Editing Yoshi (SSBM)

{{ArticleIcons|melee=y}}

|name = Yoshi

|image = [[File:Yoshi SSBM.jpg]]

|symbol = preBrawl

|game = SSBM

|ssbgame1 = SSB

|ssbgame2 = SSBB

|ssbgame3 = SSB4

|tier = B+

|tierPAL = D

|ranking = 10

|rankingPAL = 11

'''Yoshi''' ({{ja|ヨッシー|Yosshī}}, ''Yoshi'') is a starter character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. He was announced as a playable character at the [[E3]] 2001.

Yoshi's voice consists of some of Kazumi Totaka's voice clips from ''Yoshi's Story''. ''Melee'' has a mix of those used in ''Smash 64'' and some not used in ''Smash'' prior to ''Melee''.

He is currently ranked 10th out of 26 on the current tier list, placing him in the B+ tier. This is slightly better than his previous placement in ''Smash 64'', where he was ranked 5th out of 12. Yoshi has outstanding combo ability with his double jump canceling (especially against fast-fallers like {{SSBM|Fox}}), a great aerial game (coupled with the third most powerful [[meteor smash]] in the game), and some decent approach options. He can also play mindgames and extend combos with his unpredictable [[Egg Throw]], and has a very reliable finisher in his down smash, which has almost no start-up lag, outstanding reach and knockback, and a very [[semi-spike|favorable launch angle]] that is hard to [[DI]] against or recover from. Yoshi also has very unique mechanics, such as a knockback reduction armor active during his double jump, which he can use to tank hits or create counter punch opportunities by double jump canceling out of it. However, his lack of a "true" third jump means he can be vulnerable when hit out of it, or after canceling it. His high falling speed also makes him a target for combos. Yoshi's shield is also very unique. He cannot jump out of it once in the egg, but cannot be shieldstabbed, and suffers no shieldstun, meaning situations involving his shield play out very differently than they do for the rest of the cast. On the other hand, his shield startup animation has invincibility frames and can be jumped out of -the mechanic known as parry- giving him unique punish opportunities when an opponent hits him during that startup animation.

 

Although widely considered to be one of the worst characters in the game in ''Melee'''s early lifespan, his placement has greatly improved in more recent tier lists due to large innovations in Yoshi's metagame by {{Sm|aMSa}}, as well as strong tournament placements by him, which culminated in aMSa's victory at the supermajor {{Trn|The Big House 10}}. Yoshi has also seen a significant increase in his playerbase in recent years thanks to aMSa.

Yoshi does not fall into a specific character archetype, due to a large amount of strongly varying characteristics and options that most other characters don't possess. Yoshi has among the highest jumping prowess in the game, as well as a fast dashing speed, fast falling speed, and the second fastest air speed in the game, surpassed only by {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}}. As a result of his low traction and other properties, Yoshi has the fifth longest [[wavedash]]. He is also a heavyweight, giving him great survivability all around, and when combined with the armor on his double jump, it's somewhat common for Yoshi to survive at over 200% damage.

 

 

Complimenting Yoshi's amazing air game is a varied grounded approach, thanks to his fast dashing speed and long wavedash. Like in ''Smash 64'', Yoshi's forward tilt has outstanding combo potential, easily setting up his powerful forward aerial meteor smash or his down smash. Up tilt can combo into itself at low percents, and down tilt is a semi-spike with set knockback, giving it utility in tech-chasing and edgeguarding. Yoshi's smash attacks are all strong; forward and up smashes both grant intangibility on Yoshi's head, and down smash is considered his best KO move and one of the best down smashes in the game, thanks to it hitting on frame 6, having an enormous disjointed hitbox (the tail) that hits on both sides, and being an exceptionally strong semi-spike, making it a fearsome edgeguarding option and combo finisher. Yoshi's most useful grounded tool however is his up special, [[Egg Throw]], which is one of the most flexible projectiles in the game; it is a powerful spacing tool as the eggs can be aimed in nearly limitless trajectories, allowing them to aid in camping on the ledge, playing mindgames against opponents, disrupting enemy recoveries, and extending combos.

