# Yoshi's Safari ## Overview *Yoshi's Safari* stands out as one of the most unique and unusual titles in the entire Mario franchise. Deviating completely from the series' platforming roots, this game is a first-person on-rails shooter designed specifically for the Super Scope light gun accessory. Players take on the role of Mario, riding comfortably on Yoshi's back, as they journey through the kingdom of Jewelry Land. Their mission is to rescue its rulers, King Fret and Prince Pine, and reclaim the magical jewels stolen by Bowser and his Koopalings. ## Background Developed and published by Nintendo in 1993, *Yoshi's Safari* was created to bolster the software library for the Super Scope, the SNES's successor to the original NES Zapper. It was a bold experiment, placing Nintendo's most iconic character into a genre he had never been in before: a first-person shooter. While the Super Scope peripheral itself didn't achieve massive commercial success, *Yoshi's Safari* is remembered fondly as one of the best and most polished titles designed for it. The game showcased a different, more action-oriented side of the Mario universe, complete with the vibrant colors and charming enemy designs fans had come to love. ## Gameplay In *Yoshi's Safari*, the gameplay is all about aim and reflexes. The player points the Super Scope at the screen and fires at incoming enemies as Yoshi automatically moves along a predetermined path through each level. The perspective is from Mario's point of view, looking over Yoshi's head. Players must shoot enemies, collect coins, and defeat a boss—usually one of the Koopalings in a giant mech—at the end of each stage. Power-ups can be shot to grant extra time or lives. The game also features a unique two-player mode, where one player uses the Super Scope to shoot while the second player uses a standard SNES controller to control Yoshi's jumping, adding a cooperative layer to the shooting action.