Yoshi

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This article is about Yoshi, a main character in the Super Mario franchise. For Yoshis as a species, see Yoshi (species). For other uses, see Yoshi (disambiguation).
"Super Yoshi" redirects here. For information about the transformation from Yoshi's New Island, see Super Yoshi (form). For the kart referred to as Super Yoshi in Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, see Turbo Yoshi.
Yoshi
Artwork of Yoshi and a Red Shell from Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Artwork of Yoshi for Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Species Yoshi
First appearance Super Mario World (1990)
Latest appearance Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch) (2023)
Latest portrayal Kazumi Totaka (1997–present)
You saved me! I was trying to save my friends, but then I got turned into an egg and trapped! I know! We should team up! Come on! Hop on my back!”
Yoshi, Super Mario Galaxy 2

Yoshi is a dinosaur-like character that acts as an ally of Mario and Luigi and is the protagonist of his own franchise. Among members of the Yoshi species hailing from Yoshi's Island, any Yoshi may be identified as the "Yoshi" character, and as such, not all iterations of the character are necessarily the same one. According to the Super Mario World manual, he got his name from Yoshi's Island because he was first discovered there.[1] In the Super Mario series, he often acts as a rideable character for the heroes, while in most of the spin-off games, he is a playable character on his own. Yoshi's defining traits include his cutesy appearance, his cheerful and friendly personality, his flutter-jumping and egg-laying abilities, his rideability as a steed, and exclaiming his own name.

Creation and development

Concept artwork of Mario riding Yoshi
Early concept art of Mario riding on a dinosaur-like creature

Shigeru Miyamoto has stated in interviews that he wanted Mario to ride a horse after the completion of Super Mario Bros.[2] However, technical limitations on the NES kept this from being possible, but with the development of the Super Famicom, an animal partner for Mario could be added. The character of Yoshi was specifically created by Shigefumi Hino, a graphic designer, with the help of Takashi Tezuka.[2] According to Yoichi Kotabe, Yoshi's name (alternately romanized as "Yossy")[3] is a portmanteau of female staff member Mie Yoshimura's nickname and "Nessie."[4] His name is the same as the Japanese interjection 良し (yoshi), meaning "good!", "okay!", or "all right!"

Preliminary sprite sheets for Super Mario World.
Preliminary sprite sheets for Super Mario World, including various early sprites of Yoshi

Since Super Mario World was supposed to take place in Dinosaur Land, Hino initially designed a reptile similar to a large lizard. Since the initial design felt out of place, Tezuka redesigned him by making a rough sketch that then Hino polished. During the redesign, Tezuka tried making Yoshi related to the Turtle Tribe, with the saddle actually being his shell.[2][4] Kotabe had previously sketched a chameleon that would eat by sticking out its tongue, and suggests that the drawing may have helped inspire the concept of Yoshi.[4]

Yoshi's design has been altered and refined between games over the course of the SNES and Nintendo 64 eras, gradually becoming more turtle-like.[4] In his earliest appearances, Yoshi is shown as having a long neck and back and small arms. In later games, such as Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Mario Party, Yoshi is shorter and stouter, with longer arms and more human-like hands. In Mario Kart 64, he is given a more upright appearance. The Mario Kart 64 design has been used for his general design ever since, with a few minor yet notable alterations from Mario Party 4.

History

Main article: History of Yoshi

As Yoshi is Mario's companion, he has appeared in a multitude of Super Mario media starting with Super Mario World, and he has had the common role of being an ally, allowing Mario and other characters to ride on him to assist them in any situation. Yoshi also has appeared in various Super Mario spin-off games, often being a playable character, such as the Mario Kart series and the Mario Party series, and he appears in many comics and cartoons.

Yoshi appears in his own series of games, starring as the main character, with his goal being to save Baby Mario's brother, Baby Luigi, from Kamek and Baby Bowser's clutches and reunite the two brothers to their parents.

Yoshi, like Mario, has made many cameo appearances in a lot of games, even outside his own franchise, with his most famous cameo being in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, appearing as a plush doll that can be won and later traded with.

General information

Physical description and traits

Official artwork of Yoshi, in the style of Super Mario World.Yoshiart3.pngYoshi excited
Yoshi's original design (left), his standard modern design (center), and his alternate modern design (right)