Yoshi's defensive game is far different compared to the rest of the cast, largely due to his shield. Yoshi's shield is unique in that it is an egg that completely protects his body, leading to an impossibility of shield stabbing and it also has the unusual property of randomly perfectly shielding attacks, including grabs. Additionally, when Yoshi is light shielding and is hit by an enemy, he will slide an abnormally far distance away, especially if the attack has a great deal of knockback; this property of Yoshi's shield allows him to keep himself safe. Yoshi's shield also has the unique property that it suffers no shieldstun, meaning that Yoshi can act out of shield when hit faster than any other character, giving him access to exclusive punish and escape options on block. Yoshi also has an advanced technique unique to him due to his shield, known as [[parry]]ing; although very difficult to perform, if the shield button is pressed three or fewer frames before an attack hits Yoshi, he will shrug off the attack but is not stuck in lag, allowing him to immediately retaliate. This technique, coupled with his aforementioned double jump cancel counter, can allow Yoshi to punish opponents in situations that would be safe against any other character.

Yoshi's unique traits, however, also give him weaknesses that are almost exclusive to him. One of his biggest flaws is his lack of a true third jump, which makes his recovery extremely polarizing. His midair jump has its advantages; it is the longest-traveling jump in the game, goes a considerable distance due to his good air speed, and comes with armor frames, which makes edgeguarding Yoshi a surprisingly difficult ordeal unless the edgeguarder has extremely powerful attacks or Yoshi is at a very high percentage. However, Yoshi is notable for being the only character in the game lacking an up special recovery, (previously thought to be a problem shared with Jigglypuff, but [[Sing]] can now be used if jumped and directly below ledges). As such, if Yoshi does end up interrupted during his recovery, he will often be knocked back far enough to where he cannot recover with a directional [[air dodge]], sending him to his doom. Yoshi can't use his aerials to fend off edgeguarders either; while his double jump cancel is great for initiating combos, it highly compromises his recovery as he loses all upward momentum upon using an aerial (this also means a failed DJC onstage can force Yoshi offstage in a position where he is unable to recover). As such, Yoshi is notoriously easy to edgehog, as he has no methods of attacking aggressive edgeguarders without sacrificing distance on his double jump.

Yoshi's shield game, despite its merits and advanced techniques, is a double-edged sword, as he lacks shield options that every other character has. While his spot dodge is decent, his rolling dodges are among the worst in the game due to their slow speed and short distances. Far more critical, however, is his inability to jump out of his shield. This severely limits his punish or escape options in some situations when put on the defensive, as he is unable to wavedash or do a short hopped aerial out of shield to capitalize on an enemy's mistakes. Shield grabbing is also a largely ineffective strategy, as Yoshi has arguably the worst grab in ''Melee''; as a ranged grab but not a disjointed grab like {{SSBM|Link}} or {{SSBM|Samus}}, its range is much more limited while still having punishable start-up and ending lag, and his dash grab is even worse because it can inexplicably miss opponents at point blank range (his throws themselves have decent utility, with his up and down throws being good combo starters, which makes his woes in landing grabs arguably even worse). Meanwhile, his ability to parry and DJC counter fail to compensate for all of this, as while they are effective, they are considerably harder to perform compared to a simple aerial out of shield or wavedashing out of it.

These two flaws tie into Yoshi's biggest weakness, which is his extreme difficulty in dealing with pressure. While he has great survivability due to his high weight, fast falling speed and double jump armor, Yoshi is also very easy to combo or chain grab, and his awkward hurtbox shape provides an easy target. While dealing with camping is less of an issue, it is still problematic as Egg Throw is slower compared to {{SSBM|Fox}} or {{SSBM|Falco}}'s lasers, which makes it less of a camping threat to other characters despite its amazing versatility. Due to his inability to relieve pressure, it is imperative for Yoshi to win the neutral game, as any mistake on his end can result in a heavily damaging combo or an early gimp of his recovery.

 

==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''==

Yoshi received a mix of [[buff]]s and [[nerf]]s but was nerfed overall. His out of shield game has been nerfed due to the fact he can no longer jump out of his shield making his already poor out of shield game even worse as well as giving him a significant disadvantage while in shield compared to the rest of the cast. In addition to this, his shield grab is slower and his throws are much weaker. His damage output and KO potential have also been considerably decreased making it harder for him to close out stocks. His combo game is also worse in some aspects as some of his moves (such as up tilt) have been altered to give them less combo potential and the introduction of [[DI]] and the reduction of hitstun have also made his combo game less consistent. The introduction of [[meteor canceling]] has also significantly harmed him as it hinders the reliability of his forward aerial and it does not make him much less vulnerable to meteor smashes himself due to him only having one double jump and his [[Egg Throw]] not granting him any extra height.

