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Ive been thinking about Mario a lot lately.
Although it bears theSuper Mario World 2subtitle,Yoshis Islandhas almost nothing to do with the first game.
Instead, you play as Yoshi or more accurately, several Yoshis.
Baby Mario is the Chosen One who could spell their doom.
Its up to you to get him to safety and reunite him with his brother, Baby Luigi.
As goofy as that sounds, the core gameplay is actually kind of profound.
Unlike practically every other platformer, its not really about you or your well-being at all.
Yoshi doesnt even have a health bar.
Its all about the baby.
Rather than coins, inYoshis Islandyou are tasked with collecting time on a countdown clock.
An existential one at that, as youve essentially failed both as a player and as a parent.
When you have an infant, there really is no health bar.
At least not for the parents.
Nothing else really matters except for your childs well-being.
Questions were jamming my senses.
Is she about to give birth?
Is our baby okay?
Is the doctor going to come in and tell us something terrible?
But before I could get any answers, I noticed a Wah-ah.
coming from my tote bag.
Something in the bag must have pinched the power button while I was in the cab.
But why did I have it with me at all?
Was I planning on playing video games while my wife gave birth?
I suppose, on some subconscious, precognitive level, I couldnt leave home withoutYoshis Island.
I was soon to be a father, and Baby Mario needed my help.
So I carried him to safety.
