16 Bits

Super Famicom Box Art

All of the Yoshis are featured on the Super Famicom box, unlike the Super NES art that pits Green Yoshi and Baby Mario against the Nep-Enut enemy.

999 Yoshis On The Wall

This glitch, sometimes known as “Zombie Yoshi,” involves Yoshi pressing a red switch in level 6-8 at the same time he is killed by lava. The death animation is canceled and Yoshi returns to life, but the life counter is reduced by one. If Yoshi has no extra lives left during this trick, the life counter rolls back to 999 lives!

Yoshi Country

Due to the success of Donkey Kong Country, a similar CG visual style was considered for Yoshi’s Island before swinging the completely opposite direction. Early CG graphics can still be seen in some of the game’s cinematics.

Scrapped Concept

Yoshi’s Island was in development for five years. The first two years were spent experimenting with different ideas, including a concept that would have seen Yoshi guiding Baby Mario through stages instead of giving him a ride.

Cave Critters

World 3-6: The Cave of Harry Hedgehog is filled with cute spiny blue rodents. It’s hard to say what this might be a reference to, if anything.

Unused Enemies

These enemy variants were left unused in Yoshi’s Island, including a larger version of the Grinder monkeys, complete with a red tie and barrels to throw. The unused red Bullet Bill appeared later in the Game Boy Advance port.

Milde

The smirking Milde’s spherical pink appearance and stylish red shoes look suspiciously close to a certain other Nintendo character.

It’s a zoo out there

As noted in the Super Mario World chapter of this book, the ability to eat dolphins was removed from that game’s original international releases. In Yoshi’s Island, however, all bets are off! Yoshi can eat seagulls, ghosts, monkeys—there’s even a stage called “What’s Gusty Taste Like?” Not to mention that all those devoured Shy Guys probably had feelings, and families. Oh dear, do Shy Guys have families?!!

Eating Baby Mario

There is a horrifying glitch that allows Yoshi to eat Baby Mario and turn him into an Egg! It’s fairly simple to pull off, too. First you need to…Ah, um. Actually, you know what? Forget we mentioned it…

Baby Fever!

The Mario Kart series is a regular baby factory! Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, and Baby Peach were eventually joined by Baby Daisy and Baby Rosalina.

Baby Park

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! also introduced the Baby Park race course, which is, fittingly, the shortest course in the entire series. The track is filled with Yoshi’s Island references, including Baby Bowser, Kamek’s Magic Show, a Yoshi Train, and Yoshi Helicopter!

Yossy

In the extra bonus stage of World 6, Yoshi’s name is spelled out as part of the track for the flatbed ferries that carry Yoshi through the room. However, in Japanese, Yoshi was sometimes Romanized as Yossy, and so the levels are different in both versions.

Unused Transformations

Yoshi has three unused transformations: a plane, a tree, and a mushroom!

Unused art

Also left behind in the game code are various pieces of art from the tutorial pop-ups.

The End of an Era

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island was the last 2D game in the main Super Mario series to be released for home consoles until New Super Mario Bros. Wii nearly 15 years later.

Baby Stache

Nintendo EAD originally envisioned Super Baby Mario transforming into a fully grown, mustachioed man. The potential time paradox was pointed out by another staff member and so the idea was scrapped. But that leaves so many unanswered questions! Would Super Baby Adult Mario still be wearing the diaper?!