LogFAQs > #889050080

When it came out, I would have called it a Mario game, but now I'd call it a Yoshi game. Maybe it can be both? It kind of bridges the gap. However, I don't think most people would call later Yoshi's Island games Mario games, and they have Baby Mario in them too. Also, it makes sense to say it's the start of the Yoshi franchise, but it's not like that made it the end point for Mario games, so there's not really a reason to keep calling it a Mario game.