Tiara Boobowski
From Sonic Retro
|
| Tiara Boobowski |
|---|
| First seen: Sonic Mars |
| Species: Manx cat[1] |
| Gender: Female[1] |
| Age: 20[2][1] |
| Height: 132.08cm (4'4'')[2][1] |
| Created by: Chris Senn[1] |
Tiara Boobowski[3][4], also known as Princess Tiara[5] and Tiara B.[1], is an anthropomorphic Manx cat created for the unreleased Sega 32X action-platformer Sonic Mars. Originally intended to be one of six playable characters, issues during development forced the team to focus solely on Sonic the Hedgehog, and the idea of in-game partners was scrapped altogether. Following this, she was reworked into the plot as a potential love interest for Sonic.[6]
Her creator, Sega Technical Institute artist Chris Senn, hoped that Tiara Boobowski would eventually become an equal match for someone like Sonic, and feels the game could have focused more on the relationships with Tiara and the other characters. However, as development progressed, it became clear that story had to take a backseat to gameplay design, Tiara and others would eventually be dropped from the later phases of Sonic X-treme's development.
Contents
Character conception
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Tiara Boobowski was created around 1994 by Sega Technical Institute artist and Sonic Mars team member Chris Senn, intended as a spunky female protagonist who could match Sonic in attitude[1]; in Senn's own words, "[A] "girl power" character. Particularly, the team strove to avoid the "damsel in distress" trope common in gaming at the time. She was originally slated to be a bandicoot, but later found herself reworked into a Manx cat.[1] Senn's initial art of the character was based on the design of Sonic the Hedgehog himself, to ensure she would naturally fit into the existing cast of characters. He states any visual similarities between Tiara and Princess Sally Acorn are entirely unintentional.[7]
Sometime in 1995, a serious of four new clothing designs for Tiara were created, intended to generate discussion around the character. Proposed designs included a form-fitting red dress, a tank top and skirt, a tank top and skirt with a visible midriff, and one with no clothing akin to Sonic and Tails, but which changed her fur pattern. Michael Kosaka said he envisioned her as having more attitude, so Senn changed her accordingly, with Tiara gaining a new stance and visual demeanor as a result, as well as sporty new outfit. Senn felt this design properly conveyed her attitude as a character, but following the project's cancellation, he admitted that her earlier design was his favorite.[1]
In video games
History
The storyline to Sonic Mars (and later X-treme) changing numerous times over the course of development, with Tiara's role in the plot changing accordingly. However, she was usually envisioned as a princess, with a father named King Cyberooski.[5] Later, the plot required a professor character[8], and the King character was renamed to Professor Gazebo Boobowski[9][10][11], with Tiara losing her status as a princess in the process. As her father was now a Master Ring Smith[12][10] (drawing inspiration from the Archie comics series, in which Rings are objects which can be created), her role changed as well, with both characters acting as "ring-keepers"[3][4] which would be kidnapped by Robotnik.[13][10]
In one storyline by Chris Senn known as Sonic Twist, Sonic travels to a romantic location in Tiara's kingdom for a date with the princess. However, to reach this location, he must journey through many obstacles and enemies. Dr. Robotnik catches onto this and attempts to destroy the lands lying between Sonic and his date. During gameplay, Tiara occasionally appears from the corner of the screen to commenting on Sonic's progression. The longer it takes Sonic to reach the end of the game, the angrier Tiara will react when he finally reaches her. If the player collects all seven Chaos Emeralds, Sonic fashions them into a necklace to gift to the princess.[14]
In another storyline by Senn, known as SonicBOOM, Dr. Robotnik has suddenly found himself infected by the deadly Doom Virus. In order to obtain the ingredients needed for the cure, he planned to infect Sonic with the same virus, and then let the hedgehog obtain a cure for him. To this end, Robotnik kidnapped Tiara, chaining her to a wooden platform hung over a bed of spikes. Thankfully, Sonic rescues her in time, only for Tiara to reveal that the chains had been laced with the deadly virus, and Sonic is now infected as well. The blue blur's only hope was to seek out Tiara's father, a professor who lived in a castle on Misty Peak. Upon hearing of his daughter's rescue, Professor Gazebo Boobowski gladly helps Sonic on his adventure.[14]
