Yoshi (franchise)

The Yoshi Series is a series of games that star Yoshi. Though Yoshi originated in the Mario series, it eventually received his own series of games. However, Yoshi does still appear quite frequently in the Mario series. The Yoshi series includes characters from the Mario series, (usually as their baby forms), as well.

General Plots
The Yoshi series's plot has varied greatly over the years. The main titles generally revolve around the kidnapping of Baby Luigi. Baby Mario must then be escorted and protected by Yoshis as he traverses through several worlds to rescue his younger brother. However, Yoshi's Story, a main title, did not deal with the Mario Bros. at all; it dealt with the kidnapping of the Super Happy Tree.

The other titles have varied somewhat in plot as well. While Yoshi and Yoshi's Cookie were Tetris-like puzzle games with no actual plot, Yoshi Topsy-Turvy had an entirely different story from both the main and puzzle titles. This game revolved around Yoshi having to rescue his island from an awkward situation. In Yoshi Touch & Go, no concrete plot was revealed, similar to the puzzle games.

Common Game Elements
The series commonly features several things, including items, enemies, and other features.

Mini-games
In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island DS, mini-games can be unlocked by performing certain tasks or reaching certain goals in the main game. By playing the mini-games, the player can sometimes earn extra lives.

Egg Block
The Egg Block is an item found only in the Yoshi series. They are small white cubes with spots on them – the color of the spots vary depending on which color of Yoshi is being played as. When hit, Egg Blocks eject Yoshi Eggs for the player to utilize in that level. Up to six Yoshi Eggs will come out of an Egg Block.

Yoshi Eggs
Yoshi Eggs are a staple of any Yoshi game. They are not only a weapon for the Yoshis to use against enemies, but they are also tools that can be utilized to solve certain puzzles. By swallowing an enemy, a Yoshi can lay an egg. In addition to the standard green Yoshi eggs, there are also yellow and red ones. The yellow ones can be received by hitting a yellow Egg Block – the red ones can be received from red Egg Blocks. In Super Mario World, yellow and red eggs can hatch into Baby Yoshis of their respective color. Giant Yoshi Eggs are another type of egg found in the series; they are formed by swallowing Fat Guys.

Shy Guys
Shy Guys are the most common type of enemies found the Yoshi series. They are usually the first enemy to be encountered a game. Normal Shy Guys have no unique abilities that they can use to attack the Yoshis; however, their numerous sub-specie each have different abilities, from flying and walking on stilts, to using a baseball bat to ricochet incoming Yoshi Eggs. Shy Guys come in many different colors, and some of their sub-species do as well. Shy Guys are never the main antagonists in a Yoshi game, but there have been a few bosses based on Shy Guys.

Secret Levels
In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island DS, each world has two secret levels. These secret levels are generally unlocked by reaching certain goals or collecting certain items.

Bosses
As with almost every Mario game, the Yoshi series has bosses. These bosses are set to appear on certain levels in each world. On every fourth level of a world, a mini-boss will be fought; on every eighth level of a world, that world's boss will be fought. Then, in the eighth level in the sixth world, the final boss of the game is fought.

Yoshi
Yoshi is the first game in the Yoshi series. It is a two-dimensional puzzle game, with elements similar to those of Tetris. The rules are fairly basic: the player must stack the same enemies on top of each other to make them disappear; the more the player did this, the more points they would earn.
 * Years Released – 1991-1992
 * Systems – NES; GameBoy

Yoshi's Cookie
Yoshi's Cookie is the second game in the Yoshi series; it is also the second puzzle game in the series. Just as Yoshi did, Yoshi's Cookie used many of the same elements found in Tetris. In order for the player to earn points and clear a stage, he or she has to have an entire row or column of the same type of cookie lined up. Six type of cookies could be found in the game: Heart Cookies, Sunflower Cookies, Green Cookies, Checkered Cookies, Donut Cookies, and Yoshi Cookies. A remake later appeared in Nintendo Puzzle Collection on the Nintendo GameCube, along with Dr. Mario and Panel De Pon.
 * Years Released – 1992; 1993; 1994
 * Systems – NES; SNES; GameBoy

