Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

The Good
NOTE: This is about the GBA conversion

1. The GBA version adds an additional 6 secret levels that are unlocked after you complete stages with 100% completion rates on top of the SNES's 6 secret levels. Bonus!

2. The portability of GBA means I can take YI anywhere.

3. Porting this game into another generation of consoles ensures that YI will continue to influence gamers for another generation or so.
   
   The Bad
   NOTE: This is about the GBA conversion

4. The conversion makes the sound come out a little strange. I'd describe it as sounding a little weak and slightly metallic. I don't know how to describe it, as I'm not an audio person.

5. There is slow-down in the graphics of some stages. It's not enough to put you off the game, but there you have it.

6. My opinion is that YI is not suited for the "small screen" simply because the graphics look so much nicer in front of you on a big display. If you don't have an SNES but have a GameCube, think about getting a GameBoy Player on the cheap, hooking it up to your GC, and giving Yoshi's Island a try through your GC. It's worth the effort.
   
   The Bottom Line
   Here's a URL to cut'n'paste for the Moby Games SNES listing of this title: http://www.mobygames.com/game/snes/super-mario-world-2-yoshis-island

For the SNES version, I submitted a much longer review in which I basically write that this game is a classic and is something every gamer should experience. For that reason, I think the GBA port is a fantastic way to keep this game "alive," so to say.

If you have a GBA, buy this game and play it. As I mention above, the graphics are compromised only slightly by the GBA, and that meager shortcoming doesn't take away from the outstanding gameplay and truly inspired design. If you can do the GameBoy Player on the GameCube, do that, otherwise play this game on your GBA.

If you give this game a fair chance, it will instantly join your list of favorite platformers and (perhaps) overall favorite games.