Yoshi (franchise)

From Mariopedia, a wiki on Mario, Yoshi, Wario, Donkey Kong, Super Smash Bros., and more!
(Redirected from Yoshi (series))
Jump to navigationJump to search
Yoshi
First installment Yoshi (1991)
Latest installment Yoshi's Crafted World (2019)
Number of installments 16 (13 main, 1 expansion game, and 2 ports)

Yoshi is a spin-off franchise that stars Yoshi, who was introduced to the Mario franchise in Super Mario World. The Yoshi franchise includes characters from the Mario series, (usually as their baby forms), as well. Both series take place on Mushroom World in two different timelines; the past and present.

The Yoshi series' 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. Yoshi's Story was the first main game that did not feature the Mario Bros. in any way other than a brief mention.

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 which had been turned into a storybook. In Yoshi Touch & Go, no concrete plot was revealed, similar to the puzzle games.

Yoshi Series Games

1990's

Title, Original Release and System Synopsis and Ratings
Yoshi

Yoshi is the first game in the 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 does this, the more points they earn.
Japan 1991
NES/Game Boy
(Ratings unavailable)
Yoshi's Cookie

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.
Japan 1992
NES/Game Boy/SNES
(Ratings Unavailable)
Yoshi's Safari

Yoshi's Safari has Mario and Yoshi on a quest to save King Fret and his son, Prince Pine, of Jewelry Land from King Bowser and his Koopalings. Unlike most Mario/Yoshi 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.
Japan 1993
SNES
(Ratings unavailable)
Yoshi no Cookie: Kuruppon Oven de Cookie

Yoshi no Cookie: Kuruppon Oven de Cookie was a japan-only edition of Yoshi's Cookie. It was developed by Human Electronics to promote their new Kuruppon oven. Only 500 copies were made of the game. It included the SNES version of Yoshi's Cookie and an additional mode which has Yoshi exploring an island and teaching the player some recipes the player can actually cook.
Japan 1994
Super Famicom
(Ratings unavailable)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island revolves around the time where Mario and Luigi were babies. When Kamek fails to kidnap both Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, Baby Mario falls in Yoshi's island and Yoshi finds him. Kamek sends his army of Toadies to find and kidnap Baby Mario. Yoshi and his fellow islanders escort Baby Mario to help him rescue his brother.
Japan 1995
SNES
(Ratings unavailable)
Tetris Attack

Tetris Attack was a puzzle game that ironically had very little relation to Tetris. It was based around the Japanese game Panel de Pon. It was themed around the Yoshi series. It's gameplay involved square panels rising from the bottom (called the "stack") and the player has to line up three or more matching panels either horizontally or vertically as the stack rises. The game was released on both the SNES and the Game Boy.
USA 1996
SNES/Game Boy
(Ratings unavailable)
Yoshi's Story

Yoshi's Story was the first (and thus far only) 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 its original state.
Japan 1997
Nintendo 64
IGN – N/AGamespot – 5.3

2000's

Title, Original Release and System Synopsis and Ratings
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 was the Game Boy Advance port of Super Mario World 2. This game was very similar to the original with several differences, such as updated graphics and some new levels. This game also included Mario Bros. as an extra feature, which was a constant theme in the Super Mario Advance series.
Japan 2002
Game Boy Advance
IGN - 9.4: AmazingGamespot – 9.2
Yoshi Topsy-Turvy

Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, or Yoshi's Universal Gravitation in Europe and Australia, features a similar story to Yoshi's Story in where the island is transformed into a picture book. The Spirits transformed the entire island into a book (called the Forbidden Pop-Up Book) and Yoshi has to go through several challenges to earn the right to transform the island back. Once Yoshi has collected the required amount of Happiness Medals, Yoshi can 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!.
Japan 2004
Game Boy Advance
IGN – N/AGamespot – 6.6
Yoshi Touch & Go

First Yoshi game on the DS, Yoshi Touch & Go features the same story as Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. The game is more of a puzzle game than a platformer like Yoshi's Island was. The game is entirely touch-sensitive, allowing Yoshi to attack enemies with a tap of the stylus.
Japan 2005
Nintendo DS
IGN – N/AGamespot – 7.2
Yoshi's Island DS

