TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: CORA JOHNSTON ALife and Career Helping Animals The Best Companion
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.
Cora Johnston was born and raised in Moab, Utah, but her life’s journeys moved her to Hotchkiss, Colorado. Growing up, Cora was surrounded by animals and family and enjoyed taking care of their dogs, horses, chickens, goats, and more. Having so many animals to interact with at such a young age and learning to care for them all drove Cora to pursue her passion for animals as she grew up and began considering a career.
Cora is still relatively new to the area, but she absolutely loves it here. “I’m so excited to be here,” she says. “It’s a great place to live and work.”
Before joining our team, she previously worked in a veterinarian clinic and loved her work there. So, when she moved to Hotchkiss, she began searching for that same experience, which is when she found us. “I knew some of the clients who came here,” Cora explains. “They had heard that Jeff and Susie were looking for someone and told me that I should apply. I reached out and everything happened from there. I’m really glad to be back working at a veterinary clinic!” For Cora, caring for animals goes deep. “Being in an environment where I can interact with different animals is wonderful. It’s very gratifying to be able to help sick animals and get them back on their feet.” Cora’s time at the clinic is filled with animals, and so is her time at home. In her free time, she loves to hang out with her dog, Indie; her cat, Freddie Mercury; and her and her boyfriend’s Australian Shepherd 1-year-old puppy, Boone. You can often find the group hiking, camping, and, when the warmer weather hits, out on the river.
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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!
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