforming, and even boss fights, end up being very low in difficulty.

You’re not really into collectathons
A lot of the depth this game has to offer is centered around new creature discoveries and uncovering hidden Smiley Flowers. If you’re not a big fan of collectathons, then the gameplay here may not pique your interest all too much.

Accessibility features

There are only a handful of ways to customize your experience in Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. You can pick between three control schemes, set a ‘patient’ or ‘hasty’ egg toss style, disable rumble, and choose to advance Mr. E’s dialogue manually or automatically. There’s no colorblind mode or way to zoom in the camera, which could’ve been a nice touch.

(Image credit: Nintendo)How I reviewed Yoshi and the Mysterious Book

I spent more than ten hours venturing through Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, during which time I completed the main story and collected a whole bunch of Smiley Flowers.

Most of the time, I played the game in docked mode using the Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2, with my system connected to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. However, I did dip into handheld mode now and then, during which time I connected to the console with my JBL Tour One M3 wireless headphones.

I’ve been a Nintendo Switch 2 owner from day one, and have played many Yoshi games, including newer entries, like Yoshi’s Woolly World and Yoshi’s New Island. I’ve also reviewed a number of Switch 2 games here at TechRadar, such as Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Kirby Air Riders and Drag x Drive.

Full spoilers follow for The Mandalorian. Light spoilers also follow for The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Seven years is a long time for a franchise like Star Wars to spend away from the big screen. Sure, the wait for new movie-based entries in Lucasfilm's iconic galaxy far, far away has been significantly larger in the past. In an age where entertainment titans are mining everything they can from their money-spinning signature brands, though, it's surreal to think that a whole generation of fans haven't seen a Star Wars movie at their local theater.

Well, now they can. The Mandalorian and Grogu, a film sequel to The Mandalorian, aka the hugely popular Disney+ TV series that stars the aforementioned pair, aims to replicate the success of its parent show and recapture the magic of seeing the legendary sci-fi franchise on the silver screen for the first time. Unfortunately, it achieves neither of its objectives.

Wherever I go, he goes

The Mandalorian and Grogu marks the pair's first adventure on the silver screen (Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Picking up sometime after The Mandalorian's season 3 finale, The Mandalorian and Grogu reunites us with the titular duo as they continue to carry out their contractual work for The New Republic. That being, hunting down Imperial warlords still devoted to the Galactic Empire to stop them from reviving the autocratic regime.

The Mandalorian and Grogu has the air of being two hour-long episodes of its parent show that have been smashed together

To that end, the Mandalorian known as Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his Force-wielding pal are given a specific mission by Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver): rescue Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White) for his crime lord relatives known as the Twins. In exchange, the latter will provide information on the whereabouts of Lord Janu (Jonny Coyne), The New Republic's next target.

Sounds simple, right? I think you already know the answer to that. Long story short: Mando and Grogu get more than they bargained for on a quest that proves to be their most dangerous yet.

The Twins are as archetypal as you can get with a Star Wars villain — or, rather, villains (Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Truth be told, they should be used to life-threatening situations as they've embarked on numerous perilous missions before in The Mandalorian.

And this is my first major gripe with The Mandalorian and Grogu, because it has the air of being two hour-long episodes of its parent show that have been smashed together.

There's a clear disconnect between The Mandalorian and Grogu's two halves

It's difficult to explain without getting into major spoiler territory but, despite The Mandalorian and Grogu possessing a narrative throughline, there's a clear disconnect between its two parts that occurs exactly at its midpoint.

Indeed, with Mando and Grogu seemingly completing their Rotta-based search and rescue mission quicker than expected, I fully expected the end credits of this 'episode' to roll before its follow-up chapter began. You can imagine my surprise, then, when I not only realized this wouldn't happen, but also that there was an hour's worth of story left to tell when 95% of the plot's loose ends had seemingly been tied up.

