Yoku's Island Express

Yoku's Island Express is the perfect combination of pinball mechanics meets metroidvania, and is not only my favorite indie game so far this year, but my favorite pinball game of all time.

89%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

grinding, replayability

96% User Score Based on 2,811 reviews

Critic Score 86%Based on 29 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $1.25

Buy NowGet on SteamCAD22.79 Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store

About

In Yoku's Island Express, you play as Yoku, a dung beetle postmaster, exploring a beautiful, open world island filled with challenges and puzzles. Using a unique pinball mechanics, you'll bump, bump, and bounce your way through various landscapes, uncovering secrets and helping the island's inhabitants. This charming and engaging game offers a fresh twist on the Metroidvania genre, providing a memorable adventure with a mix of exploration, platforming, and pinball gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,840 reviews

gameplay395 positive mentions

grinding96 negative mentions

Unique blend of pinball mechanics and metroidvania exploration, creating a refreshing gameplay experience.
Charming art style and delightful soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
Engaging story with quirky characters and plenty of side quests and collectibles to discover.

Some pinball mechanics can be frustratingly imprecise, leading to tedious gameplay at times.
Limited fast travel options can make backtracking tedious and time-consuming.
The game may feel short for some players, with a main story completion time of around 5-7 hours.

gameplay
1,004 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
The gameplay of "Yoku's Island Express" is a unique blend of metroidvania exploration and pinball mechanics, creating a refreshing and engaging experience. Players navigate a vibrant world using pinball flippers and bumpers, which adds a layer of strategy and fun to the traditional platforming elements. While the mechanics are generally well-executed and enjoyable, some players may find certain aspects, like precision timing and specific mechanics, to be frustrating at times. Overall, the game is praised for its charming visuals, smooth controls, and innovative gameplay that appeals to both casual and hardcore gamers.
- “I very much recommend this game if you are looking for a relaxed metroidvania experience with an emphasis on pinball gameplay.”
- “The combination of pinball and metroidvania gameplay is enough to make it stand out, but the lush, vibrant visuals and overall relaxed tone of the entire experience truly make this game one of a kind.”
- “Yoku's Island Express is a delightful fusion of genres as it mixes classic metroidvania with pinball mechanics.”
- “Unfortunately, the music is nothing to write home about and the gameplay does have its caveats.”
- “The pinball mechanics can be frustrating at times, but that's the nature of any pinball game.”
- “The gameplay is simple enough to feel fluid and intuitive, but with enough twists (such as the grappling hook and bombs) on top of the standard pinball mechanics to make something fresh and entirely the game's own.”
story
760 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
70%
2%
The story of *Yoku's Island Express* is generally described as simple and lighthearted, centering around Yoku, a dung beetle who becomes the postmaster of Mokumana Island and embarks on a quest to help its quirky inhabitants while uncovering a deeper narrative involving ancient gods. While some players found the plot predictable and not particularly deep, many appreciated its charm, humor, and the engaging character interactions that enhance the overall experience. The game combines its narrative with enjoyable pinball mechanics and exploration, making it a delightful adventure despite its brevity, typically taking around 5-7 hours to complete the main story.
- “The combination of adventure, pinball game mechanics, and a charming story works surprisingly well, making it a delightful experience.”
- “Yoku's Island Express is a charming pinball/metroidvania platformer that follows the story of a cute little beetle named Yoku, who becomes the postmaster of Mokumana Island, an island under threat.”
- “The story is simple but effective, with engaging characters and a whimsical atmosphere that keeps players invested in the journey.”
- “The story was the only downside; it was rather predictable what was going to happen early on, though that may be more because I play too many games and can see these things coming early.”
- “The rest of the game's substance - the story, characters, and music are serviceable but aren't doing anything special; it's just game filler and padding to get you from one board to the next.”
- “The story is very simple, but it feels like it wants to have a real story and deep lore but just kind of... doesn't.”
music
645 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
33%
2%
The music in "Yoku's Island Express" has been widely praised for its eclectic and upbeat soundtrack, which perfectly complements the game's charming visuals and tropical setting. Reviewers noted that the music enhances the overall atmosphere, providing a relaxing and enjoyable backdrop to the gameplay, although some found it could become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and immersive experience.
- “The music is excellent and fits the game perfectly.”