Yoshi's Safari
Yoshi's Safari is the third game in the Yoshi series. In this game, Mario and Yoshi have to save King Fret and his son, Prince Pine, of Jewelry Land from King Bowser and his Koopalings. Unlike most Mario games, it is a Rail Shooter. This game also utilized the Super Scope for the first time. The game itself is from Mario's point of view, while he is mounted on Yoshi; similar to how he rode Yoshi in Super Mario World.
 * Year Released – 1993
 * Systems – SNES

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is the fourth game to be released in the Yoshi series. The story revolved around the kidnapping of Baby Luigi, who in the future would be a hero of the entire Mushroom World. When the evil Kamek fails to kidnap Baby Mario, he sends his army of Toadies to find the baby and kidnap him. When Yoshi and his fellow islanders realize that Baby Luigi has been kidnapped, they escort Baby Mario and help him rescue his brother.
 * Year Released – 1995
 * System – SNES
 * For this game's Beta Elements, see here.

Yoshi's Story
Yoshi's Story, the sequel to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, is the fifth game to be released in the Yoshi series. Released in the late 1990's on the Nintendo 64, Yoshi's Story was the first Yoshi game to feature three-dimensional graphics. The plot for this game revolved around the kidnapping of the Super Happy Tree. After Baby Bowser turned Yoshi's Island into a picture book, he stole the Super Happy Tree. At this point, six baby Yoshis must traverse through six different worlds in order to reclaim the Super Happy Tree and return Yoshi's Island back to it's original state.
 * Years Released – 1997-1998
 * System – N64
 * For this game's Beta Elements, see here.

Yoshi Touch & Go
Yoshi Touch & Go is the sixth game in the Yoshi series. It was the first game in the series to be released on the Nintendo DS. After Kamek kidnaps Baby Luigi, Baby Mario falls onto Yoshi's back. Yoshi must escort the baby plumber to save his younger brother. The game is entirely touch-sensitive, allowing Yoshi to attack enemies with a tap of the stylus.
 * Year Released – 2005
 * System – DS

Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
Yoshi Topsy-Turvy is the seventh game in the Yoshi series, and the only one to be released on the Game Boy Advance. When the Topsy-Turvy Spirits transformed the entire island into a book (called the Forbidden Pop-Up Book), Yoshi had to go through several challenges to earn the right to transform the island back. Once Yoshi had collected the required amount of Happiness Medals, Yoshi was able to defeat Bowser and save his home. This was one of only two Gyro-Sensitive games to be released on the Game Boy Advance; the other was WarioWare: Twisted!.
 * Year Released – 2005
 * System – GBA

Yoshi's Island DS
Yoshi's Island DS is a sequel to both Yoshi's Story and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. It is the eigth and most-recently released title in the Yoshi series. After Kamek's original plan failed, he decides to kidnap all babies in the Mushroom Kingdom as well as any in the vicinity. When the Stork attacks a few of the kidnapping Toadies, Baby Mario and Baby Peach fall right into the midst of a group of Yoshis. When they realize that the babies are once again in trouble, they set out on a mission to rescue any kidnapped babies, who could pose a chance of being one of the Star Children. This game featured a total of five babies that were playable, each with a different ability: Baby Mario, Baby Peach, Baby Bowser, Baby Wario, and Baby Donkey Kong.
 * Year Released – 2006
 * System – DS
 * For this game's Beta Elements, see here.

Yoshi
Yoshi is the star of the entire Yoshi series, thus each game revolves around him and his friends. It is a friendly dinosaur who lives on and protects Yoshi's Island from the evil forces that bring chaos there. Yoshi is notorious for carrying the babies on his back, escorting it while on a mission. Its powers are fairly widespread in the Mario series, but are somewhat limited in the Yoshi series. He can throw Yoshi Eggs after swallowing enemies, flutter through the air, and can Ground-Pound various objects. Yoshi goes to far lengths to protect his island and its inhabitants.

Baby Mario
Baby Mario is the starring baby of the Yoshi series. He has appeared in three Yoshi games: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Island DS, and Yoshi Touch & Go. Whenever Kamek attempts to kidnap Baby Mario, he fails, leaving Baby Mario in the care of the Yoshis as he sets out to rescue his brother. Baby Mario has the ability to become completely invincible to all attacks in Yoshi's Island DS after collecting a star. Baby Mario also possesses the power to make Yoshis run faster.

Baby Luigi
Baby Luigi plays the damsel in each Yoshi game he appears in. He has appeared in a total of three Yoshi games: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Island DS, and Yoshi Touch & Go. Each time that he is kidnapped, his brother must team up with the Yoshis to rescue him. In Yoshi's Island DS, Baby Luigi's role was slightly more significant in the fact that he was one of the seven Star Children.