Jeremy Allen White does a solid job voicing Rotta the Hutt (Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Director Jon Favreau might claim that, rather than repurpose The Mandalorian season 4's scripts for this movie, he had to "start from scratch with The Mandalorian and Grogu's screenplay.

Nevertheless, given the notable split midway through this film's story, I'm of the opinion that some of that unmade season's plot threads have been reused and, whether by design or not, give it the structure of a multi-episode arc that's been stitched together. Think of how The Clone Wars animated series' first few episodes were similarly sewn together to unnecessarily turn it into a big-screen offering, and you'll get the idea.

The light and the dark

The Mandalorian and Grogu's set-pieces will thrill many audience members (Image credit: Lucasfilm)

The Mandalorian and Grogu does win points for its action sequences, though. They're not wholly original in their makeup but, whether it's large- or small-scale battles, chase sequences, or vehicular- or duel-based combat, each one is as entertaining and well-executed as they need to be.

Grogu is the highlight of the show

Speaking of being entertaining, Grogu is — if it even needs saying — the highlight of the show.

Multiple scenes involving Mando's apprentice are played for laughs (and rightly so, because he's an adorable little tyke), but he also gets enough character development that indicates he's not only coming into his own as a protagonist, but also being firmly positioned as Star Wars' next big, well, star. Suffice it to say, newcomers will fall head over heels for the individual affectionately known as Baby Yoda, while established fans will re-fall in love with him all over again.

Grogu and the Anzellans provide plenty of light comic relief in the film's back half (Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Of equal appeal is The Mandalorian and Grogu following in the footsteps of its parent show and introducing us to fascinating new corners of the galaxy.

With growing fan criticism that Star Wars was reluctant to move away from exploring desert planets, The Mandalorian has given us new worlds — and the odd old fan favorite, such as Mandalore — to explore since its initial release on Disney+, aka one of the best streaming services.

It's time for Star Wars to move past its overreliance on nostalgia bait

It's a baton that The Mandalorian and Grogu is only too happy to pick up, too. Indeed, in flying us to new locales like Nal Hutta and Shakari, one of the many forthcoming new Star Wars movies and shows builds on its TV forebear's desire to visit unexplored regions of the galaxy, especially in the lawless Outer Rim. I'll take more of the same with other projects you've got in the pipeline, please, Lucasfilm.

Sigourney Weaver's Colonel Ward doesn't get as much screentime as you might expect (Image credit: Lucasfilm)

While I'm making requests, it's also time for Star Wars to move past its overreliance on nostalgia bait, of which The Mandalorian and Grogu is as guilty of as its franchise contemporaries are.

Spoilers notwithstanding, it's a film dripping in Easter eggs and callbacks to other Star Wars projects, especially in its back half. That won't be an issue for diehards looking to mimic Captain America's "I understood that reference" line from The Avengers or Leonardo DiCaprio's finger pointing meme from One Upon a Time in Hollywood. Still, to me at least, the sheer number of nods to The Mandalorian and wider Star Wars universe felt more and more self-indulgent with each one I picked up on.

My verdict

The Mandalorian and Grogu is fine. It's an inoffensive and narratively safe addition to Lucasfilm's back catalog that'll still perform admirably at the global box office by virtue of it being a Star Wars movie, and the inclusion of Baby Yoda that's sure to lure in first-time viewers and diehard fans of the adorable green imp alike.

For those who grew up on the original films and/or want Lucasfilm and Disney to take more big creative swings in the vein of Andor, though, The Mandalorian and Grogu will feel like a missed opportunity. After all, this is the franchise's first big-screen outing since incredibly divisive 2019 flick The Rise of Skywalker, and I suspect some will have hoped that Mando and Baby Yoda's latest adventure would help to wash away the aforementioned film's lingering bad aftertaste.

Occasionally enjoyable though it is, The Mandalorian and Grogu fails to do just that and, as much as it pains me to say it, this isn't the way that Star Wars should've returned to the big screen.

The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in theaters worldwide on Friday, May 22.

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