The sequel to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Island DS, features Baby Peach, Baby Bowser, Baby Wario, Baby Donkey Kong and of course Baby Mario all in a quest to save all the world's babies (including Baby Luigi). Kamek is the one responsible for the kidnapping of the babies, still being mad after the events of the previous game. The Stork manages to attack some Toadies, who drop the babies they are carrying, the babies being Baby Mario and Baby Peach. The Yoshis set out to rescue the babies, encountering more along the way.
USA 2006
Nintendo DS
IGN – N/AGamespot – 9.1

2010's

Title, Original Release and System Synopsis and Ratings
Yoshi's New Island

Yoshi's New Island is a platform game for the Nintendo 3DS. The game is a sequel to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island DS, and uses a similar art style for the game. It is shown that the Stork has delivered the Baby Mario twins to the wrong house and tries to get them to their real parents. Kamek steals Baby Luigi once again and Baby Mario falls on a place called Egg Island, where the Yoshi residents find him and decide to take him to Bowser's Castle to rescue Baby Luigi and stop Kamek once again.

Most gameplay elements are borrowed from the first game. Among new elements are the Mega Eggdozers, Metal Eggdozers and the multiplayer minigame mode.

USA 2014
Nintendo 3DS
N/A
Yoshi's Woolly World

Yoshi's Woolly World is a side-scroller platform game for the Wii U, produced by Good-Feel. The game features backgrounds, characters and enemies made of yarn, textiles and fabric, similar to the Wii game, Kirby's Epic Yarn, produced by the same company. However, the game is also shown to have completely tridimensional areas and 3D models. This is the first Yoshi game to a home console since Yoshi's Story.
Japan 2015
Wii U
N/A
Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World

Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is a port of Yoshi's Woolly World. The overall gameplay and story of the game is basically the same but the game also includes a new mode starring Poochy which involves him having to collect Beads.
Japan 2017
Nintendo 3DS
N/A
Yoshi's Crafted World

Yoshi's Crafted World is a side-scroller platform for the Nintendo Switch. It is developed by Good-Feel. It has very similar gameplay to Yoshi's Woolly World with some new features. The game's story involves the Yoshis trying to collect the scattered gems of the Sundream Stone, which has the ability to grant wishes, before Kamek and Baby Bowser can.
Japan 2019
Nintendo Switch
N/A

Tech Demos and Cancelled Game

Title Summary System
Untitled Yoshi 3D platformer The Argonaut Yoshi platformer was a planned game for the Nintendo 64. Following their successful collaboration with Nintendo on Star Fox, British game developer Argonaut Games pitched a 3D platformer starring Yoshi and made a prototype for it. However, Nintendo didn't follow on the offer, with one Argonaut employee speculating this was because the company didn't want to let third-parties use its characters. Following this setback, Argonaut decided to retool the prototype as an original IP, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos.
Nintendo 64
Yoshi Demo

The Yoshi Demo was a tech demo for the Game Boy Advance. It consists of a short 3D render of Yoshi's Island followed by an endless level based on Yoshi's Story. Several new enemies were included such as a new type of Toadies, Bullet Bills and a new 5-ton weight enemy. It is unknown if the game was planned to be released.
Game Boy Advance
Balloon Trip

Balloon Trip was a tech demo for the Nintendo DS, shown off at E3 2004. The game had a very simple storyline, in which Baby Mario is floating in the air being held up by 3 balloons. If any enemies touch these balloons, they pop. The player must use the stylus to stop enemies from touching Mario by drawing various things such as clouds and bubbles. This demo was used as the foundation for Yoshi Touch & Go.
Nintendo DS

Partner series

Emblem Name Summary List of main games
Mario series

The Super Mario series is a long-running video game series published by the popular gaming company, Nintendo. The Mario series has been running for more than a quarter of a century, and in its lifespan has released more than two hundred video games. The Mario series has been released on a large array of systems, including home consoles, handheld game systems, and even personal and Macintosh computers. Originally starting out with an 8-bit game, the Mario series has gone through many graphical changes throughout the years. The series has spawned numerous sub-series, including the Mario Kart and Mario Party series; it has also taken a large part in the story line to its partner series, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Wario.

