Ocean Software

Background: Ocean Software was a British video game publisher and developer founded in 1983. In 1998, it was bought by Infogrames and renamed "Infogrames UK". The final game Ocean Software published was GT 64: Championship Edition for Nintendo 64.

1st Logo

(1983-1995)

Nickname: "The Ocean Logo"

Logo: On a special background, we see the Ocean logo from the 2nd logo. Either above or below it was the title screen.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Common. Seen on Ocean games like the Game Boy version of Darkman.

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Logo

(1988-1995)

Nicknames: "The Ocean", "The Rectangle Box", "The Reflection"

Logo: On a black background, we see the a rounded rectangle with the word "ocean" on it, shining. Sometimes, either "PRESENTS", "LICENSED BY NINTENDO", "LICESNED BY SEGA ENTERPRISES, LTD." or the copyright notice is seen underneath the logo. Also, the logo varies on each pre-1995 Ocean game.

Variants:
 * The Addams Family for SNES and Genesis had a purple background.
 * Pushover had the title screen under the logo.
 * Lethal Weapon, The Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt and Choplifter III: Rescue Survive for SNES had a blue/black gradient background.
 * Jurassic Park for Amiga and DOS had the island covering the Ocean logo.
 * Addams Family Values for SNES and Genesis had a graveyard background.
 * Syndicate and Theme Park for Atari Jaguar had this logo in purple with no rectangle box.
 * The Flintstones for SNES had a teal background and the Ocean logo carved out of stone. Then, Fred Flintstone enters from the left and yells his catchphrase "Yabba-Dabba-DOO!".

FX/SFX: It depends.

Music/Sounds: None, or the opening theme of the game. However, on The Addams Family for SNES and Genesis, a THX-like deeper tune can be heard.

Availability: Common. It can be seen on Ocean games of the era, like The Addams Family and Lethal Weapon among others. You can also find this logo on the European NES version of Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2.

Scare Factor: None.

3rd Logo (McDonaldland Custom Variant)

(1992-1993)

Nickname: "8-Bit Ocean Atlantic"

Logo: Set in the sky, with a huge cloud underneath, we see what looks like a yellow airplane tail with the word "OCEAN" on it. It passes from right to left, leaving what looks like smaller clouds. When the plane leaves, the clouds (15 of them, to be exact) morph into the words "OCEAN PRESENTS..." and we fade out.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The plane flying to the left and the clouds morphing into "OCEAN PRESENTS...". Not bad for 8-bit animation.

Music/Sounds: The buzzing of the plane, and a downward 8-bit synth flourish, which is part of the intro to McDonaldland/M.C. Kids.

Availability: Ultra rare. This was only used on the infamous NES game McDonaldland. This is not present on the NTSC version, titled M.C. Kids; instead, it is replaced by the word "Virgin" in the Virgin corporate logo font, as Virgin Games published it in that territory.

Scare Factor: None.

4th Logo

(1995-1998)

Nickname: "The Reflection Box Strikes Back"

Logo: On a white background, we see the same Ocean logo as before, fading in.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on GT 64: Championship Edition, Fighters Destiny and MRC: Multi-Racing Championship for Nintendo 64, and Lucky Luke for PlayStation. It can be also seen on Hexplore in high quality.

Scare Factor: None.

5th Logo

(1995-1998)

Nickname: "The Dolphin"

Logo: We see the same Ocean logo on a black background, this time with an image of reflecting waves inside. The logo animates in the form of ripply waves, and a dolphin comes in from the left, looking at us and smiling. The dolphin leaves, and the logo stops rippling, and we fade out.

Variants:
 * A still version of this logo can be seen on some games.
 * On Tunnel B1, Last Rites, Guts'n'Garters in DNA Danger and GT Racing '97, we see a shark instead of a dolphin across the Ocean logo, then when the shark leaves, we see three dolphins, and then the second dolphin looks at us, embarrassed. However, Project X2: No Relief and the Sega Saturn and PC versions of Tunnel B1 lacked the shark. The Ocean logo looks different, as well.

FX/SFX: All the animation in the logo.

Music/Sounds:
 * A mystical synth jingle with high-pitched beeping sounds (a reference to dolphin's ultrasound locator) - for the single dolphin version.
 * An ascending dream soundtrack with a dolphin's locating signal - for the shark/multiple dolphins version.
 * A 5-note synth jingle with wailing dolphin sounds. If listened to in stereo, the dolphin sounds pan from the left to right speakers, while the synth jingle is center panned. This can be found on Jersey Devil (PAL version) and Break Point (PlayStation version), the latter having a higher pitched variation.
 * On Power Serve 3D Tennis, the logo is silent.

Music/Sound Variant: Motor Mash had the single dolphin variant with a slightly sped up version of the multiple dolphin jingle.

Availability: The animated version can be found in the first game of the Worms franchise. The still logo can be found in True Pinball (one of the first virtual pinball games ever) and the Amiga version of Worms. The other games containing animated version with one dolphin are: Power Serve 3D Tennis, Sea Legends, True Pinball (PSX), Offensive, Motor Mash, Jersey Devil (PAL version only), Break Point for Saturn and True Legends. The version with the shark can be seen on Tunnel B1, Last Rites and Guts'n'Garters in DNA Danger.

Scare Factor: None. It's the best animated logo for Ocean.

6th Logo

(1997-1999)

Logo: On a black background, the same Ocean logo, colored blue, zooms out. It pauses for a few seconds, then begins to spin around once, and we fade out.

Variant: In Wetrix, the logo comes out of the water. Then the words "presented by" appearing above the logo. Then the logo flies away.

FX/SFX: The logo zooming out and spinning.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on the Mission: Impossible video game for the N64 and on Heart of Darkness for PC.

Scare Factor: Medium to high for the dark environment and lack of music. The zooming of the logo isn't clean, either.

7th Logo

(1998)

Logo: We zoom out over the sea surface to the construction site containing "ocean" made of wooden twigs. The background clears down, leaving the sketch logo, which then fills with white and blue color and becomes relief. Ocean Software (1998)

FX/SFX: The logo zooming out and converting to full view.

Music/Sounds: Humming soundtrack followed by jingles.

Availability: Ultra rare. It's only seen on Viper for PSX.

Scare Factor: Medium.