Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 83 | 27 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 100 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 91 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 78 | 9 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 88% | 82 | 20 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.3, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 5,408 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 57 reviews sampled · 47 total reviews in window · weighted 33.2 up / 4.6 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (81)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“The unique blend of metroidvania and pinball is done excellently and with a great aesthetic to match. The world is also full of secrets to find, but is victim to a number of boring fetch quests.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yoku's Island Express is a beautiful adventure that uses the concept of Super Metroid, but adds unique and surprisingly appropriate integration of pinball to the mechanics. If you are a fan of metroidvania genre and have long wanted to try something unusual, then this project is a must-play for you.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A mash-up of genres whose flaws can be overlooked thanks to a huge dollop of charm.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Yoku's Island Express is a genuine breath of fresh air, combining pinball and Metroidvania mechanics in a way that feels truly inspired. Add in one of the most appealing fantasy worlds you'll find on the eShop, and you have yourself an instant left-field classic.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A nice show of unique gameplay mechanics with the inclusion of boss battles that mixes both platforming and pinball action that never gets old as each and every area is unique and properly executed. A flurry of characters… oh sorry! I meant a ton of furry characters that looks great and side quests that is actually fun to do as you think your way out of sticky situations or just tap your way, every way, along the way!”
read full review ↗ - 85
“All said, Yoku's Island Express is a breath of fresh and creative air on the Switch and just what this jaded gamer needed to get out of a pretty serious "more of the same" funk. As a life-long fan of pinball I'm thrilled with the result and enjoyed the many ways mechanical concepts from physical machines managed to get integrated into this adventure-style format. Even if you're more of a pinball novice, in general the controls are pretty friendly and approachable, you'll just need to develop a sense of timing and pay attention to certain patterns to determine what you'll need to do to progress. If you're down for something with boatloads of charm and heart mixed with a style of play you've likely never experienced before it is well worth picking up.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“For everyone out there who has been beaten down by the relentless pursuit of thrills and high scores, Yoku's Island Express is going to feel very refreshing. It's a charming vacation filled with beautiful locales. Taking the time to explore everything is highly recommended. The emphasis on pinball lends the game a superbly-realised identity. Utilising an array of bumpers and flippers to get around is somehow more fulfilling than tapping a jump button repeatedly.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yoku's Island Express is one of the most surprising games of 2018. The combination of pinball and Metroidvania is, on paper at least, a little like dipping your French fries into your milkshake; as good as the two elements are separately, they shouldn't really work together. But thanks to an array of smart design choices, a wonderful art style, and some genuinely inventive puzzles, Yoku's Island Express is a game that only rarely frustrates, and frequently delights.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Yoku's Island Express brought something to the table few games, even among those I enjoyed, have managed to recently - a true sense of freshness. It really is unlike most games on the market, and it manages to grow beyond this defining gimmick, nailing almost every other aspect. Between the fantastic gameplay, lovely presentation and endearing characters, minor faults like excessive backtracking and a somewhat flat main storyline are negligible.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Yoku's Island Express is far from bad. It has great ideas, a very good soundtrack, and competent gameplay. But while there's not too much actively wrong with it, it doesn't do anything exceptionally well either. It'll do.”
read full review ↗ - 91
“As has become tradition on Nintendo consoles, Yoku's is an indie title that stands on level footing with some premium offerings in the eShop. Don't let this one roll past you as you scroll through the different games on offer for Switch, as it's a genuine delight.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Yoku's Island Express is a great time, it's a charming and enjoyable for any audience.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
GameMAG
Jump Dash Roll
Nintendo Life
Invision Community
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Push Square
GameWatcher
NintendoWorldReport
Nintendojo
Gamerheadquarters…and 69 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Windows 7 fixes + demo reminderSep 26, 2018
- Update 2 now live!Jul 25, 2018significant · resets scoring window