 

Yoshi has also seen some buffs. Yoshi's comboing ability remains strong due to the much faster falling speeds, as well as retaining the ability to [[double jump cancel]]. Despite the nerfs that Yoshi's out of shield game received, his shield no longer suffers from [[shieldstun]], and he can still parry out of shield, giving him unique options the rest of the cast does not have. Yoshi also benefits from the introduction of directional [[air dodge]]s as they give him an extra recovery option and allow him to [[wavedash]]. As for buffs to his moveset, some of his moves are slightly faster either in terms of startup lag, ending lag, or both, and his new side special [[Egg Roll]] gives him an additional recovery option.

 

Despite his nerfs, he is still seen as a viable character, although he struggles against most of the top tier characters.

*{{change|Yoshi received a slightly more realistic appearance, with mottled skin and a more dinosaur-like posture. His green skin tone became darker.}}

*{{buff|Yoshi [[walk]]s faster (1.0133 (30.4) → 1.15).}}

*{{nerf|Yoshi [[run]]s slightly slower (1.667 (50) → 1.6).}}

*{{buff|Yoshi's [[traction]] is slightly higher (0.0533 (1.6) → 0.06), making it easier for him to punish [[out of shield]].}}

*{{nerf|Yoshi's [[air speed]] is slower (1.333 (40, JPN) / 1.467 (44, NA/AUS/EUR) → 1.2), no longer being the fastest.}}

*{{nerf|Yoshi [[jump]]s significantly lower (40.1167 (1203.5) → 34.857).}}

**{{buff|Compared with the returning veterans, however, he jumps much higher, going from the 2nd lowest out of 12 characters to the 8th highest out of 26.}}

**{{nerf|Yoshi's [[double jump]] has less knockback based [[armor]] (140 → 120), hindering its ability to protect Yoshi.}}

*{{change|Yoshi's [[gravity]] retains its slightly higher value from the American, Australian, and European versions of ''Smash 64'' (0.09 (2.7, JPN) / 0.0933 (2.8, NA/AUS/EUR) → 0.093).}}

**{{nerf|However, Yoshi's [[fast fall]]ing speed has been unchanged (2.933 (88) → 2.93). The difference between his falling speed and fast falling speed is lower than his Japanese ''Smash 64'' counterpart (increase: 60% (JPN) / 51.7% (NA/AUS/EUR) → 51.8%).}}

*{{buff|Yoshi no longer suffers from [[shieldstun]], which, along with the introduction of light shielding, makes him significantly less vulnerable to shield pressure and allows him to punish out of shield much sooner; even relative to the rest of the cast.}}

*{{nerf|Yoshi's initial shield animation is longer (3 frames → 6), meaning that Yoshi cannot drop shield as early if he wants to put it up and put it away instantly.}}

*{{nerf|If Yoshi drops shield early on into his shield animation, it will no longer grant intangibility to Yoshi's shield drop animation.}}

*{{nerf|Yoshi can no longer jump out of his [[shield]] (after its initial animation), greatly hindering his already poor out of shield options.}}

*{{nerf|Yoshi's [[parry]] window is shorter (3 frames → 2). When combined with the fact that the first two frames of Yoshi's jumpsquat are no longer [[intangible]] when he jumps out of shield, this makes parrying more difficult to perform and overall makes it worse at avoiding attacks.}}

*{{buff|The addition of [[air dodge]]s benefits Yoshi as they give him an additional [[recovery]] option and they give him access to [[wavedash]]ing.}}

**{{buff|The first hit of neutral attack has less ending lag (FAF 24 → 18).}}

**{{buff|The first hit transitions into the second hit sooner (frame 10 → 8).}}

**{{nerf|The second hit has more startup lag (frame 1 → 4).}}

***{{buff|However, its total duration was unchanged, giving it less ending lag.}}

*{{nerf|The changes to [[shieldstun]] and shield damage have hindered the shield pressuring potential of Yoshi's tilts; with his tilts going from giving him frame advantage against shield to now all being punishable.}}

*[[Forward tilt]]:

**{{buff|Forward tilt has less startup lag (frame 8 → 6).}}

***{{nerf|However, its total duration was unchanged, giving it more ending lag.}}

**{{buff|Forward tilt has more base knockback but less knockback scaling (8 (base), 100 (scaling) → 40/80), which improves its combo potential.}}

***{{nerf|However, due to the introduction of [[DI]] and the universal decrease to hitstun, forward tilt has less consistent combo potential overall.}}

