Yoshi and the Mysterious Book – The latest game in the Yoshi series on Nintendo Switch 2

4

Nintendo officially launched Yoshi and the Mysterious Book on May 21, 2026, as the newest entry in the Yoshi series for Nintendo Switch 2. Featuring a storybook-inspired art style and exploration-focused gameplay, the game has quickly become one of the standout titles in the console’s current lineup.

Yoshi™ and the Mysterious Book (Image source: Nintendo)
Yoshi™ and the Mysterious Book (Image source: Nintendo)

The story begins with a talking book

The story starts with a mysterious talking book named Mr. E, also known as Mister Encyclopedia, suddenly falling onto Yoshi's Island after somehow losing all memories of its own contents. Yoshi and friends decide to help Mr. E recover those memories by diving directly into the book’s pages and exploring the strange creatures living inside.

Of course, things do not go entirely smoothly. Bowser Jr. and Kamek are also searching through Mr. E for reasons that remain unclear, meaning players will occasionally run into the mischievous duo during the adventure.

The mysterious book known as Mr. E (Image source: Nintendo)
The mysterious book known as Mr. E (Image source: Nintendo)

Gameplay that goes beyond a traditional platformer

Instead of following the usual point A-to-point B platforming formula, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book focuses heavily on exploration and interaction. Each chapter acts as a unique habitat filled with creatures that behave and react differently. Players are encouraged to experiment in various ways to document information about these creatures inside Mr. E’s book.

Yoshi has a wide range of abilities for interacting with the creatures and environment:

  • Gobble – Use Yoshi’s tongue to swallow creatures and potentially turn them into eggs.
  • Throwing Eggs – Throw eggs at creatures or objects to observe their reactions.
  • Flutter Jump & Ground Pound – Hover in the air before slamming down onto the ground.
  • Tail Flick – Swing Yoshi’s tail to carry creatures on its back, then throw them or trigger special effects.
  • Sprint – Run quickly to see how carried creatures respond.
  • Observe – Stay still to observe creatures, or crouch to avoid being noticed.

Each habitat contains a major “big discovery” that unlocks the next area, though players can freely revisit previous chapters to complete any missing discoveries.

Gameplay from Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (Image source: Nintendo)
Gameplay from Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (Image source: Nintendo)

The strange creatures inside the book

One of the game’s most interesting features is its variety of creatures. Every species has its own personality and reacts differently to Yoshi. Some creatures simply enjoy fishing and completely ignore the player, while others can pick Yoshi up and throw him like a dart. Certain creatures even explode when jumped on. After gathering enough information, players can also give custom names to each creature they discover.

Several familiar faces from previous Yoshi games also return, including Crazee Dayzee, the walking flower creature that appears in multiple habitats with different color variations.

amiibo support

The game also includes amiibo support. Players can tap compatible amiibo figures once per day to receive a card reading from Mr. E. Each reading rewards in-game tokens that can be used to unlock hints for undiscovered secrets and findings.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book delivers a lighthearted, family-friendly experience while still offering plenty of depth for players who enjoy exploration and completion-focused gameplay. For anyone looking for a new Nintendo Switch 2 title to dive into, this is definitely a game worth considering.