Why is Nintendo so afraid of showing us Yoshi from the front?

Ah, Yoshi. He's (she's?) (it's?) one of the cutest residents of the Mushroom Kingdom, and arguably almost as big a star as Mario himself. But have you ever noticed that Nintendo is only keen on showing the green dinosaur's face from certain angles?

Fans have noticed that even on character select screens in which everyone else is shown front-on, Yoshi is still coquettishly tilting his head towards the camera. It means we're always viewing him in some kind of side profile – and it might be because Yoshi from the front looks somewhat cursed. (Looking for inspiration? Check out the best character design tips.) 

Indeed, everybody as a 'good side', and it seems Yoshi has found his. You know when you accidentally open the front-facing camera on your smartphone and are met with your own massive, bulbous nose? Yeah, that's kind of what Yoshi looks like from the front.

Front facing Yoshi is cursed: from r/YosHi

That said, it's hardly the first time we've seen a beloved character look somewhat worse for wear at an unusual angle – we're still getting over the sight of Mickey Mouse from above. And there are plenty more shockers from the world of Super Mario, including what's under Toad's hat and the fact that only one female character has teeth. Want to experience these travesties for yourself? Then check out the best Nintendo Switch deals available now.

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