**{{change|Forward tilt no longer launches opponents at a consistent angle (70° → 80°/70°/60°).}}

*[[Up tilt]]:

**{{change|Up tilt no longer has high set knockback (130 (set), 100 (scaling) → 72 (base)/40).}}

**{{nerf|Up tilt no longer grants intangibility to Yoshi's head.}}

**{{nerf|Down tilt has reduced set knockback (110 → 100) hindering its edgeguarding potential despite sending opponents at a lower angle (30° → 28°).}}

**{{nerf|Dash attack's clean hit deals less damage (12% → 9%) without full compensation on its base knockback (10 → 15). This significantly hinders its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|Dash attack grants less intangibility to Yoshi's head (frames 1-12 → 5-13).}}

*[[Forward smash]]:

**{{nerf|Forward smash deals less damage (18% → 16% (NTSC) / 17% (PAL)) and knockback (20 (base), 100 (scaling) → 32/94(NTSC) / 32/98(PAL)), hindering its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|Forward smash has a shorter duration (frames 18-24 → 14-16).}}

**{{nerf|Forward smash grants less intangibility to Yoshi's head (frames 6-24 → 12-14).}}

***{{nerf|Additionally, forward smash no longer grants intangibility to Yoshi's nose.}}

**{{nerf|Up smash deals less damage (18% → 14%(NTSC) / 15%(PAL)), significantly hindering its KO potential. It deals less knockback compared to the previous clean hit (20 (base), 118 (scaling) → 26/108(NTSC) / 30/108(PAL)) while also having barely increased knockback compared to the previous late hit (20 (base), 110 (scaling) → 26/108).}}

**{{nerf|Up smash now always launches opponents vertically (361° (clean)/80° (late) → 75°). This significantly hinders its edgeguarding (and KO) potential compared to the previous clean hit while also sending opponents at a less favorable angle compared to the previous late hit.}}

**{{nerf|Up smash grants less intangibility to Yoshi's head (frames 6-15 → 11-15).}}

**{{buff|The front hit has a longer duration (frames 6-7 → 6-8).}}

**{{nerf|The back hit deals less damage (14% → 12%) and knockback (20 (base), 105 (scaling) → 50/(75/80), significantly hindering its KO potential.}}

*{{nerf|All aerials except back aerial have increased landing lag (14 frames → 15 (neutral), 16 frames → 21 (forward), 14 frames → 19 (up), 14 frames → 26 (down)).}}

*{{nerf|All aerials except neutral aerial [[auto-cancel]] later (frame 31 → 36 (forward), frame 20 → 33 (back), frame 11 → 33 (up), frame 32 → 50 (down)). Down aerial now cannot auto-cancel in a short hop.}}

*{{nerf|The weakening of [[L-canceling]] has hindered Yoshi's combo game with landing aerials as well as their safety; with the increasing landing lag and worse auto-cancel windows on his aerials only further exacerbating this.}}

**{{nerf|This combined with the changes to [[shield]]s has severely harmed Yoshi's shield pressuring potential making his aerials much less safe against shield and completely removing his ability to perform [[shield break combo]]s.}}

**{{buff|Neutral aerial has less startup (frame 5 → 3) and ending lag (FAF 50 → 45).}}

**{{nerf|Neutral aerial has a shorter duration (frames 5-38 → 3-33).}}

**{{change|Forward aerial now has a consistent hitbox rather than having a clean hit and a late hit.}}

**{{nerf|Forward aerial has much more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 11-15 → 19-21). The move's shorter duration reduces its range below Yoshi.}}

**{{nerf|Forward aerial has a longer total duration (FAF 40 → 44) and a longer animation (39 frames → 49).}}

**{{nerf|Forward aerial deals less damage (18% → 17%).}}

**{{nerf|Due to the introduction of [[Meteor cancel]]ing, forward aerial can now be meteor cancelled with its altered angle (-85° (clean)/-100° (late) → 270°), significantly hindering its edge-guarding potential.}}

**{{change|Yoshi has a new back aerial: he swipes his tail behind him 4 times. Compared to the previous back aerial, it is a much weaker multi-hit attack, no longer being a reliable KO move but it now possesses more combo potential.}}

**{{buff|Back aerial has a shorter animation (41 frames → 39).}}

**{{buff|Back aerial deals more damage if all hits connect (16% (clean)/10% (late) → 7% (hit 1)/6% (hit 2)/5% (hit 3)/4% (hit 4)/20% (total)).}}