Yoshi, like all other Yoshis, is a dinosaur-like character with a large round nose, a row of orange spines along his head, orange shoes, and a saddle-shaped shell on his back, which is used by Mario and company when being ridden on. Yoshi's initial design is more dinosaur-like, with a narrower, longer, more hunched appearance and shorter arms.[5] He is also noticeably taller than Mario.[6] Beginning with Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and later Mario Kart 64, however, Yoshi's build has been adjusted to be more anthropomorphic, with an upright posture, longer arms, a bigger head, and a stouter build, although he is still taller than Mario (comparable to Luigi's height). This newer depiction has slowly replaced the older depiction, although by Mario Party 4, the older depiction is generally replaced. Notably, Yoshi's initial design is used in the Paper Mario series, with the design used in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door following the original design more strictly, while Paper Mario: Color Splash uses a redesign that matches more with his current design. In recent times, dating at least back to the Mario Hanafuda cards, an alternate modern design of Yoshi was introduced. It features more defined nostrils, eyelids clearly distinct from the brows, a smaller white region on the cheeks, crest spikes pointing downwards and being nearer to each other, and a bigger protrusion behind the eyes. Most of these features stem from the original Yoshi design. Said alternate design so far has not been adapted into a 3D model; as a result, the artwork used in most games uses the standard modern design, with the main exceptions so far being Mario Party: Star Rush, Super Mario Maker 2, and the launch artwork of Mario Kart Tour (that then uses the standard modern design in its badges and icons).

Yoshi's saddle is considered his shell. A few sources, such as Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games[7] and the official Japanese bio from Nintendo's own site, have stated that it is actually a shell, and more recent depictions show it as a shell-like swelling rather than a flat or inwardly curved saddle. In 2017, an interview on Super Mario World confirmed that Yoshi's saddle has always been a shell from the beginning.[8] Nonetheless, specific depictions of Baby Yoshi from Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros. U are shown without a saddle, although other depictions of Baby Yoshi, such as from Yoshi's Story, do include this saddle.

Yoshi is known for having a long red tongue, often used for picking up objects or swallowing them, although it is capable of assisting acrobatic maneuvers, such as its interaction with flowers in Super Mario Galaxy 2. Yoshi can also use this tongue as a physical weapon, shown in Mario Strikers Charged, and as a custom move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. Even though he is usually shown without visible teeth aside from his hurt sprite from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, in his older design he actually has both a set of upper teeth and lower teeth as shown in Super Mario Story Quiz Picture Book 2: Mario's Sports Day,[9] and Super Mario Chie Asobi Ehon ④ Larry No Itazura (Super Mario Wisdom Games Picture Book ④ Larry's Mischief),[10] with Yoshi's Island DS showing that his new design still has a full set of teeth.[11]

Yoshi without his right shoe from the back of Super Mario Ohanashi Kuizu Ehon ⑤ Mario no Yūenchi (「スーパーマリオおはなしクイズえほん 5 マリオの ゆうえんち」, Super Mario Story Quiz Picture Book 5: Mario's Amusement Park).
Yoshi without his right shoe

Yoshi is always seen wearing his orange shoes, although in Super Mario Story Quiz Picture Book 5: Mario's Amusement Park (「スーパーマリオおはなしクイズえほん 5 マリオの ゆうえんち」), a book published by Shogakukan and written in collaboration with Nintendo,[12] it was revealed that he has green feet with three toes and a single white pad on each of them. The orange shade in this shoe has varied across appearances, from brownish to reddish. Some games call these shoes "boots," such as the equipment Yoshi can wear in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. These shoes protect Yoshi from obstacles normally harmful to Mario, such as Munchers and spikes (although in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its successors, spikes can defeat Yoshi in one hit), so Yoshi can allow Mario to safely cross them. Additionally, Yoshi, when stomping on enemies, typically defeats them in one hit with a special sound effect, similar to Mario's Spin Jump.

Like with all other Super Mario characters that are featured in the Super Smash Bros. series, Yoshi's appearance is heavily altered. In the first Super Smash Bros., Yoshi's design takes after his Super Mario 64 appearance, though with minor adjustments. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Yoshi's color scheme is darker, and he stands with a more realistic dinosaur stance; additionally, his skin is also mottled. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Yoshi is redesigned to match his current appearance, with him standing in a more upright posture, though his color scheme is even darker than before; also, many of his actions are still performed in a hunched stature. Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U gives Yoshi a more vibrant, cartoonish color scheme (the same applies to his alternate skins), while further adjusting his posture, which also extends to some of his attacks involving his legs. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Yoshi's color scheme is subdued (though mostly vibrant overall).

Normally, Yoshi does not wear clothes (shoes notwithstanding), although exceptions can be found with the Mini-Yoshi from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, who wore polka-dotted pants of varying colors; his Reindeer outfit in Mario Kart Tour, which had Yoshi wearing reindeer antlers, a jingle-bell collar, red shoes with a white trim, and a red circular nose on his snout; and his Egg Hunt outfit in the same game, where he wears the cracked top and bottom halves of an Easter egg.

Speech

Prior to the SNES version of Yoshi's Cookie and later Yoshi's Story, with the last game to use it being Mario Party 3, Yoshi's "speech" was a sound effect consisting of two pitch-bent orchestra hits.[13] Although it has been largely retired to some extent for Yoshi's current appearances, it does appear to a certain extent in Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 when Yoshi retrieves Baby Mario, and out-of-series in Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes as well as Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D. Yoshi's speech capabilities are rather limited since his most common phrase is his name (sometimes adding exclamations or tones of surprise to make his speech sound different depending on his emotions). Yoshi's voice actor, Kazumi Totaka, also provides him with various grunts and yells, though almost none of them are actual words. The only known instances that Yoshi was shown to speak in the Super Mario games are Super Mario World (when Mario is introduced to him and, to a lesser extent, with the message box at his house), Super Mario Galaxy 2 (when he is freed from his egg and, to a lesser extent, with the sign at his house), Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (which also has him acting as the translator of various Yoshis), the initial release of Super Mario 64 (where he gives Mario a message congratulating him on 120 Stars), and Tetris Attack (where he provides tutorials and tips for the player and has more lines than any other character in the game). However, all of these were given in text. In Yoshi's Story, Yoshi still says his name, but like the rest of his species, he also uses nonsensical words such as "Ho hup" and "Blum," which have no true discernible meaning. However, Yoshi is capable of saying exclamations such as "Yeah!", "Oh, yeah!", and "Woo-hoo!" as well as "No!!!" in various Super Mario spinoffs, though this trait is somewhat rare. Yoshi is known to be capable of saying the word "Smash!" as heard in Mario Power Tennis. In DIC Entertainment's Super Mario World television series, Yoshi can speak intelligibly, with his exclamations completely ignored. Yoshi exhibits the ability to speak intelligibly in Super Mario-kun, where he is depicted as a more childish character; as a result, he is easily excitable and yells frequently. In stark contrast, Yoshi cannot speak fully in Nintendo Power's Super Mario comic series (most notably Super Mario Adventures), where he reverts to solely saying his name. However, Friendly Floyd has a translation book of the Yoshi language, so it is (somewhat) possible to understand what Yoshi is saying. Yoshi also speaks intelligibly in the Club Nintendo comics. In a commercial for Yoshi, Yoshi speaks in "meeps," similar to Beaker from The Muppet Show.[14]

Nature

Yoshi's message in the Peewee Piranha's Speed Run mission of Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Yoshi signing himself as Yoshi the space dragon in Super Mario Galaxy 2

In the West, Yoshi is known to be a dinosaur since his introduction in Super Mario World.[15] Likely due to dinosaurs being known in Japan as scary dragons (「恐竜」), in the original Japanese manual of said game, he was introduced as a dragon (「ドラゴン」),[16] and in the game, Yoshi himself signed his message in Yoshi's House referring to him as Super Dragon Yoshi (「スーパードラゴン ヨッシー」).[17] He was as well explicitly referred to as a dinosaur in the Nintendo Official Guidebook of Super Mario World.[18] Yoshi being a dragon was reconfirmed as well in Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[19] and Super Mario Galaxy 2, since in the mission Peewee Piranha's Speed Run of Sky Station Galaxy, on the sign that Yoshi has put up, Yoshi states that he is a space dragon (「スペースドラゴン」). Nonetheless, in his commentary in the Super Mario History Booklet, released in 2010, Takashi Tezuka stated that "Yoshi was originally supposed to be a type of Koopa."[20] Him possibly being a turtle rather than a dinosaur was then suggested in his official bio of the Kids section of Nintendo Co., Ltd.'s site, published in 2016,[21] with Tezuka eventually confirming in a 2017 interview about Super Mario World and reconfirming in a 2019 interview about Yoshi's Crafted World that Yoshi is indeed a turtle.[2][22]

Badge
The Mario Kart Tour badge earned by using a driver wearing a shell in the Holiday Tour

In Mario Kart Tour, several badges that can be obtained by using drivers with a shell can be obtained by using Yoshi, marking the first time Yoshi having a shell has affected gameplay while indirectly grouping Yoshi among the other turtles featured in the game as well.

Powers and abilities

Yoshi in Super Mario 64 DS
Yoshi using an egg in Super Mario 64 DS

Like other Yoshis, Yoshi has a long tongue that he uses to eat almost anything, even things much larger than himself. Yoshi can transform any enemies and objects he eats into eggs, which he can then use as projectile weapons. In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island DS, Yoshi can keep up to six eggs at a time or up to four Huffin' Puffins, which return to him, similar to a boomerang, and are renewable.

2D artwork of Yoshi licking Shy Guy from Yoshi's Crafted World
Yoshi eating a Shy Guy in Yoshi's Crafted World

Yoshi can also transform things that he eats into other objects. For example, in Super Mario World, after Yoshi eats an enemy, one coin is added to Mario's coin total. Yoshi can also transform berries into eggs. However, instead of using them as projectiles, these eggs can break apart and reveal items, including Super Mushrooms and Yoshi Clouds that drop Bonus Coins. In Super Mario RPG, Yoshi can eat enemies to produce eggs that can break apart to reveal a variety of helpful (and often rare) items. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Yoshi can eat enemies to produce Star Bits.

Despite his egg-laying abilities, Yoshi is considered male in most regions. However, Shigeru Miyamoto has gone on record and stated he is not sure if Yoshi is male or female.[23] It could be that Yoshi does not officially have an assigned gender, as the original Japanese does not use gender pronouns. However, on several occasions that he has dialogue, such as his rescue in Super Mario World and the story mode of Mario Party 3, he uses the masculine pronoun ぼく (boku) in the Japanese versions.

Yoshi has a hard time swallowing Koopa Shells. In fact, in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi has to spit out Koopa Shells before he can eat another enemy. In Super Mario World, Yoshi can swallow a Koopa Shell but can also use it to boost his own abilities. While Yoshi can only spit out a Green Shell, he can instead shoot three large fireballs after ingesting a Red Shell. A Yellow Shell allows Yoshi to create sand clouds whenever he jumps and hits the ground, destroying nearby enemies. A Blue Shell provides one of the two ways to turn Yoshi into his Winged Yoshi form, allowing him to fly for a limited amount of time. However, if a shell is left in Yoshi's mouth for too long, he inevitably swallows the shell and, as such, loses any abilities he possessed at this moment.

Artwork of Yoshi performing a Flutter Jump in Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
Yoshi flutter-jumping in Yoshi Topsy-Turvy

Yoshi is very proficient with jumping and ground-pounding abilities, rivaling the capabilities of world-renown jumper Mario. However, in Super Mario World, Yoshi's jump attacks are much more powerful than Mario's normal jump attacks. Yoshi can destroy most enemies in one hit (i.e., a Koopa would be completely destroyed, not sent flying out of its shell). As such, Yoshi's jump has the same power as Mario's special Spin Jump technique. Yoshi is also proficient of the Flutter Jump technique, allowing him to jump with great horizontal distance. Yoshi is also capable of creating shockwaves with his Ground Pound, which can be seen when the player uses the Team Jump technique in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle.

Yoshi is a speed character in several sports games, such as the Mario Tennis series, which shows that he is a fast runner. However, he is not particularly fast in every game, such as Super Mario 64 DS, where his speed is the same as Mario and Luigi's (according to the instruction booklet).

According to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Yoshi is one of the few members of his species who can speak the language of the other characters; however, it seems that this is not his first language, since, as in other games, his statements are translated through parentheses.

Alternate forms

Throughout the games, Yoshi has acquired a variety of alternate forms to help him combat his foes. Most of these transformations are a result of special morph bubbles that can transform Yoshi into a helpful vehicle. Several unused alternate forms have been found in the coding of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Their purpose is unknown, but one can assume the plane has a similar function to the helicopter.

Super Mario World
Super Mario 64 DS
Super Mario Run
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Yoshi's New Island
Yoshi's Woolly World

Personality

Yoshi and Goomba.
LINE sticker of Yoshi drooling at a Goomba

Yoshi has a very similar personality to Mario, being brave and kind, albeit underdeveloped. Yoshi is a friendly individual who always lends a helping hand to those in need. He can be considered a hero and has helped his friends, defeated Bowser, and saved his island more than once. He is also very courageous, allowing him to stand and fight enemies much larger than himself, including Yoob, an enlarged Bowser, Nep-Enuts, Tap-Tap the Golden, and the gigantic form of Baby Bowser. As a result of this courage, Yoshi often takes on a leadership position to the Yoshi clan, although Yoshi has no official political status (unlike the Village Leader from Lavalava Island). In fact, when Yoshi is offered a leadership position in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the humble character declines the position. Like Mario, Yoshi has a large appetite, to the point of outright gluttony. While Yoshi eats mostly fruits (mainly melons), he eats almost anything, including enemies (except peppers and certain inedible enemies). In volume 3 of Super Mario-kun, Yoshi gets hurt and begins to cry while red liquid is seen. It turns out to be juice from Yoshi's fruit, to which he glumly states, "What a waste."

Relationships

Friends

Mario riding Yoshi
Mario and Yoshi

Yoshi is one of Mario's closest friends, with their relationship stretching back to Mario's birth, when Yoshi helped reunite the newborn Baby Mario with his kidnapped brother, Baby Luigi. Mario, as an adult, has returned the favor in Yoshi's New Island by handing Yoshi powerful items if Yoshi is struggling in levels. Later, Mario helps free Yoshi's homeland from Bowser in Super Mario World. Mario and Yoshi share loyalty to one another, with Yoshi often aiding Mario on his journeys by acting as his steed. This relationship is more pronounced in Super Mario-kun. While Mario and Yoshi are great friends, Yoshi often makes mistakes, much to Mario's annoyance, such as in volume 1 where Yoshi eats a map, so the two frequently bicker. Despite this, when Yoshi is in danger, even when he is manipulated, Mario risks himself to save Yoshi, shown in volume 23. Super Smash Bros. Brawl takes Yoshi's relationship to a more negative level, since he and Link aggressively attack Mario and Pit for defeating "Zelda" (who was a false clone trying to turn the former duo into trophies). Similarly, when Yoshi and Link defeat False Peach, Mario misinterprets them as defeating the real Peach, so he decides to fight the duo, with Pit following suit. However, Yoshi and Mario realize the error of their ways and team up to fight Tabuu and the Subspace Army. Yoshi and Luigi are also good friends and allies, although their chemistry in the Mario Baseball series is neutral. In the Super Mario World TV show, Luigi is the one who finds Yoshi, who initially believes him to be his "mama," with Luigi even continuing to act as a parental figure of sorts, and Luigi is known to tell him bedtime stories. This aspect of their relationship is unique to the TV show, however. Other characters Yoshi is friends with include Princess Peach and Toad, and he is also on good terms with Donkey Kong more often than not.

Artwork of Yoshi and Birdo, from Mario Party 7
Birdo and Yoshi in their team picture for Mario Party 7

Yoshi and Birdo are partnered up in various spinoff and sports games, and it has been implied that they are romantically involved. They are seen nuzzling each other on the title screen of Mario Tennis, and on the official Japanese site for Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the description for Catherine states that she "appears to be Yoshi's girlfriend, but is actually his boyfriend!?" (「ヨッシーの彼女に見えて実は彼氏!?」)[24]

Yoshi has been shown to get along with his Rabbid counterpart, since they are willing to cooperate to save the Mushroom Kingdom from the Megabug's grasp. Yoshi and Rabbid Yoshi also slide on their own tails, store their weapons in their mouths, and use Rumblebangs as their primary weapons, which shows Rabbid Yoshi's respect and admiration for the real Yoshi, as well as Yoshi's appreciation for being idolized by someone.

Yoshi is shown to get along with Link, since they have worked together to fend off Tabuu's forces and save the World of Trophies from ultimate destruction. Yoshi and Link both show heroic behavior, since they defeat False Peach to save Mario and Pit (though the latter duo has a miscommunication). Yoshi's loyalty towards Link is unwavering, since he joins him in the fight against Mario and Pit for defeating "Zelda" (though he later learns that their battle was a misunderstanding).

Enemies

Kamek is one of Yoshi's most persistent enemies. Kamek, devoted to the Koopa Troop, views Yoshi and his friends as a major threat and attempts multiple times to hinder their progress to save Baby Luigi. He often transforms normal enemies into bosses, but he additionally kidnaps the stork several times. Kamek, prior to a boss fight, frequently insults Yoshi and his friends, such as calling Yellow Yoshi an "overgrown lizard." With a condescending tone, he threatens or tries to trick Yoshi to give Baby Mario to him. Bowser, who has close ties to Kamek, is also one of Yoshi's major enemies. When Bowser is a baby, he often causes trouble for the Yoshis ranging from stealing cookies to kidnapping the Super Happy Tree. While Baby Bowser once teamed up with the Yoshis and the other babies in Yoshi's Island DS, he eventually betrays them in the end in favor. Yoshi, without Mario's direct aid, has also faced against and defeated adult Bowser several times, such as in Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, Yoshi's Island DS, and Yoshi's New Island.

Profiles and statistics

Main article: List of Yoshi profiles and statistics
Yoshi's stats from the Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games website
Yoshi emblem from Mario Kart 8Yoshi's horn emblem from Mario Kart 8
Yoshi's emblems from Mario Kart 8

Yoshi's bios typically describe him as Mario's friend and ally, as well as mentioning his long tongue, egg-laying abilities, Flutter Jump, and big appetite for fruits and enemies. Yoshi, in most Super Mario sports games, is classed as an Acceleration type character. He has also been classed as a Speed type character in some games, such as the Mario Tennis series and the Mario Baseball series. Like Mario, Yoshi has occasionally been classified as a balanced character, such as in Mario Hoops 3-on-3, where he is classified as an All-Around type character, and in Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged, where he appears as a balanced captain. In Mario Strikers: Battle League, he appears as an offensive type character with high Shooting and Passing attributes. In the Mario Kart series, Yoshi is classified as either a lightweight or a middleweight character.

Yoshi's most often associated color scheme is green, although he has been occasionally associated with orange, yellow, or blue. His logo is a green-spotted Yoshi's Egg.

Portrayals

In the Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land interactive OVA, Yoshi was voiced by Chika Sakamoto.

In the Super Mario World cartoon, Yoshi was voiced by Andrew Sabiston (Sabiston would later provide the voice of Diddy Kong in the Donkey Kong Country cartoon series).

In the Japanese commercials and store promotional[25] video for Yoshi's Cookie, Yoshi was voiced by Junko Hori.[26]

In the video games, Yoshi has been voiced by Kazumi Totaka since Yoshi's Story (who also composed the musical score for the game).

Game appearances

Title Year System
Super Mario World 1990 SNES
Mario Roulette 1991 Arcade
Yoshi 1991 NES, Game Boy
Super Mario Bros. (pinball) 1992 Arcade
Mario Paint 1992 SNES
Super Mario Kart 1992 SNES
Terebi Denwa: Super Mario World 1992 Arcade
Yoshi's Cookie 1992, 1993 NES, Game Boy, SNES
Mario is Missing! 1992, 1993 MS-DOS, SNES, NES
Mario Undōkai 1993 Arcade
Super Mario World 1993 Arcade
Būbū Mario 1993 Arcade
Yoshi's Safari 1993 SNES
Mario & Wario 1993 SNES
Mario's Time Machine 1993, 1994 MS-DOS, SNES, NES
Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters 1993, 1994 SNES
Yoshi no Cookie: Kuruppon Oven de Cookie 1994 SNES
Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun 1994 SNES
Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World 1994 SNES
Mario Bowl 1995 Arcade
Mario's Game Gallery / Mario's FUNdamentals 1995, 1998 MS-DOS, Windows
Mario's Tennis 1995 Virtual Boy
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island 1995 SNES
Mario Clash 1995 Virtual Boy
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest 1995 SNES
Super Mario Attack 1996 Arcade
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars 1996 SNES
Super Mario 64 1996 Nintendo 64
Tetris Attack 1996 SNES
Donkey Kong Land 2 1996 Game Boy
Mario Kart 64 1996 Nintendo 64
Game & Watch Gallery 1997 Game Boy
Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle 1997 Satellaview
Mario Paint: BS Ban 1997 Satellaview
BS Mario Paint: Yuushou Naizou Ban 1997 Satellaview
Game & Watch Gallery 2 1997, 1998 Game Boy, Game Boy Color
Yoshi's Story 1997 Nintendo 64
Mario no Photopi 1998 Nintendo 64
Mario Party 1998 Nintendo 64
Super Smash Bros. 1999 Nintendo 64
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe 1999 Game Boy Color
Mario Golf 1999 Nintendo 64
Game & Watch Gallery 3 1999 Game Boy Color
Mario Golf 1999 Game Boy Color
Mario Artist: Paint Studio 1999 Nintendo 64DD
Mario Party 2 1999 Nintendo 64
Mario Tennis 2000 Nintendo 64
Paper Mario 2000 Nintendo 64
Mario Party 3 2000 Nintendo 64
Mario Tennis 2000 Game Boy Color
Super Mario Advance 2001 Game Boy Advance
Mobile Golf 2001 Game Boy Color
Mario Kart: Super Circuit 2001 Game Boy Advance
Mario Family 2001 Game Boy Color
Super Smash Bros. Melee 2001 Nintendo GameCube
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 2001 Game Boy Advance
Super Mario Sunshine 2002 Nintendo GameCube
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 2002 Game Boy Advance
Mario Party 4 2002 Nintendo GameCube
Game & Watch Gallery 4 2002 Game Boy Advance
Nintendo Puzzle Collection 2003 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Party-e 2003 E-Reader
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour 2003 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! 2003 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Party 5 2003 Nintendo GameCube
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga 2003 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Konga 2003 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Golf: Advance Tour 2004 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Kong Country 2 2004 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Konga 2 2004 Nintendo GameCube
Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party 2004 Arcade
Mario Power Tennis 2004 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Party 6 2004 Nintendo GameCube
Super Mario 64 DS 2004 Nintendo DS
Yoshi Topsy-Turvy 2004 Game Boy Advance
Mario Party Advance 2005 Game Boy Advance
Yoshi Touch & Go 2005 Nintendo DS
Yakuman DS 2005 Nintendo DS
Mario Superstar Baseball 2005 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Tennis: Power Tour 2005 Game Boy Advance
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2005 Arcade
Super Mario Fushigi no Korokoro Party 2 2005 Arcade
Mario Party 7 2005 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Kart DS 2005 Nintendo DS
Super Mario Strikers 2005 Nintendo GameCube
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time 2005 Nintendo DS
New Super Mario Bros. 2006 Nintendo DS
Mario Hoops 3-on-3 2006 Nintendo DS
Yoshi's Island DS 2006 Nintendo DS
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 2007 Arcade
Mario Strikers Charged 2007 Wii
Mario Party 8 2007 Wii
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games 2007 Wii
Mario Party DS 2007 Nintendo DS
Itadaki Street DS 2007 Nintendo DS
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games 2008 Nintendo DS
Super Smash Bros. Brawl 2008 Wii
Mario Kart Wii 2008 Wii
Mario Super Sluggers 2008 Wii
Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher 2009 Arcade
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis 2009 Wii
WarioWare: D.I.Y. 2009 Nintendo DS
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games 2009 Wii
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games 2009 Nintendo DS
New Super Mario Bros. Wii 2009 Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2 2010 Wii
Mario Sports Mix 2010 Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii Coin World 2011 Arcade
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games 2011 Wii
Mario Kart 7 2011 Nintendo 3DS
Fortune Street 2011 Wii
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games 2012 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Party 9 2012 Wii
Mario Tennis Open 2012 Nintendo 3DS
New Super Mario Bros. U 2012 Wii U
New Super Luigi U 2013 Wii U
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team 2013 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Kart Arcade GP DX 2013 Arcade
Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher 2 2013 Arcade
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games 2013 Wii U
Mario Party: Island Tour 2013 Nintendo 3DS
Yoshi's New Island 2014 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Golf: World Tour 2014 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Kart 8 2014 Wii U
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 2014 Nintendo 3DS
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U 2014 Wii U
Mario Party 10 2015 Wii U
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition 2015 Nintendo 3DS
Yoshi's Woolly World 2015 Wii U
Super Mario Maker 2015 Wii U
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash 2015 Wii U
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam 2015 Nintendo 3DS
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games 2016 Nintendo 3DS
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition 2016 Arcade
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games 2016 Wii U
Mario Party Challenge World 2016 Arcade
Paper Mario: Color Splash 2016 Wii U
Mario Party: Star Rush 2016 Nintendo 3DS
Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS 2016 Nintendo 3DS
Super Mario Run 2016, 2017 iOS, Android
Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World 2017 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Sports Superstars 2017 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 2017 Nintendo Switch
Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition 2017 Nintendo Switch
Mario Kart Arcade GP VR 2017 Arcade
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle 2017 Nintendo Switch
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions 2017 Nintendo 3DS
Super Mario Odyssey 2017 Nintendo Switch
Mario Party: The Top 100 2017 Nintendo 3DS
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition 2018 New Nintendo 3DS
Minecraft (Bedrock version) 2018 Nintendo Switch
Mario Tennis Aces 2018 Nintendo Switch
WarioWare Gold 2018 Nintendo 3DS
Super Mario Party 2018 Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 2018 Nintendo Switch
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe 2019 Nintendo Switch
Yoshi's Crafted World 2019 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Maker 2 2019 Nintendo Switch
Dr. Mario World 2019 iOS, Android
Mario Kart Tour 2019 iOS, Android
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 2019 Nintendo Switch
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Arcade Edition 2020 Arcade
Super Mario 3D All-Stars 2020 Nintendo Switch
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit 2020 Nintendo Switch
Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. 2020 Game & Watch
Mario Golf: Super Rush 2021 Nintendo Switch
WarioWare: Get It Together! 2021 Nintendo Switch
Mario Party Superstars 2021 Nintendo Switch
Mario Strikers: Battle League 2022 Nintendo Switch
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (mentioned) 2022 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Bros. Wonder 2023 Nintendo Switch
WarioWare: Move It! 2023 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario RPG 2023 Nintendo Switch

Voice samples

Audio.svg Super Mario World - The sound of Yoshi when he hatches from his egg or when Mario mounts him
File infoMedia:Super Mario World Yoshi Sound.oga
Audio.svg Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games - One of Yoshi's sounds (Kazumi Totaka)
File infoMedia:Yoshi 2012.oga
Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Yoshi.

Quotes

Main article: List of Yoshi quotes

Games

Super Mario World television series

Main article: List of Super Mario World (television series) quotes § Yoshi
  • "Oh, kukumba! Mama Fireplant lives on the other side of the river, AND I SCARED OF WATER!!!"
  • "Oogabooga! I ready, and hungry!"
  • "Oh, creepity spookity scary! Yoshi hopes no ghost in enchanted forest!"
  • "Oh, Yoshi like motorcycle! Go varoom!"
  • "Yoshi think Luigi mama!"

Names in other languages

Main article: List of Yoshi names in other languages
Language Name Meaning
Japanese ヨッシー
Yosshī
Yoshi; romanized as "Yossy" in earlier Japanese materials.[27] Portmanteau of Mie Yoshimura's name and Nessie.[28]

Chinese 耀西
Yàoxī
Transliteration of the international name

French Yoshi
-
German Yoshi
Yoschi[29] (SNES Super Mario World instruction booklet)
-
A partial spelling adaption to German
Greek Γιόσι
Giosi
Transliteration of the international name

Italian Yoshi
-
Korean 요시
Yosi
Transliteration of the international name

Latvian Joši[30]
Transliteration of the international name
Portuguese Yoshi
-
Russian Йоши
Yoshi
Transliteration of the international name

Spanish Yoshi
-
Ukrainian Йоші[31]
Yoshi
Transliteration of the international name

Trivia

  • Yoshi's kart's horn in Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart 8 sounds similar to the sound heard when mounting on Yoshi in certain Super Mario games.
  • According to a 1993 Nintendo character guide, Yoshi is "properly" known as T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas.[32]

