Nintendo Launches Free Yoshi Game for Switch and Mobile Users

A whole generation of ’90s kids has nostalgic memories of stretching and tugging on a 3D rendering of Mario’s face during the opening animation of Super Mario 64. Now, Nintendo is inviting fans of all ages to relive those moments and share the joy with their own kids. On April 9, as part of the launch of new products in the My Mario toy series, Nintendo introduced Hello, Yoshi, a free download for Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.

Hello, Yoshi is a straightforward touchscreen game where you can pull and stretch Yoshi’s face, spin him around, and bounce him across the screen as he happily yelps and squeals. To kick things off, tap the egg that appears on the screen until it cracks open, revealing Yoshi with a cheerful smile and wave. If you poke and prod the dino enough, bubbles will appear, waiting for you to launch Yoshi in their direction to pop them. Some of these bubbles will contain familiar Mario enemies like Bob-ombs and Goombas, but don’t worry—none of the baddies can harm you here. The bubble-popping fun will wrap up if the screen remains idle for a while or if you manage to pop a total of 100 bubbles.

Tapping the ? block in the top-left corner opens a small menu of options. The Super Mushroom will make Yoshi larger, while the Super Star grants him temporary invincibility, speeding up your bubble-popping tasks. If you want to switch things up, click on the warp pipe to get a new Yoshi in a random color, or select the Blooper to change the background to an underwater scene, complete with that classic, soothing Super Mario underwater theme.

However, all that face-pulling can wear Yoshi out, and after a few minutes, he will fall asleep. Nintendo designed this feature to encourage kids to take breaks and help parents manage their child’s screen time. If you want to keep the fun going, you can disable this feature by tapping the gear icon in the top-right corner of the screen when the app starts.

Unlike many similar apps, Hello, Yoshi doesn’t require an internet connection, making it perfect for keeping kids entertained on the go or for passing the time while waiting between subway stations.

For Super Mario fans craving a more traditional Yoshi experience, a full-fledged Yoshi game is set to launch on Switch 2 in May: Yoshi and the Mysterious Book.