**{{nerf|The final hit only received an increased to its base knockback (10 → 40), drastically hindering its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|Up aerial deals less damage (15% → 13%) without full compensation on its base knockback (20 → 25).}}

***{{nerf|Despite this, it has less combo potential overall due to the weakening of L-canceling and its much smaller auto-cancel window, combined with its decreased hitstun and the introduction of [[DI]].}}

***{{nerf|In the PAL version, each hit is weaker and down aerial does even less damage (56% → 38%).}}

***{{nerf|The changes to shields noticeably hinder down aerial's shield pressuring potential; with the move no longer leading into a guaranteed shield break.}}

**{{nerf|Down aerial has much more startup lag (frame 4 → 18).}}

**{{nerf|Down aerial's angles have been slightly altered (-90° → 270°), allowing it to be meteor cancelled.}}

**{{buff|Yoshi now has a [[pummel]], [[up throw]] and a [[down throw]], giving him options after a grab.}}

**{{nerf|Yoshi's dash grab places the hitboxes of his head and tongue in the background for unknown reasons, which may cause the grab to miss thin opponents in certain circumstances.}} <ref name="ThreeDeeGame">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWO6iDefd-g | title = Melee is a 3D game (Yoshi's grab) | accessdate = 2016-1-16 | last = Williamson | first = Jeffrey |publisher=YouTube}}</ref>

**{{change|Yoshi has a new special move: Egg Roll. While the move is not very useful as an attack, it grants Yoshi an additional recovery option.}}

*[[Egg Throw]]:

**{{buff|Egg Throw has less ending lag (FAF 72 → 55).}}

**{{buff|The eggs now launch opponents vertically (361° → 70°) which along with Egg Throw's lower ending lag, significantly improves their combo potential; being able to extend aerial combos and set up for various aerial KO confirms.}}

**{{buff|Yoshi Bomb launches opponents at a higher angle (60° → 80°).}}

**{{nerf|The stars deal less damage (4% → 1%).}}

==Version history==

Like other characters, Yoshi received some changes in the [[PAL]] version of ''Melee'' which buffed him overall.

*{{buff|Up smash deals 1% more damage (14% → 15) and has higher base knockback (26 → 30).}}

*{{buff|Forward smash deals 1% more damage (16% → 17%) and has higher knockback scaling (94 → 98), bringing its power much closer to how it was in ''Smash 64''.}}

*{{nerf|Down aerial deals considerably less damage as each hit deals 1% less damage (53% → 38%).}}

|neutralname=Left Kick ({{ja|けり|Keri}}, ''Kick'') / Right Kick ({{ja|けりけり|Keri Keri}}, ''Kick Kick'')

|ftiltname=Dino Kick ({{ja|つよいけり|Tsuyoi Keri}}, ''Strong Kick'')

|ftiltdesc=Sticks his foot out in a similar fashion to the second hit of his neutral attack, only with more range and knockback. Can combo into a forward aerial (especially when angled up), and if [[DI]]'d come back onto the stage, Yoshi can followup with a down smash. Can be angled up or down.

|utiltname=Tail Snap ({{ja|しっぽつきあげ|Shippo Tsuki Age}}, ''Tail Thrust Up'')

|dtiltname=Tail Sweep ({{ja|しっぽアタック|Shippo Atakku}}, ''Tail Attack'')

|dtiltdesc=Performs a low sweep with his tail. Has [[fixed knockback]]. It can be used as a [[gimping]] move, particularly at base to low percentages.

|dashname=Noggin Knock ({{ja|ダッシュずつき|Dasshu Zutsuki}}, ''Dash Headbutt'')

|fsmashname=Noggin Floggin' ({{ja|スマッシュずつき|Sumasshu Zutsuki}}, ''Smash Headbutt'')

|usmashname=Jumping Headbutt ({{ja|まうえずつき|Maue Zutsuki}}, ''Overhead Headbutt'')

|dsmashname=Double Tail Whip ({{ja|ぜんごしっぽ|Zengo Shippo}}, ''Back-and-Forth Tail'')

|dsmashdesc=Swipes his tail in front and then back. A very useful [[edgeguarding]] move that powerfully sends opponents on a low [[semi-spike]] trajectory. Considered Yoshi's best KO move.

