Yoshi’s nor a dragon, dinosaur, or turtle. He’s unpaid labor.

“So are you a dinosaur or dragon or turtle?” Yoshi: *yes.*

Everyone asks "What is Yoshi?", but not "HOW is Yoshi?" He's burning alive by the way, in eternal pain from Mario's betrayal, thanks for asking.

Considering there’s a eastern creature literally called the DragonTurtle I’m pretty sure that’s what yoshi was originally meant to be,cause eastern dragons are snake like,with antlers,a mane,and four stubby arms and there’s also a black tortoise which is like a legendary creature there too

Fun fact: in Japanese, the word "dinosaur" (kyoryu) directly translates to "terrifying dragon". In Japanese, dinosaurs are basically called dragons, like how the English call the Komodo Dragon. So maybe it's both in their eyes.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but since dragons aren’t real and there isn’t an official classification for dragons and it varies from culture to culture, couldn’t dinosaurs be considered dragons?

Yoshi's ability to spit fire(with the right diet.) Might even point to the idea that he is more closely related to the Bowser line.

I always thought Yosh was supposed to be a turtle dragon like the ones from Chinese mythology. A dragon with a turtle shell on it's back.

In Denmark, our past civilisation actually referred to dinosaurs and dragons as the same thing. I think they might be just a little closer than one might think.

Yoshi being a Koopa even works with his final smash in Brawl as rather than gaining dragon like wings, he gets feathered ones like Para-Koopas

The 'munchikoopa' in his name doesn't mean that he is a koopa, but that he has the characteristic of eating koopas. Like when a plant has the byname grandiflora and it has big blossoms

Both, considering folklore and dinosaur fossils. Alternatively, he's an animal that, in Mario lore, evolutionarily predates dinosaurs, koopas, and dragons, thus he'd have traits of all three.

Yoshi is literally older than bowser, and everyone else too. He was literally fully grown in the game Yoshi’s Island, where everyone ELSE was a baby.

I get the feeling that in the Mushroom world, "dinosaur" and "dragon" are simply interchangeable.

4:00 I was thinking to myself, "Nintendo stop trying to be as complicated as FNAF", but then he practically said it himself a few seconds after 😂😂😂

Sadly we won’t see theory’s like this in 2024 from matpat anymore😢 You are the best!

Given the connection between turtles, dinosaurs, and dragons in the Mario series, it could be that the various species are all of the above. They're dragon-turtle-dinosaurs, with a dominance of 1/2 of these traits compared to the other 1/2 depending on the species.

Imagine if all MatPat’s theories actually came true? Like, you’re playing a Mario game, and suddenly spot a toad getting possessed by a mushroom?

i cannot begin to tell you how much i love mario theories

That seatbelt speech was impressively inspiring.

Wait but since Yoshi was originally meant to "Eat Bowser's minions", if Yoshi is a Koopa, doesn't that mean he's a cannibal?

This is the most outlandish theory he has about Yoshi, yet it somehow makes enough sense and seems plausible. Huge W for MatPat if this theory is proven canon in the future.

Just as an aside, if yoshi is a dinosaur I would propose that he might be some kind of ceratosaurian - maybe a noasaur if I had to get specific - based on not only the back plates (similar to ceratosaurus itself) but also having 4 fingers, which is very uncommon in theropods outside of early groups and ceratosaurians.

This video left me with more questions about Yoshi than answers, now instead of just thinking he’s either a dino or a dragon, I think he’s either a koopa or a hybrid of a lot of them combined, I don’t even know which ones for sure

MatPat talking about the safety of seatbelts brings me a strange kind of relief. I was in a crash last September and almost caused major brain damage, and only got out with whiplash and a concussion because my seatbelt kept me from hitting the dashboard full force. Thank you MatPat!

To be completely honest, dinosaur and dragons are not really different creatures in Japan. The Japanese word for dinousaur is Kyōryū, with the latter half Ryū being the word meaning dragon.

He’s just the pinnacle of all beings

I love how yoshi is going actively out of his way to get recruited ruin our childhoods.

even more terrifying possibility: dragons, dinosaurs, and koopas descended from Yoshi. Yoshi has the least amount of genetic variation (pretty much only color,) so maybe something happened that caused a lot of genetic deviation separating the dinosaurs and the dragons and the koopas having the most deviation are muts?