- “The soundtrack is eclectic but consistently good to bop along to, the level design seamlessly blends pinball table features into the game world, and the secrets are at a great difficulty to reward exploration without being impossible to find.”
- “With its charming characters, colorful visuals, and catchy soundtrack, Yoku's Island Express offers a truly magical gaming experience unlike any other.”
- “Unfortunately, the music is nothing to write home about and the gameplay does have its caveats.”
- “The rest of the game's substance - the story, characters, and music are serviceable but aren't doing anything special; it's just game filler and padding to get you from one board to the next.”
- “The music is just a drone fest, nothing remarkable at all; in fact, it makes you want to turn it off after five minutes.”
graphics
470 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
38%
1%
The graphics of "Yoku's Island Express" are widely praised for their charming, hand-drawn art style, vibrant colors, and whimsical character designs that create an enchanting atmosphere. Players appreciate the game's unique blend of pinball mechanics and metroidvania exploration, enhanced by a delightful soundtrack that complements the visuals. While some critiques mention occasional visual glitches or a simplistic aesthetic, the overall consensus highlights the game's beautiful graphics as a standout feature that contributes significantly to its appeal.
- “The art style is gorgeous, with a hand-drawn look that is very colorful.”
- “The visuals and the atmosphere combine to bring a cozy charm that's rare for any game or piece of entertainment in general to capture.”
- “With its charming characters, colorful visuals, and catchy soundtrack, Yoku's Island Express offers a truly magical gaming experience unlike any other.”
- “Although the game has a charming art style and ear-worm inducing musical compositions, something about the character models and visual effects feels a bit cheap.”
- “The graphics are limited to 1080p, too low quality for modern PC gaming standards.”
- “The graphics are ugly, badly designed, and poorly animated.”
grinding
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The reviews highlight that while the game offers a charming aesthetic and unique gameplay mechanics, it suffers from tedious grinding and backtracking, particularly in its navigation and exploration elements. Players often find the lack of fast travel options and repetitive tasks, such as fetch quests and pinball sections, to be frustrating and detracting from the overall experience. Despite these issues, some players still enjoy the game for its whimsical qualities and engaging core mechanics, suggesting that the enjoyment may vary based on individual tolerance for tedious gameplay.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The combination of the precision required from pinball while navigating platforming, coupled with the backtracking from the metroidvania side of the mash-up left the experience feeling tedious.”
- “The game can get a little tedious to move around in large distances until you unlock the fast travel system, so I'd suggest you wait for that before exploring too deep into the world.”
- “Unfortunately, exploration and backtracking tend towards the tedious and unrewarding, and the game is incredibly easy and short -- I 'beat the game' (about 50% of all stuff found) in three hours of play time!”
atmosphere
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
41%
4%
The atmosphere of *Yoku's Island Express* is widely praised for its charming, whimsical qualities, combining stunning hand-drawn visuals with a relaxing soundtrack that immerses players in a cozy, vibrant world. Reviewers highlight the game's unique blend of chill vibes and engaging gameplay, creating a delightful experience that appeals to both casual players and fans of the metroidvania genre. The overall presentation, including sound design and art style, contributes to a captivating atmosphere that feels both inviting and refreshing.
- “The visuals and the atmosphere combine to bring a cozy charm that's rare for any game or piece of entertainment in general to capture.”
- “The music and art style are both fantastic, with each section of the island having its own atmosphere.”
- “The whole island's atmosphere is very vibrant and cheerful.”
- “I play a lot of cutesy games, not because I like them; in fact, I really dislike cutesy atmospheres. While I was expecting the atmosphere in Yoku to be a non-stop saccharine overload, the mood has a really nice strangeness and darkness to it.”
- “The typical atmosphere of a metroidvania is gloomy and lonesome, but Yoku presents a casual experience full of vibrant characters and color.”
- “Music can get a bit repetitive at times, though it definitely fits the different worlds and sets the right atmosphere.”
humor
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and whimsical tone, featuring cute characters and funny dialogue that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of humor with engaging gameplay mechanics, often finding the interactions and quirky quests amusing. While the humor may not always elicit loud laughter, it contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyable atmosphere.
- “It has a colorful world, inventive gameplay, and a bit of lighthearted humor that adds a layer of whimsy to the experience.”
- “It's also a pretty lighthearted story: yes, you're saving the world, but the presentation is so cute and all the characters are so childishly funny that it's hard to take seriously.”
- “A genuinely fun and quite innovative game, with fantastic artwork, vastly different locales, and some cute and funny NPCs, aided by humorous voice overs.”
emotional
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players praising its wholesome and heartwarming story, charming characters, and nostalgic feel. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of joy and nostalgia, making it a delightful experience that resonates with players on a personal level. Overall, it is described as a fun, uplifting, and emotionally engaging game that combines unique mechanics with a cheerful aesthetic.
- “A heartwarming, charismatic, and radiant action-adventure game that is filled to the brim with lovely ideas that revolve around a unique combination of mechanics.”
- “This is the most heartwarming game I've played in a long time.”
- “A wholesome game that brought smiles and some surprisingly heartwarming moments.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The game's replayability is enhanced by a built-in randomizer mode, allowing players to experience different routes and item placements, which adds significant value for those who enjoy exploration. However, some players feel that once the main story and secrets are completed, the incentive to replay diminishes, particularly given the game's relatively short length. Overall, while the randomizer offers potential for replayability, opinions vary on its long-term appeal.
- “There's also quite a bit of replayability with its randomizer mode - and thank god too - a metroidvania with a built-in randomizer mode that doesn't require constantly having to redownload it every time the game updates.”
- “It's cute, it's relatively fast to play through, but has enough content to feel truly satisfying to finish, and the randomizer mode adds a fair amount of replayability.”
- “Charming pinball metroidvania, full of charm and the randomizer mode adds replayability.”
- “Limited replay value: once players have completed the main story and discovered all the secrets, there may be limited incentive to replay Yoku's Island Express.”
- “Even though it has a built-in randomizer which gives it replayability, $20 is too much to ask for a game that only lasts eight hours, no matter how fun it is.”
- “Replayability is low though... that is, except the latest patch added a randomizer mode which makes you progress through the map in different routes each time due to the abilities you unlock at different times.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Character development in the game is highly praised for its charming and creative character designs, which blend original species with familiar animals, creating a delightful visual experience. Reviewers consistently highlight the warmth and cuteness of the characters, alongside the game's vibrant graphics and engaging story, contributing to an overall joyful gameplay experience. The character design is a standout feature, earning high marks for its artistic appeal and integration into the game's adventurous atmosphere.
- “The character design is also quite interesting, taking a mix between original species and pre-existing animals, a concept I honestly hadn't seen before.”
- “This game is a joy to play as it offers that sensation with the added bonus of having a beautiful color palette, wonderful music, and stellar character design.”
- “The game is incredibly charming, from the art, music, and character design to the simple act of delivering the mail to the far corners of the island.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with most users reporting smooth performance, fast loading times, and minimal frame drops. While some occasional stuttering has been noted, it does not significantly detract from the overall experience, making it a well-optimized title.
- “You can expect fast loading, smooth fps, no stuttering, and fluid gameplay.”
- “This game is extremely optimized; I did not experience a single stutter.”
- “The game loads in no time and runs smoothly.”
- “We are getting occasional stuttering which detracts from the experience a bit but not that much.”
- “Occasional performance stutters”
- “The performance in this game is fine for the most part.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
90%
Overall, player experiences with stability in the game are mixed. While many users report a smooth playthrough with minimal to no bugs or glitches, some have encountered occasional visual glitches and minor bugs that affect gameplay. The general consensus leans towards a stable experience, but a few players noted issues that could detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “The game runs smoothly without any glitches.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs during my playtime.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; it never lags or freezes.”
- “Buggy piece of crap!”
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “Oh and the map might just be one of the best I've ever seen - it simply zooms out the game so that you can see the whole world (although some things don't seem to update properly at times - a bit buggy).”

86%Critics’ scoreBased on 34 critic reviews

Buy Yoku's Island Express

11h Median play time

14h Average play time

6h Main story

11h Completionist

7-15h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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