Namco

Background
Namco is a Japanese video game company, best known for arcade games like Galaga, Pac-Man, Mr. Driller, Dig Dug and Tekken, among others. In 2006, it merged with Bandai and became Bandai Namco Entertainment, although the Namco trademark was still in regular use until 2013.

1st Logo (Still variants) (September 15, 1979-September 7, 2021)
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Logo: Just a still version of the Namco logo.

Variants:
 * Later games would have "PRESENTED BY" or "PRODUCED BY" over the logo.
 * On the arcade version of Galaxian, the logo is purple.
 * On SOS, the Namco logo is black.
 * Console games from the company in Japan have the logo say "NAMCOT". Namcot was Namco's console game business division established in 1984 until 1995.
 * A copyright byline may appear under the logo.
 * On Mr. Driller 2, the black Namco logo appears on a spiral background.
 * A 50th anniversary variant existed on 2005 games.
 * On Pac-Man World, the logo is next to a picture of Pac-Man. A similar variant appears on Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness (excluding the Dreamcast version) but with Ms. Pac-Man instead of Pac-Man.
 * On the Dreamcast versions of both Namco Museum and Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness, the logo appears by spinning into the middle.
 * At least one Taiko no Tatsujin game has the logo with a light gray color over a white background.
 * On Ace Combat 2, a white line grows in and the text "PRODUCED BY NAMCO" rises up from it as the line then disappears.
 * Starting in 2006, the Namco Bandai Games/Bandai Namco Games logo preceded this logo.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the game.

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * 1999-2006 games had a group of Japanese kids say "NAMCO" when the logo appears.
 * For the 50th anniversary variant, a pizzicato string note would play before the uttering of the company's name.
 * On Smash Court 3 (a PS1 exclusive), a drum and bass/jungle break with an electric piano plays.
 * On Street Racing Syndicate, the Pac-Man "Ready" theme plays on the logo.
 * On Taiko: Drum Master (the PS2 American edition of Taiko no Tatsujin), multiple people shout "Namco!".

Availability: Seen on most games produced by the company starting with the arcade version of Galaxian. As mentioned earlier, the logo continued to appear on a few games beyond the merger with Bandai until 2018, when it last appeared on Katamari Damacy REROLL (as the original's save game menu makes use of the logo for its saves which was carried over).

2nd Logo (Star Wars (1987) custom variant) (December 4, 1987)
Logo: On a black background is a 20th Century Fox-style structure complete with two searchlights with one in the back. The words "FUTURE CREATOR" and "NAMCO" in its company font are stacked. "FUTURE CREATOR" is slanted. The logo is shown in widescreen with two bars above and below.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: An epic-sounding 8-bit tune.

Availability: Seen only on the infamous Star Wars game on the Famicom in Japan. People living outside Japan can find it on ROMS for NES emulators.

3rd Logo (July 20, 1990-August 4, 1992)
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Logo: We see the small Namco logo, with the text "FOR SEGA GENESIS" and the Sega Enterprises license text below.

Variants:
 * On Japanese releases, the text "FOR SEGA GENESIS" is replaced by "FOR SEGA MEGA DRIVE", and lacks the Sega Enterprises license text.
 * On Marvel Land, the logo shines and turns.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on numerous Namco games for the Japanese Sega Mega Drive and the American Sega Genesis, such as Klax, Phelios and Splatterhouse 2.

4th Logo (November 22, 1990)
Logo: On a black background, we see the two copies of the Namcot logo, along with the text "PRESENTS" and "FOR SEGA MEGA DRIVE", slides from the left and from the right. After a few seconds, the logo plays in reverse.

Technique: 2D sprite animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on the Sega Mega Drive game of MegaPanel.

5th Logo (1992)
Logo: On a black background, we see pieces of the Namco logo falling down in 3D. Then, it rotates to reveal the text.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: Several yells and falling sounds, ending with a laugh.

Availability: Seen on Knuckle Heads for the arcades.

6th Logo (1993)
Logo: On a black background, the Namco logo glows in blue. Then the text turns red, and the usual Sega licensing info is shown below.

Variant: On the original Japanese version, the Namcot logo glows instead.

Technique: 2D sprite animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Splatterhouse 3 for Sega Genesis.

7th Logo (1993)
Logo: On a black background, pieces of the Namco logo slide in, and merge into one. The usual Sega licensing info is shown below the logo.

Technique: 2D sprite animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Rolling Thunder 3 for Sega Genesis.

8th Logo (September 21-December 9, 1994; March 31-November 1995)
Logo: On a white background, the letters from the Namco logo move towards the center of the screen and arrange themselves into the logo.

Variant: On the arcade version of Tekken, the logo plays faster and the wordmark shines once it's arranged.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: None, but on the arcade version of Tekken, a synthesized arpeggio plays.

Availability: Rare. Was spotted on the arcade version of Tekken. The Arcade history version of Tekken found on Tekken 5 for PS2 keeps this logo intact. The normal version is unused and it was hidden inside the PS1 version of Tekken disc under the name "NAMCO.STR". Used in tandem with 1st logo.

9th Logo (January 27, 1995-October 30, 1997)
Logo: On a space background, the letters from the Namco logo are seen from behind as they move toward the screen. The camera then shifts towards the front side of the logo as the letters arrange themselves. The space background is then replaced by a black background as the completed logo slowly zooms in and comes to a halt after a few seconds.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: A synthesized, space-like tune plays throughout, along with a whooshing noise when the letters are arranging themselves.

Availability: Seen mostly on early PS1 games produced by the company, like Tekken, Ridge Racer, and the Namco Museum volumes. Used in tandem with 1st logo.

10th Logo (Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere custom variant) (May 27, 1999-March 2, 2000)
Logo: On a black background, the Namco logo appears by a "turning on" effect. The words "PRODUCED BY" then fade in above.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A weird sound resembling a TV turning off, then a held synth note.

Availability: Found only on Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere for the PlayStation.

11th Logo (February 24, 2002-December 14, 2007)
Logo: On a white background, the Namco letters drop down one by one at a quick pace, and continue to bounce for a couple of seconds before coming to a halt. The registered trademark symbol then rolls in and bounces up to the side of the completed logo.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: A happy synth tune playing to the bouncing letters. Rolling and beeping noises from the Registered Trademark symbol are also heard.

Availability: Seen on Curious George, Pac-Man World 2, and Pac-Man World 3, among other games for PS2, GameCube, and Xbox. Used in tandem with 1st logo.