Characters

Yoshi

As revealed in Super Mario World, Yoshi is from a species of identical color-coded dinosaurs. Yoshi’s Island emphasizes this aspect of the character, with Green Yoshi being the first to carry Baby Mario on his adventure. At the end of each stage, Baby Mario is handed off to one of seven other colored Yoshis. While the number of different Yoshi types was doubled since Super Mario World, they all play exactly the same this time around.

Green Yoshi

Appears in the first stage of each world, as well as special levels, minigames, and King Bowser’s Castle.

Pink Yoshi

Appears in the second stage of each world.

Light Blue Yoshi

Appears in the third stage of each world.

Yellow Yoshi

Appears in the fourth stage of each world (Forts).

Purple Yoshi

Appears in the fifth stage of each world.

Brown Yoshi

Appears in the sixth stage of each world.

Red Yoshi

Appears in the seventh stage of each world.

Blue Yoshi

Appears in the eighth stage of each world (Castles).

Vehicular Transformations

Also new to Yoshi’s Island are vehicular transformations. Touching a Morph Bubble transforms Yoshi into a vehicle with unique capabilities. The transformation is limited, however, and if Yoshi does not reach the Yoshi Block and transform back, he is sucked back to the Morph Bubble and must do the vehicle section over again!

Car

Helicopter

Mole Tank

Submarine

Train

Yoshi can also ski and turns into a giant uncontrollable snowball if he hits something, but that classifies more as an accident than a transformation.

Baby Mario

Baby Mario’s bond with his brother allows him to guide the Yoshis to Luigi’s location, albeit by taking the longest possible route through every location on the island. Baby Mario can only be controlled directly by grabbing a Super Star, at which point the toddler dons a Super Cape, allowing him to run on walls, ceilings, and even spikes for a brief time!

Baby Luigi

Baby Peach must have been in another castle because Baby Luigi is the one that needs rescuing this time! Kidnapped along with the stork who was carrying him, Baby Luigi waits for Yoshi and Baby Mario to defeat Kamek and Baby Bowser before the Mario Bros. can start their illustrious life as the kingdom’s heroes…