Yoshi's Crafted World was a pleasant little platformer, and we've got what you might call 'a thing' for the textile-filled worlds that developer Good Feel created in its predecessors Yoshi's Woolly World and the sublime Kirby's Epic Yarn. Therefore, the trailer for 2.5D platformer Ayo the Clown caught our eye recently as it looks to be channelling that toybox spirit.
To be clear, this isn't a Good Feel joint — Ayo is made by Cloud M1 and was initially funded via Kickstarter — but it sure has the look and (good) feel of a latter day Yoshi title, with the eponymous clown's moveset and environments looking to take inspiration from everyone's favourite dinosaur, T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas. Check out the trailer posted by Nintendo's YouTube channel earlier in the month to see what we mean…
Don't get us wrong, there's plenty of space on Switch for more than one bouncy, colourful 2D platformer (in fact, there's a whole bunch already), but the big huggable bosses and smiley-face backgrounds sure reminded us of Yoshi's worlds, woolly or otherwise. Never a bad thing.
Here is a little more detail on the game from the official blurb, plus a selection of WIP shots from the game's website:
Ayo, your not-so-average clown, is desperately searching for his best friend and beloved dog, Bo, who has mysteriously disappeared. Explore 8 unique regions, fight larger-than-life bosses and use a variety of clownish tools as you pursue your noble quest.
With an enchanting story filled with laughs and action, Ayo the Clown captures the essence of classic platformers like Donkey Kong Country while incorporating modern design philosophy, a vibrant art style and a variety of gameplay challenges and collectibles to discover.
The game is out on Switch on 28th July. Let us know below if you think it can measure up to Yoshi's recent escapades (and if you think clowns are creepier than dinosaurs that wear shoes).
