We’ve seen an array of genre combinations in gaming over the years, but it’s a rare occurrence when something like pinball is mixed with an open world platformer. If that’s a combo you’ve been itching to play, you’re in luck– developers Villa Gorilla have been working on bringing Yoku’s Island Express to the Nintendo Switch.
Don’t worry if your eyebrows are still raised in confusion, we’ll break this down for you.
The adventure begins by introducing Yoku the dung beetle, a new postman on Mokumana Island. The game takes place in an environment filled with earthquakes and storms, all due to the presence of an angry God who’s in the midst of a restless slumber. You’re tasked with taking Yoku through the land on a quirky journey where he can “soar through the air, vacuum explosive snails, fight a Screetch, feed starving lemurs, discover the mystery of the Fruit Altar, and wake an old god.” During his travels you’ll experience a plethora of pinball games, unique creatures of all sizes and “action-packed nonlinear gameplay that awards exploration.”
Also noteworthy about the title is the given art style.
Yoku’s Island Express is inspired by the joy of exploration of a young child, having just found the entrance to a secret garden, or unlocked the door to an attic full of wonderful and interesting things to discover. It takes some of its direction from Studio Ghibli films, where nature is infused with spirit and life, but combined with a strong focus on painterly, hand-made visuals where all the locations are unique and hand-made. It’s a world of bold, organic shapes with strong colors basking in bright sunlight – but where there is light there is shadow, and the journey takes us deep into the hidden mysteries of Mokumana Island.
Villa Gorilla is most definitely bringing us a very vibrant and special experience with this new game, and we’re looking forward to learning more about it as time goes on. As of right now there’s no specific release date, but you can expect it to be available around the end of 2017, or in early 2018.
You can watch the trailer for Yoku’s Island Express below!
Source: Villa Gorilla PR
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Written by Lauren Ganos
Creative Director, Managing Editor
Designer and writer by day, gamer by night, Lauren dreams big when it comes to creative endeavors. Perhaps that's why she's taken on the roles of creative director and managing editor for Nintendo Wire. If she had a video game superhero alias, it might just be The Visionary, a true keeper of imaginative order.
