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How does one create a cartoon character for a video game which will be able to stand the test of time? Well, there is no definite formula really. If there is, then how can one describe the similarities between Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog as they become the respective mascots of the game companies Nintendo and SEGA?

What it all boils down to is a set of factors which work in the favor of a video game cartoon character in order to stand out among the competition. To understand this further, let's move away from anthropomorphic cartoon mascots to a real person rendered into the video game world: Lara Croft of the storied Tomb Raider franchise.

For the uninitiated, Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game series which normally centers on the search for a very powerful artifact by the female treasure hunter Lara Croft as she is pursued by many shady organizations out to get her. The first game of the entire franchise was released in 1996 and was very instrumental in the success of the first Sony PlayStation video game console. In 2006, the Guinness Book of World Records gave the distinction to Lara as the "Most Successful Human Videogame Heroine" in 2006.

Where did this success come from? Conceptualized by Toby Gard, Lara Croft has not only been recognized as a female counterpart of Indiana Jones but also as a symbol for feminism and even as a sexual fantasy. This image was a direct consequence of the character design of Lara - adventurous, fiery, self-reliant and packaged in the physical attributes of free-flowing hair, softer face features and enlarged (and eventually reduced) breast size, brown shorts, a blue-green sleeveless top, holsters by the hips and a small backpack.

Lara's Tomb Raider video game series further solidified its stake in the popular culture by venturing into the silver screen where Croft was personified by the top celebrity in the recent Forbes list Angelina Jolie. Lara Croft stuck in the minds of many people thanks to the sizzling appeal of Angelina Jolie in two films Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)

In the first film, the life of Lara Croft is first brought into the fore as an adventurous daughter of a rich British aristocratic family. At this time, the planets of the solar system were said to be in line for an astronomical conjunction. This planetary alignment is said to be critical in the search for the All-seeing Eye which will give its possessors with control of time through the Triangle of Light. As it turns out, the All-seeing Eye is in the Croft mansion.

Combating the Illuminati, Lara Croft seeks to destroy the All-seeing Eye in order to prevent widespread catastrophe.

On the other hand, Lara Croft sets to find the Pandora Box in the 2003 sequel Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life. The Pandora Box supposedly contains a very deadly plague which should not come in the hands of the evil scientist Jonathan Reiss. An orb is essential in finding the artifact. To help in her quest, Lara recruits Terry Sheridan, a former mercenary imprisoned in Siberia.

A third sequel is being planned and is yet unnamed. Early reports have indicated that Angelina Jolie may not return to reprise her role. It is expected to be a reboot of the origins of the franchise in a similar way as Batman in Batman Begins. Among the rumored celebrities being courted for the new role is Megan Fox of the upcoming sci-fi movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Lara Croft is an example of how a character can be used to enhance a franchise (in this case, a video game) by targeting its demographic. With the peg of Tomb Raider for the male hardcore gaming demographic, the sex appeal of Lara Croft was used as a primary marketing pull. Another huge factor is the originality of Lara Croft at a time when most of the lead video game characters were mainly male.

Aldric Chang is a creative entrepreneur who is at the moment building free online adventure games for kids and running a successful 3d animation studio. His creative accomplishments span across the production of several hundred animation projects, casual games, music compositions, cartoon animated series and a virtual world for kids.

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