Tim Thompson CPA - November 2020

The Stories Behind 2 Iconic Animal Heroes in Video Games

Your family might have had the chance to play more video games lately and interact with some of the most famous animal heroes in video game history, like Yoshi or Sonic. But have you ever wondered about their real-world backstories? YOSHI Or should we say, T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas? That’s Yoshi’s full name according to Nintendo’s official character guide published in 1993. Ever since the first release of Super Mario Bros, Nintendo wanted Mario to have a dinosaur companion. However, the limitations of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) stalled that idea until Nintendo released Super Mario World for the Super NES. The inspiration for Yoshi traces back to the 1984 video game Devil World, which featured green lizards that hatch from eggs, eat enemies with large mouths, and emit the very same signature Yoshi giggle when they hatch. Yoshi has received a positive reception since its introduction, making it Japan’s third-favorite video game character in 2008. A few fun facts: Yoshi is often referred to as male, but its gender remains unconfirmed. Also, Yoshi and K.K. Slider (from Animal Crossing) have the same voice actor! SONIC You could say that random New Yorkers chose Sonic’s ultimate design. When Sega sought to create a flagship series to rival Nintendo’s Mario, Naoto

Ohshima took character designs with him on a trip to New York. He asked random passersby in Central Park to

choose a design, and the spiky blue hedgehog won.

That wasn’t the end of Sonic’s design alterations, though. He had a rock band phase! Initially, Sonic had fangs, was in a band, and had a human girlfriend

named Madonna. The team at Sega of America, led by Madeline Schroeder (who calls herself “Sonic’s mother”), removed those elements to “soften” the character for American audiences. While this led to heated internal debates, Sonic game designer Yuji Naka admitted it was for the best.

These famous characters make our video games more energetic and fun, and their origin stories are just as unique!

What Are Your Favorite Holiday Traditions?

Everyone loves to celebrate the holidays, my family and me included. You’ve read all about where we go and what we love to do all year long, and now I want to give my readers a chance to share their own favorites. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming up, I know many people will want to take advantage of the sales going on and even get some early holiday shopping done. Well, we’re going to help you out! We want to know one of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Or, if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, let us know one of your favorite November holiday traditions you enjoy celebrating either on your own or with your friends and family. Send in your response to my email at support@ timthompsoncpa.com with the subject line “Thanksgiving Giveaway” for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card to use or give as a gift for the coming holiday season.