Yoshi


 * For the species, see Yoshi (species). For the series, see Yoshi (series). For the game, see Yoshi (video game).

Yoshi (ヨッシー Yosshī, romanized as Yossy) is a green dinosaur who appears frequently through out as a main character in the Super Mario series. He is usually depicted as a Green Yoshi, but there are many alternate Yoshi colors, including Red, Pink, Yellow, Light Blue, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, White, Black, and Brown.

Yoshi has his own series with several games that are either puzzle games or platformers, including Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi Touch and Go. However, Yoshi does still appear quite frequently in the Super Mario series. The Yoshi series includes characters from the Mario series (usually in their baby forms) as well. He also appeared in many of the spin-off Mario games, such as the Mario Party series, the Smash Bros series, the Mario Kart series as well as in other various Mario sports titles, such as Mario Sports Mix.

Since his debut, Yoshi received universal acclaim from critics, and fans and is seen as a cultural gaming icon, His references in TV shows, Movies, and possible upcoming events have spawned from his popularity in the 1990s.

Yoshi's Creation
Yoshi did not appear until Super Mario World, which was released in 1990. However, Shigeru Miyamoto has stated in interviews that he wanted Mario to ride an animal companion after the completion of Super Mario Bros. Apparently, technical restrictions on the NES kept Mario from being able to ride an animal, but with the development of the Super Famicom in 1990, Yoshi could be created. The character of Yoshi was specifically created by Shigefumi Hino, a graphics designer.

In the Super Mario World article in the History of Mario booklet from the Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition game for Wii, game designer Takashi Tezuka said that Yoshi was originally going to be a type of Koopa, and the saddle on his back was supposed to be his shell.

Yoshi's appearance has changed dramatically throughout his video game history. In Super Mario World, Yoshi's first appearance, the green dinosaur was very much created in the image of an actual dinosaur. Yoshi had a long neck, small arms that appeared orange on his sprite (but not in the game's art), and a long back. A second design change was used in Yoshi's Cookie, Super Mario All-Stars, and in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. In those games, Yoshi was made shorter and stouter. Additionally, much longer human-like arms, complete with large hands to manipulate objects, replaced his short, tyrannosaurus-like arms. This design change was developed even more in Yoshi's Story. Instead of being hunched over, Yoshi stood up straight and swung his arms as he walked, much like a human. This design also gave him apparent fingers instead of paw-like hands. This design has stuck ever since.

Actual Appearance
Yoshi is a little green dinosaur. He has green skin. His stomach, chest, and mouth are white as well as the underside of his tail. He has three red spikes on his nape, two large blue eyes, and a big round nose. On his back, he has a red saddle that can be used for riding him. He also wears orange shoes, sometimes red. In some rare cases, he is barefoot with padded feet. He has been seen with a yellow rein on occasion.

Full Description
Yoshi is a green dinosaur that is the same size as a human. Yoshi helps Mario on various quests, serving as transportation. Yoshi's are hatched from spotted eggs. Yoshi has a long, sticky tongue that he uses to eat certain objects, like enemies and fruit. Ever since his debut, Yoshi has been one of the major characters in the games. Yoshi is omnivorous, meaning he can eat both plant-like items and meat, but seem to enjoy tropical fruits the most, as displayed in Yoshi's Story and Super Mario Sunshine. Yoshi's nose can detect fruit and other secrets buried underground. Yoshi also has teeth, but they are rarely seen or even used. The few times they are seen are mostly in Yoshi's Story and Yoshi's Island.

Yoshi is very intelligent, being able to defend themselves as infants. In sports games such as Mario Superstar Baseball and the Mario Tennis series, Yoshi is known for his speed and his tongue capability. It's safe to assume that all Yoshi have the same abilities as the main Yoshi. As seen in Yoshi Island, every Yoshi had the same main abilities, no matter what color they were. In later games, Yoshi can eat certain enemies to give him special abilities.

Yoshi comes in 12 different colors. Those colors are green, red, yellow, blue, pink, light blue, purple, brown, black, white, orange and magenta.

Yoshi is able to lay an egg that has the same color spots as he does. For example, if a Blue Yoshi lays an egg, the spots on the egg will be blue, just like the Yoshi that laid it. In games such as the Super Smash Bros. series, different colors of Yoshi appear. There are seven colors in total, one being purple in the first game. The purple Yoshi has returned in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.

In Super Mario Sunshine, Yoshi can be either orange, purple or pink, depending on the fruit he eats. He will also turn green if he isn't fed fruit once his juice meter runs out. Oddly, Yoshi can't swim.

As shown in Super Mario World, Yoshi can do different things when he eats a shell as long it stays in his mouth. It stays in his mouth until he swallows it.

