Yoshi

Yoshi (full name "T. Yoshisaur Munchikoopas") is a green dinosaur and ally of Mario and friends. He appears as the first character played in Super Mario 64 DS and as a character at the end of the original.

Appearance
Yoshi is a green dinosaur with white skin on his stomach and lower head. He has a red shell on his back which in other games Mario uses to ride on him. He has three orange spikes on the rear of his head. He wears brown shoes with yellow bottoms. He also sports a long, red tounge with a very similar appearance to that of a frog.

Super Mario 64
In Super Mario 64, once Mario has collected all 120 Power Stars, a cannon near the lake will open. If Mario goes inside it, he can be able to shoot up to the castle roof. Up here are three 1-Up's and Yoshi. If the player talks to Yoshi, he will say:Talking to Yoshi will refill Mario's Health Meter and give him 99 lives.

Super Mario 64 DS
In Super Mario 64 DS, Yoshi's role has been entirely changed. After Mario and his gang go missing, Lakitu wakes up Yoshi and persuades him to find the three missing plumbers.

Yoshi has to collect 8 Power Stars before he can go and rescue Mario. Once Mario has been rescued, he can be continued to be used or can be switched with Mario or the other plumbers. Note, Yoshi can not free the other plumbers until they have been freed at least once by a certain plumber (Mario must save Luigi, Luigi must save Wario).

Abilities
Yoshi is able to stick out his tongue and eat enemies like Goombas with it. If he spits it out, the enemy will die. If Yoshi swallows it, then an egg will be made, which can be thrown at enemies or breakable objects.

Yoshi can also spit fire if given a Power Flower. This can kill enemies and melt ice, if present.

The last ability is Yoshi's flutter jump, where if the player holds the jump button, Yoshi will flutter in the air briefly. This is helpful when Yoshi needs to cross long gaps.