|nairname=Yoshi's Kick ({{ja|ヨッシーキック|Yosshī Kikku}}, ''Yoshi Kick'')

|fairname=Noggin Dunk ({{ja|かいてんずつき|Kaiten Zutsuki}}, ''Rotating Headbutt'')

|bairname=Tail Wag ({{ja|あばれしっぽ|Abare Shippo}}, ''Rampage Tail'')

|uairname=Dino Flip ({{ja|かいてんしっぽ|Kaiten Shippo}}, ''Rotating Tail'')

|uairdmg=13%

|dairname=Flutter Kick ({{ja|ばたあしキック|Bata Ashi Kikku}})

|grabname=Sticky Tongue ({{ja|ねばねばした舌|Nebaneba Shita Shita}})

|grabdesc=Yoshi uses his tongue to grab an opponent and pull them into his mouth. His dash grab causes him to trip if he doesn't get anyone. Despite the appearance, Yoshi's tongue isn't a tether, though its range and lag is between tethers and normal grabs.

|pummelname=Chew ({{ja|つかみかみかみ|Tsukami Kamikami}}, ''Grab Chomp-Chomp'')

|fthrowname=Spit Out ({{ja|まえはきだし|Mae Hakidashi}}, ''Front Spit Out'')

|bthrowname=Spin 'n' Spit ({{ja|うしろはきだし|Ushiro Hakidashi}}, ''Back Spit Out'')

|uthrowname=Spit Up ({{ja|うえはきだし|Ue Hakidashi}}, ''Up Spit Out'')

|dthrowname=Jump 'n' Spit ({{ja|したはきだし|Shita Hakidashi}}, ''Down Spit Out'')

|nsdmg=7%

|dsdmg=16% (body, ground), 14% (body, air), 1% (stars)

|desc-us=Yooo-Shiii!

|desc-1=Looks up at the sky with his hands together, spins once, and gives a V sign with his hand. This pose is the same one when Yoshi collects all 30 fruits in ''Yoshi's Story.''

==In [[competitive play]]==

===Most historically significant players===

<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->

:''See also: [[:Category:Yoshi players (SSBM)]]''

*{{Sm|aMSa|Japan}} - The undisputed best Yoshi main of all time and the most influential, while he would become not only a legitimate top level player rather than just being good for a Yoshi player, but also a contender for best player in the world in the post-[[Netplay]] era, peaking at #2 on [[SSBMRank 2022]]. He has defeated nearly every top player with Yoshi, and has a vast amount of major top 8s under his belt, including several major wins such as {{Trn|The Big House 10}}, {{Trn|Apex 2022}}, and {{Trn|Scuffed World Tour}}. aMSa is single-handily responsible for completely reversing the perception of Yoshi being a bottom tier character, proving Yoshi to be a viable character at the top level.

*{{Sm|Bringer of Death|Australia}} - An Australian Yoshi player known for being one of the very few notable Yoshi players in the [[MLG]] era. Placed 4th at {{Trn|@M}} and 1st at {{Trn|Comrades of the Anfology}}, two of the largest Australian tournaments of the era.

*{{Sm|Egg$|Canada}} - The best Yoshi player in North America in the post-[[Netplay]] era, ranking 95th on the [[SSBMRank 2023]] as the third Yoshi player ever ranked on a global ranking and the first from North America. He finished 25th at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2022}}, the only Yoshi player that isn't aMSa to finish top 32 at a North American major, and had also finished 33rd at {{Trn|Battle of BC 4}}, {{Trn|Get On My Level 2023}}, and {{Trn|Battle of BC 6}}. In addition, he placed 3rd at {{Trn|Empty Hop}}, the largest ''Melee'' tournament in his home region, defending his region from invader {{Sm|Preeminent}}.

*{{Sm|Fumi|Japan}} - Known as the best Japanese Yoshi main before aMSa, and one of the very few notable Yoshi players in the MLG era.

*{{Sm|nebbii|Netherlands}} - Was formerly the best European Yoshi main and second best in the world after aMSa. Placed 7th at {{Trn|Heir 4}} and {{Trn|Syndicate 2017}} with wins over {{Sm|Amsah}}, {{Sm|Android}}, and {{Sm|Stango}}. He was ranked 98th on the [[2018 MPGR]], which at that time was the only time a Yoshi player besides aMSa was ranked on a global ranking. He switched to Falco before retiring.

