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.

90%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

grinding, replayability

97% User Score Based on 1,574 reviews

Critic Score 86%Based on 29 reviews

Platforms

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About

Yoku's Island Express is a single player open world platformer game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Villa Gorilla and was released on May 29, 2018. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Yoku's Island Express" is an open-world pinball adventure game set on the stunning hand-painted Mokumana Island. As Yoku, players traverse the island using pinball mechanics, platforming, and exploration to rebuild the post-office and awaken a trapped deity. Along the way, they'll unlock new abilities and explore tropical beaches, lush jungles, snowy mountains, mysterious caves, and steamy hotsprings.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,574 reviews

gameplay226 positive mentions

grinding52 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.
Relaxing and forgiving gameplay, allowing players to enjoy the journey without the stress of dying or harsh penalties.

Backtracking can be tedious, especially when trying to collect all items and secrets.
Some pinball mechanics can feel frustratingly imprecise, leading to repeated attempts to achieve certain objectives.
The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content after completing the main story.

gameplay
535 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
56%
2%
The gameplay of "Yoku's Island Express" is a unique blend of pinball mechanics and metroidvania exploration, offering a refreshing and engaging experience. Players appreciate the charming visuals, relaxing atmosphere, and well-designed mechanics, although some find the pinball physics can be frustrating at times. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative approach, smooth controls, and the satisfying integration of its core mechanics into the gameplay.
- “The pinball mechanics are well designed, especially in the boss battles.”
- “This charming little game is a must-play for every metroidvania fan out there, as its integration of pinball mechanics in a genre like this actually works surprisingly well, with responsible controls, a very fun, constantly expanding moveset for your main character, and genuinely great character writing/lore.”
- “The gameplay is unique, mixing exploration with pinball and all done well, so it's very fun.”
- “The pinball mechanics can be frustrating at times, but that's the nature of any pinball game.”
- “The gameplay formula of mashing together pinball and open world exploration sounds a bit foreign at first, but it only takes a couple minutes of gameplay for it to feel completely natural.”
- “The mechanics are really frustrating and obtuse at times, and some things are very poorly explained by the game, like how you can use the A button to drop off at the different stops on a beeline instead of going all the way to the end, or how you can use A to prematurely detonate slugs.”
story
404 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
2%
The story of "Yoku's Island Express" is generally described as simple yet charming, featuring a cute beetle protagonist who becomes a postmaster on a whimsical island. While the narrative is not particularly deep, it effectively complements the engaging gameplay and vibrant visuals, with quirky characters and lighthearted quests that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the balance of exploration and storytelling, although some find the main plot short and the side quests somewhat repetitive.
- “Yoku's Island Express is a charming pinball/metroidvania platformer game that follows the story of a cute little beetle named Yoku, who becomes the postmaster of Mokumana Island, an island which is under attack by a mysterious threat.”
- “The story is cute, and the characters have enough personality to do the job.”
- “Combining pinball mechanics with metroidvania-like world structure and exploration is an unexpectedly awesome idea, and the way the developers nailed it both in concept and execution while tying it all together with beautiful visuals and a charming little story about a small dung beetle uncovering ancient secrets of a tropical island while working as its mailman is very impressive.”
- “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.”
- “It feels like it wants to have a real story and deep lore but just kind of... doesn't.”
- “The story in Yoku's Island Express is honestly quite terrible.”
music
355 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
33%
1%
The music in "Yoku's Island Express" is widely praised for its upbeat, catchy, and relaxing qualities, perfectly complementing the game's charming art style and tropical atmosphere. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance the overall experience, with a variety of tunes that reflect the game's whimsical environments. While some find the music occasionally repetitive, the majority agree that it significantly contributes to the game's joyful and immersive vibe.
- “The music is excellent and fits the game perfectly.”
- “The atmosphere of the game is just fantastic, with a cute art style and great upbeat soundtrack.”
- “The music is very calming and fits the background well, and mixes multiple genres like ska, reggae, blues, hip hop, and some jazz to create a very content feeling throughout.”
- “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
243 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
37%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, colorful, and charming art style, which enhances the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight the hand-painted visuals and unique character designs, often comparing them to beloved titles like Rayman and Ori. While the visuals are generally well-received, a few critiques mention that some character models may appear less polished, but this does not detract significantly from the game's overall aesthetic appeal.
- “The graphics are pretty and colorful, the story is simple but concise, the characters are likable and funny, the level design is good, and the map is very well thought-out, not too big and convoluted with exploration that is rewarding without being exhausting.”
- “The highlight for me is the colorful art style that pops and brings life to its world.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and the music is great.”
- “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 ugly, badly designed, and poorly animated.”