References

  1. ^ https://www.gamesdatabase.org/Media/SYSTEM/Nintendo_SNES/manual/Formated/Super_Mario_World_-_1991_-_Nintendo.pdf
  2. ^ a b c d Nintendo Classic Mini: SNES developer interview – Volume 5: Super Mario World and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.
  3. ^ Mandelin, Heidi (March 6, 2018). 24 Times “Yoshi” Was Called “Yossy”. Legends of Localization. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d The Creator of the Famicom and the Designer of Super Mario are here!. GAME Watch. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
  5. ^ Official Yoshi artwork and profile from the 1993 Nintendo character Guide. Press The Buttons. Retrieved October 14,2015.
  6. ^ 1993 Nintendo Character Guide Comparison Chart. Press The Buttons. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  7. ^ Japancommercials4U2 (January 5, 2014). Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (DS) - Adventure Tours Playthrough Part 5. YouTube. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  8. ^ Nintendo Classic Mini: SNES developer interview – Volume 5: Super Mario World and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Akinori Sao states "That’s why, instead of a saddle, what’s on Yoshi’s back is..." and Hisashi Nogami completes the sentence saying "A shell. Even after I joined the company, Tezuka kept insisting that it was a shell."
  9. ^ A three legged race in Super Mario Story Quiz Picture Book 2: Mario's Sports DayMedia:SMSQPB2 Three-legged Race.png, both the upper and lower teeth of Yoshi can be seen.
  10. ^ Part of the activity on the back of Super Mario Chie Asobi Ehon ④ Larry No Itazura (Super Mario Wisdom Games Picture Book ④ Larry's Mischief)Media:SMWGPB4 Back.png.
  11. ^ Yoshi performing a Flutter Jump with Baby Mario on his back in Yoshi's Island DSMedia:Yoshi fluttering YIDS artwork.jpg, a full set of teeth can be observed.
  12. ^ Back of Super Mario Story Quiz Picture Book 5: Mario's Amusement ParkMedia:SMSQPB5 Back.png.
  13. ^ Plastiware (December 5, 2019). The Yoshi sound is pitch-bent orchestra hits. YouTube. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  14. ^ Japancommercials4U2 (January 18, 2009). Yoshi USA Commercial. YouTube. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  15. ^ On page 2 of the American instruction booklet of Super Mario World, Yoshi is stated to be a young dinosaur.
  16. ^ On page 3 of the Japanese instruction booklet of Super Mario World, Yoshi was introduced as a 「ドラゴン」, which means dragon.
  17. ^ しゅーや (March 31, 2016). 【実況】隅々まで遊べ!スーパーマリオワールドをツッコミ実況part1. YouTube. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  18. ^ On page 16 of the Nintendo Official Guidebook of Super Mario WorldMedia:SMB4 NOG page 16.png Yoshi is stated to be a 「大食漢恐竜」, which means a glutton dinosaur.
  19. ^ As can be seen in the story of the game on page 9 of the Japanese instruction booklet of Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, as well as on page 14 of the Nintendo Official Guidebook of Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2Media:SMA2 NOG page 14.png, where Yoshi's bio refer to him as a 「ドラゴン」, a dragon.
  20. ^ In the section of the Super Mario History Booklet dedicated to Super Mario WorldMedia:SMHAmerican SMW and SMAS.jpg Takashi Tezuka states that ''Yoshi was originally supposed to be a type of Koopa. That saddle you see on his back was actually is shell.
  21. ^ Yoshi's bio in the Kids section of Nintendo Co., Ltd.'s site states 「背中にコウラがあるけど、カメなのか、恐竜なのか、はわかっていないんだって。」, which translates to Even though there's a shell on his back, we actually don't know whether Yoshi's a dinosaur or a turtle!
  22. ^ Brian (April 27, 2019). Yoshi’s Crafted World devs on the art style, kindergarten inspiration, flip side gimmick, more. Nintendo Everything. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  23. ^ Brian (June 27, 2011). Nintendo “expend a lot of time” on matching up Zelda stories… and is Yoshi male or female? Nintendo Everything. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  24. ^ MARIO KART - Double Dash!! - マリオカート ダブルダッシュ!! "ヨッシーの彼女に見えて実は彼氏!?"
  25. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLqE2D8WIzo Yoshi's cookie (Yoshi no Cookie) Japanese store promo video YouTube.
  26. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5cz6H3PTc4 Why doesn't Yoshi sound like he used to? YouTube.
  27. ^ Mandelin, Heidi (March 6, 2018). 24 Times “Yoshi” Was Called “Yossy”. Legends of Localization. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  28. ^ The Creator of the Famicom and the Designer of Super Mario are here!. GAME Watch. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
  29. ^ German Super Mario World instruction booklet. Pages 17–18. archive.org. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  30. ^ Joši dāvanu nama paplašinājuma maršruts. LEGO.com (Latvian). Retrieved July 8, 2022. (Archived March 6, 2023, 07:13:19 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  31. ^ Будинок Маріо і Йоші. Додатковий рівень. LEGO.com (Ukrainian). Archived January 15, 2023, 11:50:54 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  32. ^ Devore, Jordan (August 5, 2014). Yoshi is properly known as T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas. Destructoid.