Super Smash Bros. series

With the release of Super Smash Bros. in 1999, Nintendo started the Super Smash Bros. series. Though the series was more of a crossover series for all of Nintendo's major series, it has featured five different Mario characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and Dr. Mario. Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, and Wario have also appeared as playable characters; however, they are shown to represent their own series. In the games, players would select whichever character they wanted, and would then fight against each other on a specific stage. Each character has different move-sets, clearly defining them from one another. Characters can also use items to harm other characters or help themselves in some way. The game is an all-out fight between some of Nintendo's most popular video game characters. Yoshi is the only character from the Yoshi series represented in this series, and there has always been at least one stage named Yoshi's Island in each game.

Major elements of the Yoshi series

Major characters

Protagonists

Character Brief Biography First appearance
Yoshi

Yoshi is the star of the entire Yoshi series, thus each game revolves around him and his friends. He is a friendly dinosaur who lives on and protects Yoshi's Island from the evil forces that bring chaos there. Yoshi is notable for carrying the babies on his back, escorting it while on a mission. His 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.
Super Mario World
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 more swiftly.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Baby Luigi

Baby Luigi plays the damsel in each Yoshi game he appears in. He has appeared in a total of four Yoshi games: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Island DS, Yoshi Touch & Go, and Yoshi's New Island. 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 is slightly more significant in the fact that he is one of the seven Star Children.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Poochy

Poochy is an ally that has appeared in the Yoshi series twice: 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 and a nose, and that his lips are protruding. Poochy comes in handy if the Yoshis need to cross certain terrains that is inaccessible to the Yoshis; thus, the Yoshis ride Poochy across said terrain, taking them to a safe environment.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
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 Grinders. Baby DK then decides to join the mission to stop Kamek and 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.
Yoshi's Island DS
Baby Peach

Baby Peach is the infant version 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, they 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.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
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, they 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.
Yoshi's Island DS
Stork

The Stork is yet another ally in the Yoshi series. He has appeared in three games: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Island DS and Yoshi Touch & Go. His role in the games was relatively basic and short: to deliver the babies, either to their parents 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.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Antagonists

Character Brief Biography First appearance
Baby Bowser

Baby Bowser is one of the three recurring main antagonists in the Yoshi series. He has appeared in four Yoshi games to date: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Story, Yoshi: Touch & Go 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 (temporarily) for the first time. He had the ability to breathe fireballs that could defeat enemies and melt ice.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Kamek

Kamek is the main antagonist in the Yoshi series. He has appeared in several Yoshi games to date such as: 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.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Bowser

Bowser has appeared in two main 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 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 alongside Kamek. Bowser travels back in time with Kamek to find the seven Star Children, in hopes of receiving their power; if he were to receive their power, he could conquer the universe. Kamek and Bowser kidnapped as many children as he possibly could, (including Bowser's infant self), in order to get the seven Star Children. However, the Star Children eventually foil their plan, forcing them to return to their original time.
Super Mario Bros.

Species

Species Brief Summary First appearance
Yoshi

Yoshis are the main species of the Yoshi series. They mainly inhabit Yoshi's Island. Yoshis have very long tongues and are able to grab food from some distance away. Their mostly eat fruit and their favourite fruits often depend on their colour. Yoshis also come in a variety of different colours, including Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, Pink, Light Blue, Purple, Brown, Black, White and Orange.
Super Mario World
Shy Guy

Shy Guys are the most common type of enemies found the Yoshi series. They are usually the first enemy to be encountered in a game. Normal Shy Guys have no unique abilities that they can use to attack the Yoshis; however, their numerous sub-species 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.
Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic
Toady

Toadies are minions of Kamek who often kidnap Baby Luigi. They normally travel in groups of four and fly using the propellers on their heads. There is also a sub-species called Solo Toadies, which travel by themselves and attempt to kidnap the babies on Yoshi's back.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Raven