- “Overall style of graphics and music, as well as the story, is rather childish, but still is entertaining.”
atmosphere
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
34%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its relaxing and vibrant qualities, enhanced by charming visuals and a delightful soundtrack. Players appreciate the unique blend of metroidvania exploration with a cheerful, almost fairytale-like environment, making it an engaging and enjoyable experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as immersive, cute, and filled with character, providing a perfect backdrop for casual gameplay.
- “The atmosphere of the game is just fantastic, with a cute art style and great upbeat soundtrack.”
- “Impressively, the game's graphics and sound create a vibrant, immersive atmosphere.”
- “The lovely music and hand-drawn art create a relaxed island-style atmosphere.”
- “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.”
grinding
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with many noting that backtracking can become tedious, especially when pursuing collectibles or completing side quests. While some appreciate the innovative fast travel options that alleviate some of the monotony, others feel that the pinball mechanics contribute to repetitive gameplay. Despite these criticisms, many players still enjoy the core gameplay and exploration, suggesting that the game remains engaging despite its occasional grindy elements.
- “My only gripe with the game is that towards the end, the backtracking starts to get a little tedious, since there are sometimes mandatory pinball sessions in the way.”
- “I completed the main quest, but the backtracking is so tedious that I couldn't be bothered to 100% the game.”
- “Getting the achievements (mainly the scarabs) is a bit grindy as you have to backtrack to every table in the game just to get the scarabs, as they aren't something you will go for right away.”
humor
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its lighthearted and charming presentation, featuring likable characters and funny dialogue that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the cute graphics and engaging storylines, which combine to create a whimsical atmosphere filled with amusing quests and quirky NPCs. While some find the humor to be hit-or-miss, the general consensus is that it adds a delightful layer to the gameplay, making it enjoyable for a family-friendly audience.
- “Engaging storylines and characters add to the game's charm and humor.”
- “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.”
- “Truly innovative gameplay ideas, fantastic soundtrack, genuinely funny, and doesn't overstay its welcome.”
emotional
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly described as "wholesome," evoking nostalgia and joy reminiscent of childhood experiences. Players appreciate the charming characters, simple yet engaging story, and a soundtrack that enhances the overall heartwarming experience, making it a delightful and fun journey. Despite some edgy moments, the game is celebrated for its ability to bring smiles and heartwarming feelings, creating a genuinely uplifting atmosphere.
- “The most wholesome game I've played (and enjoyed) in a while.”
- “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
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while the inclusion of a randomizer mode and additional quests offers some replay value, many players feel that the game's relatively short length limits its long-term appeal. Some find it enjoyable and fun enough to revisit, but others believe the price point does not justify the limited replay opportunities.
- “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.”
- “Absolute joy to play, fun, entertaining, cute story, decent replay value.”
- “This game is tons of fun and feels replayable.”
- “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.”
- “- Replayability, once you have beaten the game there are small quests to still complete, but did not bring me back into the game.”
character development
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
Overall, the character development in the game is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting the charming and cute character designs that complement the vibrant graphics and engaging gameplay. The aesthetic appeal, including a beautiful color palette and lovely music, enhances the overall experience, making the characters memorable and enjoyable to interact with.
- “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.”
- “Story, gameplay, artwork, and character design are fantastic, and I was never a huge fan of pinball to begin with.”
- “This 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
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally positive, with fast loading times and smooth gameplay reported. However, some users experience occasional stuttering, which slightly detracts from the overall experience. Battery performance is also commendable, lasting around six hours.
- “The game loads in no time and runs smoothly.”
- “Got 6 hours of battery time and runs smoothly.”
- “We are getting occasional stuttering which detracts from the experience a bit but not that much.”
- “You can expect fast loading, smooth FPS, no stuttering, and fluid gameplay.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players report a stable gaming experience with minimal glitches or bugs, enjoying around 10 hours of quality gameplay. However, some users noted occasional issues with map updates, indicating slight inconsistencies in stability.
- “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).”

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86%Critics’ scoreBased on 29 critic reviews

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14h Median play time

23h Average play time

6h Main story

11h Completionist

12-16h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yoku's Island Express is a open world platformer game with fantasy theme.

Yoku's Island Express is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 6 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 11 hours to finish. On average players spend around 23 hours playing Yoku's Island Express.

Yoku's Island Express was released on May 29, 2018.

Yoku's Island Express was developed by Villa Gorilla.

Yoku's Island Express has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Yoku's Island Express is a single player game.

Similar games include Minishoot' Adventures, Islets, Supraland, SteamWorld Dig 2, SteamWorld Dig and others.

Yoku's Island Express

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