*{{Sm|V3ctorman|USA}} - The best Yoshi player in the world before aMSa's emergence, and he would remain the best Yoshi player in the United States up until he stopped competing in 2016. V3ctorman's 65th placing at [[Apex 2012]] and [[Apex 2013]] with solo Yoshi were the highest placings for Yoshi at a ''Melee'' major or supermajor before aMSa made his international debut at [[EVO 2013]].

Yoshi has historically been viewed as borderline nonviable for high level play. He received a negative reception in competitive play for having a terrible out-of-shield game, poor defensive options, large hurtboxes and no [[recovery]] moves, all of which many top and high tiered characters could easily exploit. Yoshi's advantageous properties, such as his deadly [[double jump cancel]] combos, ability to [[parry]], and flexible projectile, were not fully developed and written off as gimmicks. While Yoshi would be considered a middle tier character early on, rising as high as 13th on the [[List of SSBM tier lists (NTSC)#Fifth tier list (September 29, 2003)|fifth tier list]], his standing consistently fell after this point, with only {{Sm|Fumi}} and {{Sm|Bringer of Death}} making any significant impacts with him, the latter of whom did so in a very isolated and weak region. By the [[List of SSBM tier lists (NTSC)#Ninth tier list (October 14, 2008)|ninth tier list]], Yoshi had dropped to 22nd place on the tier list, firmly within the bottom tiers and the fifth worst character overall; by this point, Fumi and the other notable Yoshi players retired from ''Melee'', leaving Yoshi's metagame relatively abandoned in the competitive scene.

 

A couple years later, players such as {{Sm|V3ctorman}} began to use Yoshi in tournaments, revitalizing and innovating his previously stagnant metagame. They pushed Yoshi's [[punish]] game, becoming much more consistent at double jump canceling than Yoshi players in the past, and also showed more innovative uses of [[Egg Throw]], developing it as a zoning and [[edgeguard]]ing tool. Despite these developments, when the [[List of SSBM tier lists (NTSC)#Tenth tier list (December 31, 2010)|tenth tier list]] was released, Yoshi only rose by one spot. Eventually, even V3ctorman suffered from declining tournament placings as more people in his region learned the Yoshi [[matchup]]. The only high-level representation for Yoshi was arguably {{Sm|Leffen}}, who never actually mained him, only using him as a [[secondary]] at locals and dropping him shortly into his career, thus leaving Yoshi's metagame stagnant once again.

In late 2012 to early 2013, however, {{Sm|aMSa}} made his competitive debut in Japan, taking top 8 in a Japanese tournament with only Yoshi. He later placed 25th at [[EVO 2013]], sweeping his pools and taking a game off of {{Sm|Mew2King}}, a placement that convinced the [[Melee Back Room]] to move Yoshi up 3 places on the [[List of SSBM tier lists (NTSC)#Eleventh tier list (July 26th, 2013)|tier list]] following said tournament, making him a borderline mid tier character, and putting aMSa in the top 100 players in the world, the only Yoshi player in the list. aMSa later reappeared with Yoshi in several future tournaments, including [[Apex 2014]] and [[Republic of Fighters 3]], and, to the surprise of many, placed 5th at [[Apex 2015]], defeating several renowned players of top tiered characters, namely {{Sm|Lucky}}, {{Sm|Silent Wolf}}, {{Sm|Fly Amanita}}, and {{Sm|SFAT}}. aMSa's use of Yoshi was considered completely unique from those of Fumi, V3ctorman, and other previous Yoshi mains; he showed usage of parrying and spacing that was previously never seen before, demonstrating that Yoshi's ability to punish errors made by opponents was far greater than expected. Following these performances from aMSa, which far outstripped what players of most middle tier characters could do, Yoshi has risen 6 places in the [[List of SSBM tier lists (NTSC)#Twelfth tier list (December 10th, 2015)|twelfth NTSC tier list]] and 8 places in the third [[PAL Tier List#Third PAL Tier List (March 22nd, 2015)|PAL tier list]], to 12th and 11th respectively, the best rise in ''Melee'' tier lists yet, solidifying him as a solid middle tier character.

