The Final Reviews Are in for Nintendo's Biggest Game of the Year So Far

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has been one of the most anticipated Nintendo games of 2026, and it's finally out this Thursday, May 21. Critics have gotten their reviews out for the game, and it currently has an 81/100 score on Metacritic.

Impressions seem to be pretty positive; any game with a score above an 8/10 is really good! Here are some of the specific thoughts reviewers had of the game.

VGC's Andy Robinson thinks the game is one of the most creative platformers in recent memory, even matching some of Mario's best adventures on Nintendo consoles.

"Yoshi and the Mysterious Book powers along with the kind of breathless imagination typically associated with mainline Super Mario adventures, with new ideas and gameplay mechanics stretching across the margins of its pages. A brilliant, unique siderscroller."

James Stergiou of Checkpoint Gaming thought the experience was adaptable to the player, meaning that it can be easy or more challenging depending on what you want out of it.

"Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a fantastic experience that anyone can pick up and play, regardless of their playstyle. The game is played entirely at your own pace, being as challenging or as straightforward as you want it to be. You always feel like you're making progress, and you are constantly rewarded for your curiosity and being creative when thinking about how to interact with the wide variety of creatures and environments. If you're looking for a cozy, comforting and heartfelt game, or if you simply love Yoshi and want to have a great time, this will be a must-have for your collection."

Ollie Reynolds of Nintendo Life was a little more critical of the difficulty level and overall polish of the game, giving it only a 6/10.

"Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn't a bad game. There's a lot of fun to be had in discovering the many creatures hidden within Mr. E's pages, though it also suffers from a repetitive structure that doesn't evolve or provide any sense of meaningful challenge. Visually, it also lacks the punch that Woolly World and Crafted World offered, and it frankly looks pretty bad in handheld mode…If you've got young children who are eager to see more from Yoshi after catching him in the Mario Galaxy Movie, then this will provide a few hours' worth of fun while getting them used to basic platforming tropes. Otherwise, I'd probably recommend a Switch Online subscription to check out Yoshi's Island for the SNES."

So what do you think? Will you be trying out Yoshi and the Mysterious Book? It looks like it's the type of game that caters to more inexperienced gamers, but Nintendo has given enough extra puzzling and action to enhance the time spent in the game world for veterans of the genre.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 11:19 AM.