Baby Bowser
Baby Bowser is one of two recurring main antagonists in the Yoshi series. He has appeared in three Yoshi games to date: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Story, and Yoshi's Island DS. Baby Bowser is a spoiled infant who generally wants his way. In Yoshi's Story, he kidnapped the Super Happy Tree in order to take away all happiness from Yoshi's Island; he then turned the island into a pop-up book. In Yoshi's Island DS, Baby Bowser was an ally for the first time. He had the ability to breathe fireballs that could defeat enemies and melt ice.

Kamek
Kamek is a main antagonist in the Yoshi series. He has appeared in three Yoshi games to date: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Island DS, and Yoshi Touch & Go. He is a blue-cloaked magikoopa who is notable for stealing the babies of the Mushroom World. Kamek commonly uses his magic to enhance certain enemies into bosses for the Yoshis to fight. When that fails, he tries again – but alas, the Yoshis always prevail over Kamek, foiling his evil plots. Though Kamek has appeared in other Mario games, (such as Mario Party DS and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time), as a minor enemy or boss, his largest antagonist role is in the Yoshi series.

Stork
The Stork is yet another ally in the Yoshi series. He has appeared in two games: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island DS. His role in the games was relatively basic and short: to deliver the babies, either to Mr. and Mrs. Mario or to a Stork Stop. The Stork didn't speak in any games, and implied no complex personality. Not much is known about him, but he has always been there to help the Yoshis take care of the babies.

Poochy
Poochy is an ally that has appeared in the Yoshi series twice: he appeared in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and in Yoshi's Story. He is an odd-looking dog, considering the fact that he doesn't have ears or a nose, and that his lips are protruding. Poochy would come in handy if the Yoshis needed to cross certain terrains that was inaccessible to the Yoshis; thus, the Yoshis would ride Poochy across said terrain, taking them to a safe environment.

Baby DK
Baby Donkey Kong, (alternatively referred to as "Baby DK"), has appeared in only one Yoshi game to date: Yoshi's Island DS. He appeared as an ally who helped the Yoshis rescue Baby Peach back from a group of Ukikis. Baby DK then decides to join the mission to stop Bowser. Baby DK had many useful abilities, including the ability to climb on vines, the ability to make a Yoshi charge through hard rock, and the power to make Yoshi eggs explode on impact.

Baby Peach
Baby Peach is the infant form of Princess Peach. She has appeared only in Yoshi's Island DS as one of the Star Children. After Kamek and his army of Toadies attempted to kidnap all children in the Mushroom Kingdom, the failed to nab Baby Peach (along with Baby Mario). Baby Peach teamed up with the Yoshis and Baby Mario to get to Kamek and Bowser and stop his evil plans, freeing the kidnapped babies. She had the ability to help Yoshis float via the use of her parasol.

Baby Wario
Baby Wario is one of the seven Star Children and the baby version of Wario; he has appeared only in Yoshi's Island DS. Even as a baby, he showed a great love for money, as seen in a few cinemas throughout the game. Baby Wario, though kidnapped, was set free due to his greedy, spoiled, and whiny personality. When the Yoshis find him, the allow Baby Wario to accompany them, though it is for a short duration. Baby Wario has a giant magnet which allows him to attract any metallic object – even coins.

Bowser
Bowser has appeared in two Yoshi games: Yoshi Topsy-Turvy and Yoshi's Island DS. In Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, Bowser served as the main antagonist. When Bowser terrorizes Yoshi's Island, the Topsy-Turvy Spirits turn the island into a pop-up book. Yoshi must collect a certain amount of happiness medals in order to earn the chance to fight Bowser. During the events of Yoshi's Island DS, He serves as the main antagonist. Bowser travels back in time to find the seven Star Children, in hopes of receiving their power; if he were to receive their power, he could conquer the universe. Bowser kidnapped as many children as he possibly could, (including his infant self), in order to get the seven Star Children. However, the Star Children eventually foil Bowser's plan, forcing him to return to his original time.

Colors of Yoshis
The following table gives an example of each color Yoshi that inhabits Yoshi's Island, and in which games it appears.

Critical Reception for Each Game
The following is a table containing ratings given to various Yoshi games.