Yoshi

Sturdy mount and loyal friend.
Yoshi
Species	Yoshi
Weaponry	Yoshi's Eggs
Voiced by	Isaac Marshall (1996) Kazumi Totaka (1997-Present)
Debut	Super Mario World

Yoshi is an unusual green dinosaur that has been a good friend of Mario and appears infrequently as a partner character within the Mario series as well as starring in a series of spin-off games. He's well known for his long tongue, endless appetite, and arsenal of spotted eggs. Yoshi has the same name as his species and resembles the most common variant, so it is difficult to distinguish the character's individual appearances.

Background

Prequel Games

A tribe of Yoshis appear in several games set in the past. In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi Touch & Go, this tribe carries Baby Mario across the island and saves his brother, the Baby Luigi, from Kamek. In Yoshi's Island DS, the tribe also transports Baby Peach, Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Wario and even Baby Bowser to save Baby Luigi and various other babies from future versions of Bowser and Kamek. What seems to be the same tribe also appears in the past segment of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time on Yoshi's Island.

This tribe contains a green Yoshi which is commonly believed to be the main Yoshi. However, it is more likely that the main Yoshi is the one born at the end of Yoshi's Island DS, who is one of the seven children born with a star piece.

There is also a newly-hatched green Yoshi in Yoshi's Story, who could be the main Yoshi. It is possible that both the end of Yoshi's Island DS and beginning of Yoshi's Story show his hatching. In this game, the newly-born group of Yoshis defeat Baby Bowser in order to retrieve the Super Happy Tree and undo the curse Baby Bowser put on the island (turning it into a storybook).

The SNES/N64 Adventures

Yoshi's first appearance in the Mario universe was in Super Mario World. However both Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 were retconned to include Yoshi when they were rereleased as Super Mario Bros. DX and Super Mario Advance. Yoshi Eggs were hidden in each level, and had to be hunted down before they would hatch into a Yoshi. It is also likely that these were just generic Yoshis in those games.

A resident of Yoshi's Island in Dinosaur Land, Yoshi had gone after Bowser after the Koopa King stole seven eggs containing Baby Yoshis in Super Mario World. As a result, he was trapped inside an egg of his own. According to the manual, Mario and Luigi found the egg and freed him, after which he agreed to help them and gave them the magic cape. In the game, either brother can find his egg in ? Blocks, after which he can be ridden.

Yoshi was also featured in a pair of puzzle games, both of which played in his appetite. In Yoshi, Yoshi assists the Mario Bros. in cleaning up heaps of enemies by adding his eggs into the mix. After cramming enemies between the top and bottom shells, they turn into more Yoshis. Yoshi's Cookie has Mario baking cookies in their spare time, which Yoshi seems to be stealing from Mario...

Yoshi went on another adventure with Mario in Yoshi's Safari, where he and Mario were sent to Jewelry Land by Princess Peach to save Prince Pine and King Fret. In this game, Mario used the Super Scope while riding on Yoshi to shoot down enemies, while Yoshi must safely lead Mario through the level and avoid being shot in the back of the head. He is also the lead character in Tetris Attack, where his friends (based on various characters from Yoshi's Island) were hypnotized by Kamek, who was also flooding the world under Bowser's orders. But Yoshi was able to free his friends, and together they defeated Kamek and Bowser.

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Yoshi was found hanging out on Yo'ster Isle, where he would gladly translate the other Yoshis' speech to Mario. With Mario's help, he is able to beat the local cookie tycoon, Boshi, in a race. The original Super Mario 64 also features Yoshi in a supporting role; he can be found on the castle roof after collecting all 120 stars (or performing some fancy jumps). Yoshi presents Mario with 100 lives and an enhanced triple jump. Unfortunately, he must be revisited each time the game is started up to get the triple jump again.

The GBA/Gamecube Adventures

Yoshi takes a more passive role at this point (at least pertaining to games set in the present), with only one adventure game to call his own. In Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, Yoshi's Island has been turned into a pop-up book by Bowser (again), and Yoshi heads out to defeat him. Along the way, he discovers the ability to tilt the world around him, which ultimately gives him an edge in the final battle with the Koopa King.

As a playable character in Mario Party Advance, Yoshi begins at the beach area. It is required to play as him to complete the Loch Dorrie mission. During this mission, Yoshi will cheer Dorrie up by showing it that it is not the only dinosaur around.