I think there's a very obvious solution that hasn't been discussed yet: Yoshi doesn't fit neatly into the Plessie, Dorrie, Bahamut, or Koopa lineages because Yoshi is the common ancestor for them all. Or rather, a species very similar to Yoshis was the common ancestor for them all, and modern Yoshis evolved in a climate that favored remaining similar to their ancestor's form. Granted, this would require knowing when in the Mario timeline each species originated, or some sort of fossil record, but it makes more sense to me than Yoshi somehow being a hybrid of three or more species at once.

Evil Yoshi story line??? I love Yoshi and I love this idea even more!

Dream’s face is the scariest thing on the planet. Scarier then the amount of FNAF theories

Here's the ultimate cop-out. Yoshi is actually an artificial lifeform with the DNA of dragons, dinosaurs and turtles mixed in. Probably chameleon given his tongue.

Theory: Yoshi's father is a dragon and dinossaur hybrid while his mom is a turtle.

wow these videos just keep getting more and more INTERESTING.

I can sweep away the dragon confusion with one idea; Yoshi CALLS himself a dragon

I don’t think a turtle shell really discounts Yoshi from being a dragon. Dragons are really just a mixture of various animals and turtle shells can sometimes be added to the mix. One notable example is the Tarasque from a myth in southern France which is depicted as having Turtle shell.

Fun trivia: In Japanese (and by extension, Chinese) the way you say “dinosaur” is 恐竜 (kyōryū). The second character, 竜, literally means “dragon”. Since the word for dragon entered the Chinese/Japanese lexicon first, dinosaurs are essentially “scary dragons”. Perhaps this is another reason why the translation is a bit more fuzzy.

If this were the Star Wars universe, Bowser would be half-Nosaurian/half-Yinchorri. With the carapace explained away as stolen Shell Hutt armor!

Theory idea: how many dories are there because they show up in multiple kingdoms in smo and there’s no way they could travel as fast as you

Nothing will take away the fact that Yoshi is a precious baby that must be loved and protected at all costs.

0:33 Hollow voice came in handy lol Who said being a theater kid doesn't have any banefits

Yoshi is neither a dragon, nor a dinosaur, nor a turtle, but a secret fourth thing.

Interesting indirect link: Dinosaurs and Dragons are actually seen as being pretty similar in Japan. Kyoryu, the Japanese word for Dinosaur, uses the word for dragon “Ryu” at the end. Also, in the One Piece manga, all the dinosaur devil fruits are denoted as Ryu-Ryu or Dragon-Dragon fruits.

MatPat: Is Yoshi Bowser’s long lost child? Also MatPat: spends the whole video about what Yoshi probably is and Proceeds not to mention any connection between Bowser and Yoshi whatsoever.

I like how matpat says “seriously Nintendo, you gotta know your dinosaur knowledge” while talking about something that isn’t a dinosaur.

the little part you added was soooooo funny

This feels like a concept that would've been covered in 2013

I absolutely love the mario world theories. It’s always nostalgic

just wait until the most liked comment becomes "thank you matpat for all the years with us ❤️"

I love how when Matpat says "Why not add a snake!?" and the snake is like "I'm a danger noodle sir."

I think "Plessie" is more a reference to "Nessie", the Loch Ness monster, rather than a reference to the plesiosaur. Which would somewhat resemble a Nothosaur, according to legend anyway.

The: "Yoshi is evil don't forget" quote makes more sense now

My sister used to take dance classes. One of them was themed on mario related things, and on a Yoshi themed dance with with costumes and little kids, it had said “we are the dinosaurs”. I never questioned the dance.

Mat pat : rejects Yoshi because he's already done a theory on him* Also mat pat : Refuses to make his "final theory" on FNaF actually his final theory*

In a alternate universe: MatPat: *starts video* “Welcome to GameTheory. Is Yoshi a dragon or a dinosaur? The answer is he is both, thanks for watching.” *ends videos*

I had a small theory that Yoshi doesn't die when dropped into a pit but gets transported back into a egg thanks to a curse place on him by Bowser. Immortality is a side effect to the Egg Curse imprisoning him.

4:33 the fact that you called nsmb freakin 2006 gave me scary thoughts as a sonic fan

He's burning alive by the way, in eternal pain from Mario's betrayal, thanks for asking.

Well, seeing as Yoshi is a dinosaur/dragon-looking creature that has a unique ability to extend his tongue to eat just about anything and spit it back out (depending on what it is) AND he can pretty much only say his own name (besides grunting noises when he does that jump/fly thing) I’d say he’s a species of Pokémon that has yet been discovered.

13:19 Fun fact: We actually got really close to having an evil Yoshi in the form of Boshi, a character from Super Mario RPG who is stated as being Yoshi’s rival.

Honestly can't believe Matt said he would never have done KZfaq if he hadn't met Stephanie, and not the fact that their son, Ollie, would never have existed.

Dude doesnt do those full sponsorship explanations super respectable

Wrong. Yoshi is a Pokémon. He says his own name, he has magic powers, he is full sized when hatched from eggs, very loyal even after abuse from Mario, has shoes. SHOES. No dragon hatches from an egg with shoes… buuuut some Pokémon hatch with clothes (Though typically the clothes are a part of them).

Seatbelt's can save lives! Even the "Odd 1s Out(James Rallison)" says so! (by the way your show is GREAT!) keep it up!

Thank you stephs dad for helping bring forth our beloved Mattpatt.

The real Bowser was killed by Mario and King Boo keeps bringing him back with Edo Tensei to every single Mario game, since the first Luigi’s Mansion game.

MatPat: Mentions Bahamut in a video about Yoshi being a dragon Also MatPat: Doesn't touch any of the Final Fantasy games where Bahamut is the literal King of the Dragons

Hear me out Mat- The reason it wasn’t EXACTLY clear which category Yoshi belongs in is….what if it’s because he has his OWN category, and no i don’t mean the “Hybrid Category” like you said, i mean his OWN CATEGORY. Wario and Waluigi make it clear there can be “flipped” versions, so what if Yoshi IS a “flipped” version of someone who i just haven’t figured out yet? What if his category is “flipped” along with Wario and Waluigi? (I’m realizing this probably makes sense…wow- I GATHERED MY BRAINCELLS AGAINNNN WOO HOOOOO)

This was my favorite theory that you made Goodbye matpat

The seatbelt story really showed how one little thing can change someone’s entire future

Doesn’t this prove why yoshi does not go to the castles because he does not want to see Mario kill his family.

I love that that Matpat mentions he would not have made Game Theory if he never met Stef NOT talking about how Oli wouldn’t exist

Matpat:who you think you are the fnaf series? Nintendo:yessir

It’s amazing how this whole channel was saved by a seatbelt

4:02 I find it incredible that MatPat can’t go a single video without mentioning FNAF once…

Just for fun, let's throw another wrench into the workings here. Has anyone ever noticed how when creatures in Mario games gain wings, they are feathered bird wings and not reptilian wings? Blue Yoshis or ones who hold a blue shell, Koopa Paratroopas, Goomba Paratroopas, the Wing Cap, Yoshi's Smash move, etc. White feathered wings. To go a step further, the P-Wing and Cape Feather are also bird feathers or wings. And since modern birds are descended from Pteradons, that would suggest that Yoshis predate the (few) birds seen in Mario games. But why would flight powers be more closely associated to birds in a game that has precious few birds? Even when we see Yoshis and other reptiles fly, either the flight is limited or the wings are vestigial and don't actually function at all. Indicating that birds evolved to gain true flight as Yoshis, Koopas, and even Bahamut are too heavy to sustain flight. Yoshis are the Apex Predator species of the Mario Universe, adapting to any and all environments to prey on other creatures, but especially the Koopas. Bowser, for all his might, couldn't put up an effective resistance to these predators. Jumping off of a Yoshi for some extra height and distance is a meme. Sure. But... we never actually see the Yoshi die from it. Even when dropped into lava or a deep ocean, the Yoshi just kind of complains. Like it's an inconvenience more than a fatal decision... Yoshis can adapt so well to any environment they are in, that even this move isn't really an issue for them. The Koopa clan have to use magick/tech to even begin to come close to that level of versatility. Much as Bowser and Namek utterly despise Mario, they are often shown to have an even stronger hate, if not fear, of Yoshis. This could very well be cause Yoshis are not only the Apex Predators, but also the common ancestor to most of the other creatures in the Mario Universe. So in a sense, Yoshis are not actually Dinosaurs, Dragons, Koopas, or Birds. They predated them and gave rise to them. Mario is a thorn in Bowser's plans, but Mario coming to the Mushroom Kingdom was originally an accident. What if Bowser was not only fighting back against Toads but Yoshis as well? What if that is what started his war with the Mushroom Kingdom in the first place? Peach is said to possess incredible magic. Magic seems to be the Koopas only advantage against the creatures that prey on them. Better hope we never see a Yoshi with a Toad's cap on. That would be... a problem. lol

Yoshi's isn't a dragon, a dinosaur or a turtle he's really number 1 on the IRS watch list

this theory has been in the works even before this video came out, and i am so exited to finally share it with you. here is my proposal for you: some koopas got stranded on what will later be know as Yoshi's island. on that island, there wasn't enough meat (i assume that is what koopas eat, they seem very hostile) to go around, so some of the koopas began to stave. in desperation, they tried the fruit that is abundant around the island. it wasn't what their bodies where made for, so they couldn't break down the fruit, and so they had to eat way more fruit to stay alive. but then, a mutation occurred. a koopa whose body could break down plants, a koopa who was an omnivore, meaning they had to eat less to stay alive, meaning they got into less food shenanigans, meaning, they lived longer. and then its kids lived longer, and then their kids lived longer, and eventually that koopa, no, ancient Yoshi, was a common ancestor. other thing evolved too. they no longer needed their hard beaks, so it evolved into a bulbous nose also, their is fruit in tall trees. these trees are to high up to reach. so, some evolved to have longer and sturdier tongues, to reach and pluck the fruit out of the trees. overs evolved to "flutter" up and grab them. and a few grew bigger to just grab it (these would be the ancestors of Dorrie and plessie). however all of them had begun leaning to swim to catch fish. dorrie acquired a taste for fish, and so became all aquatic. plessie remained on land and in the water, while the yoshis remained on their island, eating fruit until a fateful baby falls into their home. but hey, that's just a theory, a fan theory, thanks for reading.

Hi Mat, great theory! I'm by no means a Japanese expert, but I remember learning that the Japanese word for dinosaur is 恐竜 which more literally translates to "fear/dread" "dragon" which would explain why some guides may have translated Yoshi's species between both a dinosaur and a dragon. That being said, there still is a ton of dragon symbolism with Yoshi as you expertly laid out here! Just a fun little detail about the kanji for dinosaur.

If he is a koopa i dont wanna think about the amount of cannibalism

The Game theorist: Yoshi are you a dinosaur dragon or turtle Yoshi: yes

This is probably my favorite sponsor of Game Theory so far! I've never seen a PSA as a sponsorship before, but I hope it continues because that stuff matters sm. If I didn't buckle my seatbelt before my accident, my whiplash would've turned into a fatal neck snap. Buckle up folks!

A storyline where Yoshi turns evil? Come now MatPat, we already know Yoshi is one of the biggest criminals in the Mario Universe.

The thumbnail just cracks me up 😂❤

Me after seeing the shell on his back: IT’S A CAMEL IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW

Yoshi has Osteoderms. That's what the "shell" is on his back and explains the red plates running down his back. Just like Ankylosaurs with an adapted set of Osteoderms that form the club, Yoshi has surface formations that help protect his vulnerable back. Would develop similarly to a Pachycephalosaurus skull. Dragons were based on dinosaurs so it makes sense that they'd have similar traits

I remember as a really young child my brother telling me that Yoshi was bowsers pet turning against him, it's weird to see this.

*MatPat trying to find a clue for solving the mystery if Yoshie is a Dinosaur or a Dragon* Meanwhile Nintendo: "Is this a turtle?"

The dragons from the Paper Mario series also have Yoshi like features lol

You should look into “Dragon Turtle” mythology in relation to Yoshi, maybe.

9:10 Ooookay... but WHY would you WANT a monkey eagle? That's nightmare fuel.

i think a game where yoshis are evil would be a nice change of pace and i think adding some new game mechanics to make up for the lack of yoshis would be cool

You should take a bunch of characters to try to build a family tree with all the koopas and others

Maybe the shell isn't connected to Yoshi, but just used as defence against things that could harm it.

For someone with a Japanese translator, im surprised you missed the obvious “dragons and dinosaurs aren’t that dissimilar” language-wise You would’ve been fine calling him a turtle-dinosaur, and a turtle-dragon

I see why you said that Yoshi was Bowser's lost child. Yoshi's name means "adopted child" in Japanese.

unreal he ALWAYS blows my mind

11:46 I started laughing when I saw spike and this immediately popped into my head: "When it comes to Yoshi, Boopkins, you ARE the father!" I don't know why, but it just appeared and I started laughing hysterically.

Are you telling me that at some point in the Mario universe, a dinosaur and a turtle got together and somehow produced an offspring?