Yoshi's Story

This page details pre-release information and/or media for Yoshi's Story.

To do: There are many, many more screenshots and changes.

This page sucks. If you could make it suck less, that would be awesome. Specifically: This page is poorly made - no sources, no embedded videos, and few images.

Yoshi's Story had a notoriously troubled development. The game was first showcased at Shoshinkai '96 in November 1996 as a title for the then-upcoming Nintendo 64DD, under the tentative title of Yoshi's Island 64.¹ The 64DD's delays forced the development team to rework the game as a cartridge title and rush it to get it out in time for the 1997 Christmas season.

Shoshinkai Trailer#

Unknown level

Screenshot	Video

A level removed from the final game, containing a Fuzzy Wiggler. The only place this enemy appears in the final is 1-2: Surprise!, so this could be an early version of that, though if so the level looks very different here (most notably being made out of cardboard rather than stitched together as in the final).

4-1: Jungle Hut

Pre-release	Final

The background and platforms appear much more detailed.

4-2: Jungle Puddle

Pre-release	Final

Appears much more menacing, with a completely different layout, air bubbles, and a Bone Dragon. The level also has a Mega-Guy, even though no Mega-Guys appear in the final game.

Electronic Gaming Monthly#

3-3: Poochy & Nippy

Pre-release	Final

The fight with Cloudjin appears to take place in a palace, rather than in a sky. Cloudjin flashes red when he is damaged instead of yellow.

4-3: Piranha Grove

Pre-release	Final

The background appears to be more detailed, the Piranha Plant stalks have blue stems, and the platforms are more realistic-looking.

Unknown, 1997#

Trailer#

Watch on YouTube

General Differences

• The Yoshi select screen reads "SELECT PLAYER" instead of "Select Yoshi" and is in a different font. There are also options for brown and purple Yoshis.
• When Yoshi flutter jumps, he has a different expression on his face rather than using his normal expression.

5-4: Shy Guy's Ship

• Lacks items and a lot of objects. The ship does not shoot out Bob-ombs, either.

2-2: Blargg's Boiler

• Blargg has his final design, however he is shown as a still image that bounces.

2-1: Bone Dragon Pit

• The layout of the level looks a bit different, being much harder.
• Skybox is also different from the final game as well, having multiple yellow and blue pillars in an underground cavern.
• The Bone Dragons are purple, flesh-covered dragons that look less sinister, rather than the fossils of dragons.

4-2: Jungle Puddle

• Has barely changed since Shoshinkai '96. However, giant air bubbles have been added, and the water appears to be ice.

Screenshots#

Pre-release	Final

The original Japanese title was ヨッシーの絵本, which translates to "Yoshi's Picture Book" and most notably features two kanji (with provided furigana reading). This was simplified to the kana-only ヨッシーストーリー for the final version.

Pre-release	Final

• There is a ? Block on the right-hand side. In the final game, this was removed.
• Cloud 'N' Candy has minor differences in her shading and sharpness.
• The layout, positioning, and sizing of the clouds is way different.
• Yoshi has a different expression on his face while flutter-jumping.

Pre-release	Final

An early 5-1: Lots O' Jelly Fish.

• The jellyfish are absent, for whatever reason.
• Hint Block on the left is also absent.
• One part appears to be cut off, leading to a bottomless pit.
• The underwater background looks more purple and lacks a lot of detail.
• An early, much simpler-looking Smile Meter can be seen.
• The watermelon and coins are missing, though it's possible they were collected before this shot was taken.
• The sea anemone is much closer to Yoshi than in the final.

Commercial#

• Yoshi's voice sounds more feminine.
• Page 1: Beginning has a different background.
• Page 3: The Summit has a different-looking, opaque heart.

Early English Logos#

The game's English title went through multiple iterations before the final name was decided on. Outside of the aforementioned "Yoshi's Island 64" phase, pre-release merchandise shows an early render of the game's logo.

Pre-release	Final

References#