Yoshi's placement in the current tier list has been a topic of debate since then. Throughout aMSa's earlier years in the scene, many noted his tendency to perform better overseas than in Japan, suggesting that he won mainly through [[matchup]] inexperience. However, in recent times, aMSa's performance has gradually gained momentum; not only has he begun to dominate his region, showing that he has erased any reliance on matchup inexperience from his game, but he has been able to continue placing well at majors, placing 9th at [[GENESIS 5]], 9th at [[GameTyrant Expo 2017]], 7th at [[Full Bloom 4]], 7th at [[Smash Summit 6]], 5th at [[Get On My Level 2018]], and 4th at [[EGLX 2018]], while defeating the likes of players such as {{Sm|Hungrybox}}, {{Sm|Plup}}, {{Sm|Mew2King}}, {{Sm|Axe}}, {{Sm|Wizzrobe}}, {{Sm|SFAT}}, and many others. As a result of this, aMSa would become ranked 7th on the [[2019 MPGR]], becoming the first top 10 player to main a perceived mid tier character besides Axe since {{Sm|Shroomed}}, who mained Dr. Mario in 2014. aMSa's astounding achievements pushed Yoshi into becoming recognized as a competitively viable character, sitting now at 10th on the [[List of SSBM tier lists (NTSC)#Thirteenth tier list (March 29th, 2021)|thirteenth and current tier list]]. aMSA would then improve even further in the post-COVID-19 era, with him outright winning majors such as {{Trn|The Big House 10}}, {{Trn|Apex 2022}}, and {{Trn|Scuffed World Tour}}, becoming a contender for outright best player in the world, as he would be ranked the second best player after {{Sm|Zain}} on [[SSBMRank 2022]]. Overall, thanks to aMSa, Yoshi has achieved great results, which has increased his representation and pushed his metagame to levels originally thought unfathomable, proving him to be much better than people believed for most of ''Melee''{{'}}s competitive life.

==In 1-P Mode==

Yoshi is the only character of a starting universe who does not have their own stage in Adventure Mode. However, the {{uv|Yoshi}} universe is incorporated in the {{uv|Mario}} universe instead.

===[[Congratulations_screen#Super_Smash_Bros._Melee|Congratulations Screens]]===

YoshiClassicMode.jpg|Classic Mode

YoshiAdventureMode.jpg|Adventure Mode

YoshiAllStarMode.jpg|All-Star Mode

==[[Trophies]]==

|name=Yoshi

|desc=Yoshis are gentle, fleet-of-foot dinosaurs that make their home on idyllic Yoshi's Island. They come in a variety of colors and have evolved an interesting trait to help increase their numbers: they can transform anything they swallow into an egg. With adhesive tongues and bottomless bellies, Yoshis have been known to eat anything.

|gamelist-ntsc={{Trophy games|game1=Super Mario World|release1=8/91}}

|name=Yoshi

|image=Yoshi Trophy (Smash).png

|desc=To make up for his lack of powerful airborne attacks, Yoshi has a miraculous jumping ability and is resistant to damage while in the air. Yoshi can also swallow a foe and transform him or her into an egg: try doing this close to an edge! The speed and power of the Egg Roll increases if you hold down the B Button, but it'll be tougher to control.

|gamelist=:B: Egg Lay

:Smash B: Egg Roll

|name=Yoshi

|image=Yoshi Trophy (Smash 2).png

|desc=Yoshi has no third jump, so the timing of his second jump is of vital importance. The angle and distance of his Egg Throw can be altered by how you tilt the Control Stick and how long you press the B Button. When Yoshi lands after doing his Yoshi Bomb, stars appear on either side of him, making it hard for enemies to deliver counterattacks.

|gamelist=:Up & B: Egg Throw

:Down & B: Yoshi Bomb

 

SSBM Yoshi HQ.jpg|Official artwork of Yoshi.

SSBMWebsiteYoshi1.jpg|Green, blue, red, and yellow Yoshis [[dash]]ing on [[Corneria]].

SSBMWebsiteYoshi4.jpg|Using [[Yoshi Bomb]] on {{SSBM|Donkey Kong}} on [[Temple]].

SSBMWebsiteYoshi6.jpg|[[Pummel]]ing an opponent on [[Mute City]].

==Trivia==

*Yoshi's trophy lists his first game as ''Super Mario World'' in the NTSC version, but ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island'' in the Japanese and PAL versions. The former is his first appearance, while the latter is his first fully playable appearance.

*''Melee'' is the only game in which Yoshi does not have the highest air speed.

*If Yoshi is [[Star KO]]'d, his respective voice clip will play a second late, rather than when he begins falling. This also occurs in Stamina Mode, as when Yoshi runs out of stamina, he will begin falling, and the clip will play after.

[[Category:Yoshi (SSBM)| ]]

[[Category:Trophies (SSBM)]]

[[es:Yoshi (SSBM)]]