Ravens are a bird species that serve as enemies in the Yoshi series. They mostly attack by running into Yoshi and knocking whatever baby is on his back off. All ravens appear to be flightless, and are lead by Raphael the Raven, a giant member of their species. The ravens have aso been allies in the Mario series.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Goonie

Goonies are a bird enemy that have appeared in several Yoshi games. They tend to travel in groups and attack by diving down to hit Yoshi. There are many Goonie subspecies such as Flightless Goonies, Skeleton Goonies and Bowling Goonies Goonies are also sometimes seen flying in the background.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Blargg

Blarggs are major enemies from the Yoshi series. They live in lava and rise out of it to attack Yoshi or Mario. Blarggs have had many different forms. They originally resembled giant snakes but their more recent appearances depict them as large blobs with tiny arms. Blarggs are invulnerable to most attacks although Yoshi eggs briefly knock them back into the lava.
Super Mario World
Nep-Enut

Nep-Enuts are a sub-species of Blarggs. Unlike their parent species they live in water. Nep-Enuts wait in the water until Yoshi arrives and rise up, blocking his path. Yoshi can shoot an egg in the monster's mouth to get it to retreat or jump over it. Jumping over it will cause the Nep-Enut to give chase.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Human

Humans are a race that appear in most Yoshi games, however most of them only appear as babies. Humans play their most important role in Yoshi's Island DS, where Kamek and Bowser attempt to kidnap several Human babies which they believe are the Star Children, which will give them the power to take over the world. The Yoshis save several on these babies and join forces to defeat Kamek and Bowser.
N/A

Locations

Location Brief Summary First appearance
Yoshi's Island

Yoshi's Island is the homeland of the Yoshis and the area where most of the Yoshi series games take place. The island has been attacked by Baby Bowser and Kamek many times and has even been turned into a pop-up book twice, but Yoshi has always restored peace to the island.
Super Mario World

Items

Item Brief Summary First appearance
Egg Block

The Egg Block is an item found only in the Yoshi series and Super Mario Sunshine (possibly as reference, since they appear in the level The Secret of the Yoshi-Go-Round). They are small white cubes with spots on them – the color of the spots will show what is does. The green egg block, when hit, eject an unlimited number of Yoshi Eggs for the player to utilize in that level. Up to six Yoshi Eggs will come out of an Egg Block. The yellow block however will give out only 1 yellow egg. And the red block will only give out 1 red egg. the purple block is different from the others, it expands and acts as a boost for the player.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
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.
Super Mario World
Fruit

Fruit is a variety of foods that Yoshis love to eat. There are 5 main fruits on Yoshi's Island, Apples, Bananas, Grapes, Watermelons and Melons. Heart Fruits are a rare type of fruit that makes Yoshi invincible for a short time. All of these fruits grow on the Super Happy Tree.
Donkey Kong Jr.

Objects

Item Brief Summary First appearance
Super Happy Tree

The Super Happy Tree is a tree that grows every kind of fruit including a Heart Fruit. In Yoshi's Story Baby Bowser stole the tree and turned Yoshi's Island into a pop-up book. Several Baby Yoshis traveled across the island and saved the Super Happy Tree and returned Yoshi's Island to its true form.
Yoshi's Story

Colors of Yoshis

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

Color Appearances
Blue Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · Yoshi's Story · Yoshi's Island DS · Yoshi's New Island
Black Yoshi's Story · Yoshi Touch & Go · Yoshi's Island DS
Brown Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · Yoshi Touch & Go
Green Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · Yoshi's Story · Yoshi's Island DS · Yoshi · Yoshi's Cookie · Yoshi Topsy-Turvy ·
Yoshi Touch & Go · Yoshi's New Island
Light Blue Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · Yoshi's Story · Yoshi's Island DS · Yoshi's New Island
Orange Yoshi's Island DS · Yoshi's New Island
Pink Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · Yoshi's Story · Yoshi's Island DS · Yoshi's New Island
Purple Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · Yoshi's Story ·Yoshi's Island DS · Yoshi's New Island
Red Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · Yoshi's Story · Yoshi's Island DS · Yoshi's New Island
White Yoshi's Story · Yoshi's Island DS
Yellow Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island · Yoshi's Story · Yoshi's Island DS · Yoshi's New Island