Yoshi NES box art

Nintendo Entertainment System · Puzzle

Yoshi

Certified classic

SystemNintendo Entertainment System
Released1991
GenrePuzzle
DeveloperGame Freak
PublisherNintendo
Players1–2 players
CommitmentQuick session (Under an hour, or endless arcade fun)
SeriesYoshi puzzle
LegacyCertified classic · legacy score 17

Yoshi is a puzzle game released in 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. Depending on the region, you may also know it as Mario & Yoshi.

It landed about 6 years into the NES's life. Other notable NES releases from 1991 include Pac-Man, Battletoads and Adventure Island II. Among the 49 NES puzzle games in our database, it ranks #5 by legacy score.

It is part of the Yoshi puzzle series; on the NES you can also try Yoshi's Cookie. The series also appears on other systems with Yoshi (Game Boy) and Yoshi's Cookie (SNES). Game Freak also made Mendel Palace for the NES.

Yoshi supports up to 2 players, whether that means taking turns or going head-to-head.

Pick it if…

  • you want to think and plan
  • you have time for a quick session (under an hour, or endless arcade fun)
  • you have a friend to play against
  • you want to experience one of the NES's defining games

Maybe skip it if…

  • you want story, exploration or action

What playing Yoshi is like

Puzzle games challenge pattern recognition, planning and quick thinking, from falling-block games to single-screen logic puzzles.

Tip for newcomers: Puzzle games are perfect for short sessions and often have endless or score-attack modes, so they never really end.

Yoshi gameplay screenshot on NES
In-game screenshot (NES)

Yoshi cheats & codes

18 codes on file (Game Genie, Other codes). Here are a few Game Genie codes to start with:

Short Wait For Next CharactersGOUYPEAZ
Really Short Wait For Next CharactersZEUYPEAZ
Really Long Wait For Next CharactersNNUYPEAX
Freeze Characters For A Short Time (Press 'Down')AVSULYZA
Need Only 1 Victory Egg To WinPAVAAPLA PESTAZLA PEXTZLLA
Need Only 2 Victory Eggs To WinZAVAAPLA ZESTAZLA ZEXTZLLA

See all Yoshi cheats

Yoshi walkthroughs & guides

Stuck, or want to go deeper? These trusted sites have full walkthroughs, completion times and more for Yoshi.

If you like Yoshi, the Matrix also picks…

Tetris box art
Tetris NES · 1988 · Puzzle Classic

Playing NES games today

NES games are short on paper but often famously tough, so expect to replay levels and learn patterns. Many first-party titles are available through Nintendo Switch Online, original cartridges remain easy to find, and you can play backups of games you own in an emulator such as Rec0m88.

Yoshi FAQ

When did Yoshi come out on the NES?

Yoshi was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991.

Who made Yoshi?

It was developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo.

Is Yoshi multiplayer?

Yes. Yoshi supports up to 2 players.

How long does Yoshi take to play?

As a puzzle game, Yoshi typically falls into the "Quick session" category: under an hour, or endless arcade fun. Your time will vary with skill and how much you explore.

Read more about Yoshi on Wikipedia. Facts on this page are compiled from the open libretro database and Wikidata; "legacy score" reflects how widely a game is documented across Wikipedia's language editions. Spotted an error? Let us know.

Not sure? Let the Matrix pick for you