Appearances
Yoshi first appeared in the games in Super Mario World in 1990 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Yoshi had a rival in the form of a bad-tempered, sunglasses-wearing blue creature named Boshi. Yoshi also made an appearance in all of the Super Smash Brothers games. Yoshi made other appearances such as, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Safari, Yoshi's Story, and Yoshi's Island DS, Yoshi's Cookie, Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Super Mario 64 DS, Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, Yoshi Touch & Go, Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart DS, Dino & Aliens, Mario is Missing, Mario Superstar Baseball, the Mario Tennis series, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Mario Kart Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and a few other games. Yoshi is also a playable character in Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Yoshi also appeared in the Super Mario World television series, voiced by Andrew Sabistion. Yoshi can be captured at the end of Super Mario Odyssey.

Yoshi's Language
Although Yoshi is in many games, he has never been heard talking in formal speech. The possible explanations for this are that he either has no voice or he can only simply make simple noises such as saying his name. There have been a few times where he actually has a speaking part. In the Super Mario World cartoon, he is given a speaking part. This is also the case with a type of Yoshi that players may ride on in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Later, he is given a speaking part in the Paper Mario series. In these games, The Yoshi species has the ability to speak. In Mario Kart Wii, Yoshi can actually talk in a squeaky voice. He can also be heard speaking in Mario Strikers Charged/Mario Smash Football.

Nintendo Land
In Nintendo Land, a game for the Wii U, there's a minigame called Yoshi Fruit Cart. In it, the player uses a Yoshi Carr to pick up fruit. If they can collect speedy fruit, they also get an egg with bonus points. There are also presents, with checkpoints and coins. If the player can collect all the fruit, a door will open, leading to the next level. There's also a door with an ? on it. Enter it allows a lot of levels to be skipped. There's also Mini Fruit. This fruit is smaller than the other fruit. Also, there is Flag Fruit. Yoshi can also eat Spicy Fruit to eat all the fruit in his direction. Finally, there's Moving Fruit. This fruit is running around and is difficult to catch. It is important to watch out for pits and bees, and watch Yoshi's fuel.

Reception and Legacy
Since his debut in 1990, Yoshi has received positive reception and is considered an icon of Nintendo, as well as being one of the main mascots. Yoshi's popularity has spawned into a successful spin-off with the classic Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. His spin-off contains several main games, puzzles, platforms, and sequels. Yoshi has also been shown in a myriad of merchandise such as toys, memorabilia, and even Pogs.

Yoshi has been referenced and featured in many shows, and movies such as The Simpsons, Robot Chicken, Recess, Steven Universe, The Big Bang Theory, Ready Player One, and more. Yoshi appears in the 1993 film Super Mario Bros. as a small dinosaur. He also appears in a DIC Canadian animated series based off Super Mario World in 1991. There have even been possibilities stating Yoshi will soon appear along with the other main Mario characters in the MACY'S Thanksgiving Parade.

Super Smash Bros.
Yoshi has appeared in every game dating from the first game, Super Smash Bros. to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Yoshi's moveset has been kept the same throughout all games with very minor tweaks.

Trivia
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 * The word "Yoshi" is a common Japanese name meaning "Good luck" and "The best."
 * Although Yoshi has been said to be a dinosaur many times, Nintendo has recently stated that he is not a dinosaur, and his species is a Yoshi.
 * Like in Super Mario Bros, Yoshi was supposed to appear in the Super Mario Bros. 3 but he was scrapped due to limited memory.
 * Yoshi's full name is T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas.
 * Yoshi has been in every single Mario Kart, Mario Party, and Super Smash Bros. installment to date.
 * Yoshi was originally going to be a tame Koopa. This idea was scrapped and he became a dinosaur, because the shape of a dinosaur's body meshed better with Mario's sprite.
 * A running gag throughout Super Mario World involved players dropping Yoshi into pits to get second jumps. Many fans as a result, thought that Mario abuses animals and simply uses Yoshi as a tool in his adventures.
 * Also, Yoshi's eating animation has Mario pointing where to eat, which was mistaken as him punching the dinosaur.
 * The creators of Pokémon made Yoshi's first spin-off. Yoshi's first solo game, the NES match-three puzzle game Yoshi, was made by Game Freak, who would go on to create Pokémon five years later.
 * The Crayola-colored visual style of Yoshi’s Island was a direct result of Miyamoto rebelling against demands that the game be done in Rare's patented pre-rendered style.
 * Yoshi won't eat dolphins; in the American version of Super Mario World, Yoshi can't eat the dolphin enemies, but he has no problem gobbling them up in the Japanese version.
 * Yoshi's squawks and yelps are provided by Kazumi Totaka,