Yoshi: Saddle or Shell?

[jb143]

When Super Mario World first came out I was convinced that Yoshi was wearing a saddle. In fact I never thought twice about it. In the game and all the artwork of the time it looked like some weird red saddle to me. Then just recently I saw someone call it a shell. My first though was "What the heck? Yoshi doesn't have a shell." But in all the modern artwork, it does indeed look like a red turtle shell of sorts...certainly nothing comfortable to sit on.

So shell or saddle? What do you think?

[Blanka789]

I say saddle, but I could be wrong.

[todesengel]

I'm going with saddle as well. I could have sworn there was official artwork of Yoshi that showed him with a type of strap holding the saddle onto him.

[fahlim003]

I'll say shell as that's all it's ever appeared to look like. Nothing against the saddle idea as surely it's a more comfortable ride - he's missing reigns and a bit too. All in all a strange setup.

[thom_m]

I guess it's a saddle. In SMW, doesn't it have even yellow little stirrups, or something?

[Drixxel]

SMW coverart:

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQzZed3CquYTPN6peqIrhLGD8KAUfb6A Gui8vcrzqfnZmC3DE_G

The Yoshi sprite in-game makes it look more like a saddle to me, has sort of a leathery sheen, but my guess is it was always intended as a shell.

[jb143]

Yeah, in the older artwork, it's flatter and extends further down the sides. In the newer artwork it's much rounder and looks much more like a shell. I would almost say that it's supposed to be a shell now but I have no idea what it was originally supposed to be.

Then: (looks nothing like a shell)
http://tinyurl.com/4cx6p6j

Now:
http://tinyurl.com/2wtr4u4

[deltoidsteep]

In the art book that comes with Mario Allstars Wii, one of the little quotes from one of the dev team members says it was supposed to be a shell

[kupomogli]

Until this thread was brought up I always thought it was a saddle as well. On Super Mario RPG with all the of the different Yoshis, they have the same looking thing on their backs too so should have realized they're not saddles.

[buzz_n64]

I always thought it was a saddle as well. I did read on the All-Stars 25th and another place that it was originally intended to be a shell, but I think they changed that to a saddle.

[Collector_Gaming]

thats tough to call
http://th02.deviantart.net/fs36/300W/f/2008/257/b/2/Super_Mario_World___Yoshi_by_8bitgallery.jpg

i mean when yoshi goes to eat a foe you see mario do a move like if to tell yoshi to eat that. kinda like you would stop a horse
but yet you see no reigns. Very ackward. I think the world may never know

[jb143]

In the cartoon it looks more like a small rug thrown over his back. It's not even round. I'm sure the cartoons aren't considered "canon" but it certainly seems as though they didn't consider it a shell.

http://oi51.tinypic.com/mbtlhg.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/2pt9u7a.jpg

[weirdguy]

And nobody suggested that it's a red koopa shell used as a saddle ?

[Dr. Dib]

I always though it was a saddle, but the more I look at it I see it is as a shell. In fact it looks nothing like a shell. I wonder how uncomfortable it is sitting on a shell then...

And obviously Mario and Luigi don't need reins to control Yoshi, they have psychic brain powers to control Yoshi. Don't believe me? Check out the enclosed instruction booklet, it is all there.

[Emperor Megas]

And nobody suggested that it's a red koopa shell used as a saddle ?I know, right?

I assumed that it was just a red Koopa shell fashioned into a saddle. That makes the most sense. Sure, it looks like a pain to sit on, but dismissing the saddle theory based on it's perceived comfort as a riding aid is an over reach. It's just there for aesthetic purposes, really.

[dnehthend]

I always thought it was a saddle, I also always thought it was mean that mario punches him in the back of the head

[Richter Belmount]

Sleigh

[Drixxel]

I always thought it was a saddle, I also always thought it was mean that mario punches him in the back of the head

Hahaha, truly. Seemingly quite the cruel practice of donkey punching for the tongue extension.

[rkotm]

Hahaha, truly. Seemingly quite the cruel practice of donkey punching for the tongue extension.
\oh yeah. marios always abusive-locks DK away in DK Junior, beats Yoshi, doesnt let Luigi do anything..I think earlier on it was a saddle then a koopa shell, but how does mario sit on a shell+ride yoshi? would kinda hurt..

[jb143]

It doesn't look anything like a Koopa shell either though. There's no shell pattern, just red with a white edge. In the newer artwork it doesn't really look like a shell either...more like a round cushion of sorts.

But to add to the "looks like a shell" idea...could it possibly be that our very own Joe thinks that Yoshi is not a dinosaur but...a turtle?!?!? (last sentence)
http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/mariokar.htm

[Leo_A]

It doesn't look anything like a Koopa shell either though. There's no shell pattern, just red with a white edge. In the newer artwork it doesn't really look like a shell either...more like a round cushion of sorts.

Sure looks like a red Koopa shell to me, but it's impossible to be certain.

http://newzion.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/super-mario-world-1.jpg

[RP2A03]

It doesn't look anything like a Koopa shell either though. There's no shell pattern, just red with a white edge. In the newer artwork it doesn't really look like a shell either...more like a round cushion of sorts

That's it!

https://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad101/RP2A03/Nintendo/Mario/SMB3_Parabeetle.jpg

It's a Para-Beetle shell.

[Red Baron]

I've never not seen it as a saddle. Especially back when it was flatter, flush with Yoshi's body, and in any era, it's small to the point where it being a shell is relatively pointless. Even now, I'm not sure I'll buy the 'shell' explaination unless I see a compelling enough argument for it.

[kirbykirb]

It's a saddle shell.

:facepalm: