Yoshi's Island: Super Mario World 2/Gameplay

Like previous entries in the Mario series, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is a two-dimensional, side-scrolling platform game. In addition to the typical run and jump controls, the Yoshis can also ingest enemies and manipulate objects using their tongue. After ingesting an enemy, the Yoshi can either eject or swallow them. Swallowing them allows the Yoshi to lay a Yoshi Egg, which he can carry up to six of. The Yoshi can then aim and throw the eggs. These projectiles damage enemies, ricochet off solid surfaces, and skim across water. If the Yoshi comes into contact with a Super Star, Baby Mario will transform into Superstar Mario, granting him temporary invincibility. Also scattered throughout the island are Morph Bubbles, which allow the Yoshi's to temporarily assume one of several different forms.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island introduces the concept of time-based health, a mechanic that is reused in future Yoshi's Island games. When the Yoshi comes into contact with an enemy, Baby Mario becomes separated from Yoshi, encased in a bubble and floating around in the air. While Baby Mario is in this state, a Countdown Timer appears, counting down in seconds until it reaches zero, in which time Yoshi must recover Baby Mario or Kamek's Toadies take Baby Mario, and the player loses a life. The timer starts at ten seconds at the beginning of each level, and can be increased to a maximum of thirty by collecting starmen, using 10-Point Stars and 20-Point Stars, and entering Middle Rings. If the timer falls below ten, it increases back up to ten slowly after recovering Baby Mario. Entering a Middle Ring also marks the point where the Yoshi can continue from if it loses a life.

The objective of each level is to reach the GOAL! Ring. The GOAL! Ring is also a roulette. There are ten spots on the roulette. Five of the spots can be made winning spots by collecting the five flowers dispersed in each level. Landing on one of the flower spots allows the player to play a Bonus Challenge.

Scattered throughout each level are three types of collectibles: thirty Stars, twenty Red Coins, and five Flowers. At the end of each level, the player's score is tallied, with flowers worth ten points each, Red Coins one point each, and Stars one point each. Attaining a perfect one hundred points in all eight levels in a world unlocks a Bonus Challenge and an extra level on the level selection map.