Yoshi and the Mysterious Book on Switch 2 is seriously charming, but also kind of boring

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn’t the kind of game I would typically pick up. I like Yoshi enough as a character, but I’m not a huge fan of 2D platformers — I haven’t even played Super Mario Bros. Wonder yet.When I do play 2D platformers, I really enjoy fast-paced and/or collection-focused levels. So, when I got the chance to try out Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, I was wondering whether it would hold my attention. Spoiler alert: I enjoyed the game more than I expected to, but it took a while for the ball to get rolling for me.My verdict on Yoshi and the Mysterious Book

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch 2 - YouTube

Watch On

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a solid way for young or casual gamers to dip their toe into platforming games. Rather than testing your fine motor skills with difficult jumps and obstacles, the levels are built on a sense of mystery and discovery. They are all bite-sized, and you can enter and exit them as you please. The graphics are gorgeous and emulate a hand-drawn style. And there are no time limits or health bars to worry about.Low-stakes gameplay has its place (I've put 700 hours into Animal Crossing: New Horizons). So, if you want to try a platforming game but find them to be too challenging or stressful, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a good choice.But I’ve played several platformers before, and during Yoshi’s opening stages, I found the stakes to be so low that it made the game feel inconsequential. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is all about making discoveries, but it took me a while to discover anything that excited me.