Super Mario World
"Super Mario World" was the first video game to feature Yoshi as a companion to Mario. Miyamoto had always wanted a dinosaur-like companion ever since the original "Super Mario Bros.", but the concept was never achievable due to limited hardware. Since "Super Mario World" took place in a land of dinosaurs, Takashi Tezuka requested Shigefumi Hino to draw a character based on Miyamoto's concepts and sketches which he drew during development of "Super Mario Bros. 3". Yoshi's rideability was inspired by Miyamoto's love for horseback riding. "Super Mario World" released during a console war between Nintendo and Sega; Sega's mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog, was considered a "cooler" alternative to Mario, to which Miyamoto apologized for.