About this game
Yoshi's Story (1997) is Nintendo EAD's follow-up to the acclaimed Yoshi's Island, reimagined as a living picture book rendered in soft 3D visuals with hand-drawn textures. Players guide a Baby Yoshi through six worlds to restore the storybook their world was torn from. Composer Kazumi Totaka — who also voiced Yoshi in the game, a series first — crafted a score that matched the dreamy, tactile aesthetic. Critics were divided on its brevity and gentler challenge, but the game's warmth and craft have made it a cherished collector's piece.
Key Features
Each of the six worlds offers four courses, but a Yoshi need only complete one per world — choosing which reflects each player's personality. Eating 30 fruits of a single favourite colour clears a level, rewarding patience and style over speed. The visual design is built entirely from soft 3D geometry with hand-painted textures, giving every stage a tactile, storybook quality unlike any other N64 game.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Released as a launch-window title in Japan (December 1997), Yoshi's Story arrived at a moment when every Nintendo franchise was being reinvented for 3D — yet it chose a storybook metaphor over technical spectacle. This placed it in an unusual position: praised for artistry, questioned for depth. The game represents a recurring Nintendo tension between accessibility and challenge, and its debate mirrors later discussions around titles like Kirby's Epic Yarn.
Tricks & Tales
Kazumi Totaka composed the soundtrack and voiced Yoshi — making this the first time the character had a dedicated voice actor within the series. Totaka is also the composer of the famous "Totaka's Song," a hidden melody he has secretly embedded in nearly every game he has worked on; patient players have reportedly found it in Yoshi's Story as well. The game's Japanese title is simply ヨッシーストーリー, while the English subtitle 'Story' doubled as the game's entire narrative conceit.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The European release followed in 1998. The content is consistent across all regions; the Japanese version released several months before the North American edition.
Maintenance Tips
Standard N64 cartridge care: clean the edge connector with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab. No internal battery — save data is stored on EEPROM and does not require battery replacement.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
Direct purchase supports this museum directly. eBay Top Rated Seller · 1,750+ reviews · 100% positive feedback.
Unexpected Discoveries
Games you weren't looking for — but might be glad you found.
Memories from around the world
This is a young museum, and this page is still waiting for its first voices. The memories people send reach Taisei personally, and the ones that move him find a home here over time — always with the writer's blessing. Yours could be the very first for this game.
Share your memory ↑