Yoshi (platform series)

The series of platform games featuring Yoshi is a video-game sub-series of the Yoshi franchise. It is a series of 2D side-scrolling platformers starring Yoshi, who has the unique ability to throw eggs to defeat enemies. It is considered a superset of the Yoshi's Island series, and its games generally feature a colorful artstyle, with the Yoshi's Island games having a painted motif and the others featuring a hand-crafted aesthetic. While the Yoshi's Island games feature grown-up Yoshis who rescues babies from their enemies by carrying them on their back, the Yoshis in the other games of this series are Baby Yoshis and do not carry babies.

List of games
The following list covers exclusively the platform games starring Yoshi that are part of this series but not part of the Yoshi's Island series.

Spin-off games
These games are inspired by the series of platform games starring Yoshi, but are not part of it.

Gameplay
The basic gameplay of the Yoshi's Island series is that of a 2D side-scrolling platformer, featuring an health meter. When said meter is depleted, Yoshi loses a life. In both cases, there are items that, when collected, either replenish the timer or increase the health meter, until a certain maximum value is reached. In addition to the basic run and jump actions, the Yoshi being played as is able to use their tongue to manipulate objects and to eat enemies in most of the games. Once an enemy is eaten, it can be ejected or swallowed. If swallowed, the Yoshi will be able to lay an egg which can be thrown at objects or at enemies. The Yoshi can obtain various power-ups to help complete the level, many of which involve transforming into various vehicles.

The spin-offs in the series feature somewhat different gameplay. In Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, the main aspect of gameplay is that the player must tilt the Game Boy Advance to tilt the in-game world, allowing Yoshi to walk on walls in order to traverse the level. In this game, Yoshi is able to eat enemies, but he cannot lay eggs.