Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Revives Super Mario Galaxy Ideas in Its 10th World

8 articles · Updated · Polygon · May 22

Nintendo’s Switch 2 game sends Yoshi to the Moon in its 10th biome, where a late-stage level introduces miniature planets, shifting gravity and collectible Star Bits that echo Super Mario Galaxy.
Raphael the Raven anchors the sequence, letting Yoshi hop between planetary surfaces in 2D while using cosmic powers that make the section feel like a compact Galaxy tribute.
The homage also doubles as a callback to 1995’s Yoshi’s Island, whose Raphael battle already had Yoshi leaping between small planets—suggesting Galaxy expanded an older Yoshi idea rather than inventing it.
That lineage stretches back further to 1992’s Super Mario Land 2, framing the new level as part of more than 3 decades of Nintendo experiments with space and gravity in Mario platformers.

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