Yoshi's Island 2 - updated impressions

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There's more than Mario to worry about in this long-awaited sequel

Often cited as Super Nintendo's last great hurrah, the original Yoshi's Island was a cracking twist on the Mario platforming template and a rare star outing for the plumber's trusty steed.

Brought back from the grave a couple of years ago on Nintendo's portable Resurrection Engine (known to the general public as GBA), as the confusingly named Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, Yoshi's baby-ferrying jump-a-thon has weathered the years remarkably well.

It just goes to show that good game design, rather than technology, is what sticks in the memory banks like that hormone-firing first kiss.

Obviously Nintendo knows when it's on to a good thing and, rather than consign the squeaking dinosaur's childcare adventures to the dustbin, has decided to reanimate Yoshi's classic gameplay a second time (well, a third, technically) on DS. This is cause for good cheer - assuming it doesn't mess it all up.

Once again, Yoshi flutter-jumps through some artfully presented levels, carrying upon his permanently besaddled back an infant plumber. As before, if Yoshi gets hit by a bad guy, off flies the baby in a gravity-defying bubble, and a strict time limit allows the dinosaur to retrieve the errant wailer - if he doesn't, it's game over. This time around, however, there's more than just Mario to worry about.