The DS/Wii Adventures

For the remake of Super Mario 64 on the DS, Yoshi was given the lead role, and is the first character playable in the game. He was sleeping on the roof of Peach's Castle when Mario, Luigi, and Wario went inside and never came out, after which Lakitu convinced him to go in and find them. He enters the castle and finds that they've all been captured inside paintings. Collecting stars and defeating the likes of Bob-omb King and Goomboss, he rescues Mario (and in turn, they work to rescue Luigi, Wario, and Peach). Of the four playable characters, Yoshi is the most unique; he can turn some enemies into eggs and throw them, but he cannot pick things up. Multiple Yoshis also appeared as mounts in several levels of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Yoshi also appeared in Super Mario Galaxy 2 in a supporting role. He was shown to have a house in the Sky Station Galaxy, but he had already left when Mario arrived. Mario was first reunited with him in the Yoshi Star Galaxy, where he had been overwhelmed by enemies and trapped in an egg. After being freed from his egg, Yoshi offered his services as a steed. Yoshi appeared in various other galaxies and gained temporary special abilities from eating unique fruits. Yoshi also teamed up with the adult Mario against a boss for the first time in the battle with Bowser Jr. in his Megahammer. At the end of the game, Yoshi returned to the Mushroom Kingdom with Mario and the others for the final festivities.

Abilities

Yoshi has had a somewhat varied set of abilities, depending on which game he appears in and slightly on what appearance he's using. In Super Mario World, Yoshi can eat enemies (which rewards Mario with coins) and Koopa shells (which can be spat back out). Certain colored Koopa shells will give him the abilities to fly, breathe fire, or stomp the ground extra hard. When Mario jumps off Yoshi's back, he gets an added boost. Yoshi will also absorb any hits that Mario takes while riding on him, though he tosses Mario off and frantically runs back and forth until falling into a pit or being remounted. In this game, Yoshi refuses to enter fortresses.

Yoshi's Island presents Yoshis with the ability to make eggs from enemies they've eaten and then throw them (though they were first weaponized by Yoshi when controlled by the CPU in Super Mario Kart). They can also flutter jump and/or ground pound after a jump. These abilities are all duplicated by Yoshi himself in Super Mario 64 DS. An ability that is not duplicated, however, is the Yoshi's ability to sniff out fruit and other items that is seen in Yoshi's Story. In Super Mario Sunshine, Yoshis can spray fruit juice to wash away thick goop made by Bowser Jr. and damage enemies. This ability has also not been shown by the main Yoshi. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Yoshi had his standard moves, but certain fruits could give him special abilities while changing his color. The Dash Pepper is spicy enough to turn Yoshi red and will make him temporarily run at high speeds, making the dinosaur capable of running on water as well as up steep walls. The Blimp Fruit inflates Yoshi and turns him blue, and in this form he will float upwards while blowing air until he runs out. The final fruit is the Blub Fruit, which makes Yoshi grow yellow and reveals hidden platforms.

The Super Smash Bros. series gives Yoshi a moveset primarily based on Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Story, with some new moves such as the ability to encase himself within a large egg as a method of defense. The following are his special moves:

• Standard Special Move: Egg Lay- Yoshi lashes out his tongue, and if anyone is caught in it, they will be temporarily entrapped in an egg until they can break free. This can be done near a ledge to instantly drop an opponent down the pit.
• Side Special Move: Egg Roll- Added in Melee. Yoshi will encase himself in an egg and roll across the stage. It is a way to strike enemies quickly, but it is hard to control.
• Up Special Move: Egg Toss- This is Yoshi's trademark move, where he will throw an exploding egg into the air.
• Down Special Move: Yoshi Bomb- Also known as the Ground Pound, this is simply the attack where Yoshi goes into the air and then slams back down to crush an enemy.
• Final Smash: Super Dragon- This move is achieved through usage of a Smash Ball and appears only in Brawl. It seems to be an exaggerated version of his Koopa shell-granted abilities from Super Mario World, as Yoshi will grow a pair of elegant wings which allow flight and can breathe powerful fireballs at enemies. Yoshi also glows with a blue aura in this form, and the official website compares this to "the legendary tricolor Yoshi".