A third storyline cowritten by Senn and Richard Wheeler, Sonic Doom, features Robotnik cracking the Master Chaos Emerald in an attempt to tap its power. As a result, the Doom Virus is released into the air, infecting Robotnik. After failing to intimidate Professor Gazebo Boobowski into inventing a cure, Robotnik kidnaps the professor's daughter Tiara. Knowing that Sonic cannot resist rescuing someone in need, Robotnik uses her as bait. While Sonic ends up rescuing Tiara, she quickly informs the hedgehog that he is now infected with the Doom Virus as well, and the two seek out of the assistance of Tiara's father for a cure.[14]
Personality
Tiara's personality was rarely expanded upon by Sega Technical Institute staff, but her creator, Chris Senn envisioned her as a spunky character who could match Sonic in demeanor.[1] Later in Sonic Mars' development, she was given a more sporty attitude. However, in each iteration of the story, she retained her role as a potential love interest for Sonic, and even showed a bit of jealousy in competing with Amy for his attention.[5]
Abilities
Originally, Tiara was envisioned as one of six playable characters in Sonic Mars, with each featuring unique gameplay mechanics and camera angles. Tiara's mode was set to feature two-dimensional, side-scrolling gameplay with the ability to travel forward and backward to different planes in the foreground and background. According to Chris Senn, when the Saturn action-platformer Clockwork Knight 2 was released, the team realized that Tiara's gameplay was "exactly what the entire game [Clockwork Knight 2] did!", referring to the series' 2.5D gameplay style and use of pre-rendered sprites in a 3D environment.[1] Michael Kosaka elaborated that she would function as a support character similar to Tails, with abilities which would roughly match Sonic's.[15] Additionally, some iterations of Sonic Mars saw her wielding a magical scepter, with which she can perform new "power moves".
Tiara's most unique ability is her control over the power of electricity. She can perform the Jump Spark Tiara Attack, using her electrical powers mid-jump to attack enemies. In place of a Spin Dash, she performs the Tiara Tacheyon Tornado, functioning in the exact same way. Most importantly, she also has the ability to transform her body into a cloud of electric particles[15] moving in a figure-eight pattern[16], and can carry Sonic for a brief time before she tires.[15] Upon finishing a stage, Tiara would cause a spark to fly from her fingertips in celebration.[16] Senn also designed an exclusive enemy for her, a flying insect Badnik carrying a flashing lightbulb[17], but it never appeared in further material.
In other media
Tiara makes a pair of brief cameo appearances in Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comic series. In Issue #134, she can be seen in the crowd gathered in Green Hill Park, and is a witness to Sonic and Sally's breakup. Later in Issue #138, she is seen working as a waitress at Uncle Chuck's Diner.
In a July 2019 Q&A session, series artist Ian Flynn revealed it is highly unlikely she will make further appearances, but refused to elaborate on the reason why.[18]
Artwork
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Main page: :Category:Artwork of Tiara Boobowski |
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 http://www.senntient.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000003.html (Wayback Machine: 2009-01-30 01:30)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.myspace.com/tiaraboobowski (Wayback Machine: 2008-07-19 11:06)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 [gameplayers, issue 0906, page 40 gameplayers, issue 0906, page 40]
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 [nextgeneration, issue 19, page 67 nextgeneration, issue 19, page 67]
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 File:SonicMars 32X Kosakascript.pdf, page 3
- ↑ Interview: Mike Wallis (2002-06) by Pachuka
- ↑ http://www.senntient.com:80/projects/xtreme/FAQ.html (Wayback Machine: 2011-03-17 06:48)
- ↑ http://www.senntient.com:80/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000003-2.html (Wayback Machine: 2009-07-03 08:04)
- ↑ [ssm, issue 9, page 33 ssm, issue 9, page 33]
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 [segamagazin, issue 32, page 6 segamagazin, issue 32, page 6]
- ↑ [hobbyconsolas, issue 57, page 16 hobbyconsolas, issue 57, page 16]
- ↑ [gamepro, issue 95, page 44 gamepro, issue 95, page 44]
- ↑ [egm, issue 84, page 74 egm, issue 84, page 74]
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Sonic X-treme/Development/Storylines
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 File:SonicMars 32X Kosakascript.pdf, page 6
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 File:SonicMars 32X Kosakascript.pdf, page 12
- ↑ File:Sxc tiara enemy.jpg
- ↑ @IanFlynnBKC on Twitter (Wayback Machine: 2019-07-11 22:57)