Game Theory: Yoshi's Identity Crisis! What is a Yoshi?

The host introduces the episode topic using the wheel of gaming to select a Mario theory after struggling with the wheel's malfunctions.

• Yoshi introduced in Super Mario World in 1990 and has appeared in 101 games since • Character exists across NES to recent releases like Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 • Serves as a mount and companion throughout the Mario franchise

• Sometimes has a saddle, other times it's actually a shell • Sometimes can talk, other times only says his own name • Three fingers, four fingers, or wool fingers inconsistency • Original 1995 translation was 'Yah See' not 'Yoshi' • Games suggest dinosaur but many questions remain

The episode aims to determine what Yoshi actually is, whether he's a dinosaur, what species he belongs to, and how he developed his distinctive characteristics like the long tongue and egg-laying ability.

Yoshi's inspiration began with Tama Gong, a lizard creature from the 1984 Nintendo game Devil World where players defeat the devil by using crosses.

In Super Mario World, Yoshi functioned as a cute mount that could swallow Goombas and was often sacrificed into lava pits, but quickly became a fan favorite earning spin-off titles and a starting position in the Smash franchise.

• In original Japanese Super Mario World, Yoshi signs a letter as 'Super Dragon Yoshi' • Dragon coins with Yoshi's face appear throughout game stages • However, in nearly all other media since, Yoshi is classified as a dinosaur • Smash Bros 64 trophy describes Yoshi as 'the friendly dinosaur'

Super Mario World setting is Dinosaur Land with Yoshi listed as a young dinosaur in original manuals, establishing dinosaur as the primary classification.

• Height of 175 centimeters, taller than Mario • Smooth green skin along back with white underbelly • Red spikes along spine leading to a shell • Large head, especially around the nose • Thick stocky tail

Yoshi are born from hardshell eggs as shown in Super Mario World hatching animations where the egg chips away to reveal the hatchling.

Yoshi species can be found in all sorts of climates throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, from scorching deserts to freezing tundra.

Yoshi possesses a long prehensile tongue used to snatch up enemies and consume them, turning them into eggs instantly including baby Mario.

Cladistics is the classification system of animals and plants according to characteristics they have in common, using the hierarchy: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

• Domain: Eukarya (cells have membrane-bound nucleus) • Kingdom: Animalia (multicellular animal) • Phylum: Chordata (has a backbone) • Class: Sauropsida (reptiles and birds)

When examining Yoshi's skeleton from Super Smash Bros 64, Yoshi lacks both a pubis bone and a pelvis entirely, being comprised almost completely of ribs instead.

• Yoshi doesn't fit Ornithopoda (two-legged dinosaurs with beaks) • Doesn't match Marginocephalia (dinosaurs with bony skull frills) • Doesn't fit Thyreophora (dinosaurs with body armor) • Must belong to Saurischia order and Theropoda sub-order

Nintendo's official scientific name for Yoshi is T. yoshisaur munchakoopas, where T likely stands for theropod, making it Theropod Yoshi's or munchakoopas.

• Huge nose on face • Red frills down back regardless of skin color • Height roughly the size of an adult man • Wears permanent footwear

Yoshi's closest dinosaur relative is the Monolophosaurus, a medium-sized bipedal carnivore from western China during the Jurassic period.

• Known for single crest on skull giving rounder, more bulbous face like Yoshi • Crest may have intensified its mighty roar • Height almost exactly 1.75 meters matching Yoshi • Communal hunter living in packs • Lived near shores of lakes and oceans

Monolophosaurus specimens became stranded on Yoshi Island, and only those with right adaptations survived, similar to Darwin's finches evolution.

• Island has few edible meat sources • Koopa Troopas have shells that can't be swallowed • Piranha Plants, Tap Taps, and Lava Blogs can't be eaten • Limited shy guy presence • Forced dinosaurs to broaden eating habits to fruit and fish

Monolophosaurus developed long tongues to reach fruit in trees and catch fast-flying enemies like Goombas and Goonies, since their small arms couldn't climb.

• Smooth skin evolved for better movement through water and swimming • Multiple color variations (red, green, blue, brown) evolved to camouflage in diverse island environments of flowers, jungles, caves, and mountains • Communal nature allowed pooling of food resources together

The New Mexican whiptail lizard is all female and reproduces through asexual reproduction called parthenogenesis, doubling chromosomes in reproductive cells through forced cell division.

Every Yoshi could be a female descendant of Monolophosaurus using parthenogenesis, though not at the rapid egg-laying rate shown in games, attributed to miracles of nature.

• Kingdom: Animalia • Phylum: Chordata • Class: Sauropsida • Order: Saurischia • Sub-order: Theropoda • Scientific name: T. yoshisaur munchakoopas

Yoshi is a theropod dinosaur descended from Monolophosaurus that evolved multiple colors, a long prehensile tongue, smooth skin, omnivorous diet, and asexual reproduction through adaptation to island life over generations.