Other Appearances

Video Games

• Yoshi made a cameo appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest as one of the competing video game heroes. He was automatically ranked second, just below Mario while scoring above Link.
• Yoshi has appeared as a playable fighter throughout the Super Smash Bros. series, appearing in Super Smash Bros., Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. His special attacks consist of turning opponents into eggs, throwing eggs, rolling himself into an egg, and ground pounding his foes. Yoshi is also notable as the only contestant to have his own shield; he uses a giant egg while everyone else uses a generic red bubble.
  
  • In Melee, he has three unlockable trophies, and in Japan it was also possible to obtain an extra trophy of Mario and Yoshi together. Within Brawl he has two trophies, one being a normal trophy while the other depicts his Final Smash. There are also stickers of Yoshi from Mario Party 2, Yoshi Touch & Go, the right Yoshis from Super Mario Land 2: Yoshi's Island, in Car Yoshi form from Yoshi's Island, in ship form from Yoshi Topsy-Turvy and with Mario from Super Mario Sunshine. In the 3DS/Wii U games, Yosi has one trophy that is shared amongst both versions, and each version has its own different alternate Yoshi statue. The 3DS version also has a statue for Yoshi's New Island as well as a trophy showcasing Yoshi with the Egg 1 kart from Mario Kart 7, and the Wii U version has a trophy for Yoshi's Final Smash .
  • Within Brawl's "The Subspace Emissary", Yoshi was first seen in The Forest taking a nap on the stump near the Master Sword's pedestal. When minions of the Subspace Army arrived and woke Yoshi, Yoshi teamed up with Link to fight them off. Yoshi continued traveling with Link and later helped him in the fight against Mario and Pit which resulted from a misunderstanding (which is strange considering that Yoshi knows Mario and usually would not have turned on him so quickly). After the misunderstanding was cleared, the four united and then teamed up with Kirby in pursuit of King Dedede; although this hunt failed, they did eventually meet up with Marth and Ike and teamed up with them, eventually forming the main party that traveled into Subspace to fight in the final battles.

Other Media

• Yoshi appeared in the Super Mario Bros. Movie, where he is a pet of King Koopa who befriends Daisy. The Yoshi of this movie is small and resembles a realistic dinosaur, looking almost nothing like the Yoshi of the video games. Yoshi does, however, have his recognizable extending tongue.
• Yoshi appeared as a main character in the Super Mario World cartoon series. He was voiced by Andrew Sabiston, who would later provide the voice of Diddy Kong in the Donkey Kong Country animated series.

Sports

Like the other main characters within the Mario series, Yoshi is a regular participator in the various sports and racing spin-off games.

• Golf: Yoshi is playable in Mario Golf, Mobile Golf, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Golf: Advance Tour (though not in the main adventure) and Mario Golf: World Tour. He also appears in Mario Golf GB.
• Kart Racing: Yoshi has appeared in all of the kart racing games, including: Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (in which he is paired with Birdo), Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Kart DS (where he drives the Egg 1, Standard YS, and Cucumber), Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart Arcade GP VR'.
• Tennis: Yoshi is playable in every tennis game as well, including: Mario's Tennis, Mario Tennis, Mario Tennis GBC, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Tennis: Power Tour, Mario Tennis Open, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash and Mario Tennis Aces.
• Baseball: Yoshi is one of the captains in Mario Superstar Baseball, his co-captain being Birdo, and in Mario Super Sluggers.
• Soccer: Yoshi is also one of the captains in Super Mario Strikers and in Mario Strikers Charged.
• The Olympics: Yoshi is playable in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games and Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
• Other Sports: Yoshi is playable in Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Mario Sports Mix and Mario Sports Superstars.

Yoshi has also been playing in every game of the Mario Party subseries and in the similarly themed games Itadaki Street DS and Fortune Street.

Trivia

• He is named Yoshi in both English and Japanese, which makes leaves him with no name to differentiate himself from his species.
• The concept of Yoshi was first thought of shortly after Super Mario Bros. was released, but due to hardware limitations, Miyamoto was unable to implement Mario riding a dinosaur until the Super Nintendo with Super Mario World. Additionally, according to the Super Mario History booklet, Yoshi was initially conceived as a type of Koopa that could be ridden by Mario.
• In the Japanese edition of Super Mario World, in the sign at his house Yoshi refers to himself with the title of "Super Dragon", possibly due to the dragon's resemblance to dinosaurs. This title was used again years later for Yoshi's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and at one point in Super Mario Galaxy 2, a sign by Yoshi's house has him refer to himself as a "space dragon", reflecting the game's setting.