Bizarre Creations

Logo descriptions, captures, and editions by CuriousGeorge60

Video captures courtesy of Filburtlogos60, oafear79, EnormousRat, and others

Background: Bizarre Creations was a game developer based in the North-West of England, that was originally founded in 1988 by Martyn Chudley as "Raising Hell Software". Developing titles initially for the 8-bit and 16-bit computer market, including The Killing Game Show for the Amiga and Atari ST and was later released for the Sega Megadrive (known as "Genesis" in the US) as Fatal Rewind. At the time, Sega pressured them over the use of "Hell", so the company went nameless for a while. During that time, the company developed Wiz 'n Liz for the Sega Megadrive ("Genesis" in the US) and later for the Amiga. In 1994, a submission from Psygnosis suggested the company to change its name. The founder initially put "Weird Concepts" on a submission documentation. Then a staff member used Microsoft Word's thesaurus and as a result, it was renamed into its then-current name. The company's first title under its then-current name was Formula 1 for PlayStation, which was the top-selling game in Europe. On September 26, 2007, it was acquired by Activision. It was best known for the Project Gotham Racing series (the spiritual successor to Metropolis Street Racer for Dreamcast), Fur Fighters (and it's PS2 remake, Fur Fighters: Viggo's Revenge), Geometry Wars (which was first seen as a hidden game in PGR2), Blur, and recently, James Bond 007: Blood Stone. In November 2010, Activision regards the future of the studio to be bought by another company. On January 20, 2011, since Activision couldn't find another publisher to buy the company, it announced that it would be closing the studio and was confirmed on February 18, 2011.

Raising Hell Software

(1990)

Logo: We see "RAiSiNG HELL" in some kind of stylish-font with two "i"'s having a dot above them. It has the bright blue outline and has a emboss-like texture on it. Above and below the logo are the words, "A" and "PRODUCTION" respectively which, also has the emboss-like texture on them as well.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the game.

Availability: Only appears on The Killing Game Show for Amiga and Atari ST. It doesn't appear on the Genesis version as Fatal Rewind.

Editor's Note: None.

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Bizarre Creations

1st Logo

(September 1, 1996-2002)

Nicknames: "The Flying Pumpkin Man", "Bizarre Pumpkin Man"

Logo: We see a purple person with a pumpkin as his face with his eyes glowing purple, wearing a silver armor, wearing brown boots on his feet, has green hands and has bat-like wings (Who is a flying pumpkin man), flying over the purple planet with his shadow on it. Over the planet is the word "BIZARRe" with the stylized-texture inside with a yellow outline in a strange font with spikes on left and right sides of it respectively and has it's shadow on the planet as well. Below the planet is the word "• CREATIONS •" in another strange font with dots on the left and right of it respectively.

Variants:

Since 1999, there is a later variant where "BIZARRe" is on the middle of the planet and the flying pumpkin man is at the very top of the planet and angled right a little. Plus, "• CREATIONS •" is on the planet instead of under the planet and is white. Plus, the text has shadows behind them respectively. Also sometimes, the "TM" symbol is added.

On Formula 1, the logo appears on the opening intro background. On the later UK PlayStation version and the PC version of said title, "BIZARRe" has a spotlight-like effect and "• CREATIONS •" is a bit smaller. On the USA, Japan and early UK PlayStation versions of said title, the planet has a very different texture and it has red eyes. Also, the shadow parts of the pumpkin man and "BIZARRe" are absent. Plus, "• CREATIONS •" is very small.

At the end of the Formula 1 demo (Found on Interactive CD Sampler Vol. 3 for PlayStation), the standard variant, is seen on the left along with the 1996 Psygnosis logo (see here) on the right. Plus, "• CREATIONS •" is a bit smaller and "BIZARRe" has a spotlight-like effect. Above and below the logos are "A Bizarre Creations Production" and "Published by Psygnosis" in a Franklin Gothic Bold Italic font respectively. This also appears on the PC demo version of said title as well, but "• CREATIONS •" is in a normal size and "BIZARRe" is normal.

On Formula 1 Championship Edition (AKA Formula 1 '97 in the UK) during the game's intro, "a" in a lowercase Palladio font, appears zooming out while the words, "BIZARRE CREATIONS" with the dots between the name in the circle text wrap effect appears zooming in one-by-one like in the Psygnosis logo. As the text fades out, the standard logo variant fades in zooming back on the game's opening intro background and the word, "production" appears spaced and stretched below the logo. Plus, "• CREATIONS •" has the white emboss outline around it and is a bit smaller.

There is another variant that appears on Formula 1 Championship Edition (AKA Formula 1 '97 in the UK) before the game's demo. The standard variant is on the white background with it's shadow behind it on the left, along with the 1996 Psygnosis logo (see here) on the right, which also has it's shadow behind it. Plus, the screen wipes in from the top to reveal the logos. On the Japan version, the Psygnosis logo is omitted leaving only the logo.

On Fur Fighters and it's enhanced PS2 remake, Fur Fighters Viggo's Revenge, the standard variant is on a white background with it's shadow behind the logo and "• CREATIONS •" is black. The "TM" symbol is added in the Dreamcast and PS2 versions.

On Metropolis Street Racer and Project Gotham Racing, the words, "A Bizarre Creations Game" are below the later variant of the logo. In the latter case, the logo is a smaller and the text is a bit bigger and in a different font.

On a Rolling Demo version of Metropolis Street Racer (found on Dream On Collection Vol. 2 for Sega Dreamcast), the later variant of the logo is on a white background with it's shadow behind it. Under it is "A BIZARRE CREATIONS GAME".

Trivia: The original version of the logo seen on the USA, Japan and early UK PlayStation versions of Formula 1, was designed by Rodney Matthews, who also did the 1994 Traveller's Tales logo (see here).

FX/SFX: Depends on the game, but usually none.

Music/Sounds: Silent or the opening theme of the game.

Availability: First appeared on Formula 1 for PlayStation and is also on the PC version as well. It also appears on other Bizarre games through the era such as Fur Fighters (known as Fur Fighters: Viggo's Revenge for PS2), and Metropolis Street Racer for Sega Dreamcast (the former title is also on PC as well), and Project Gotham Racing for Xbox.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo

(2002-November 17, 2003)

Nicknames: "The Flying Pumpkin Man II", "CGI Flying Pumpkin Man", "The Tilting Text", "Bizarre Pumpkin Man II", "CGI Bizarre Pumpkin Man"

Logo: On the purple starfield background, we see the CGI pink planet (which looks like Mars, but in a pink tone), rotating with "BIZARRe" and "• CREATIONS •" in their same styled respective fonts from before, over the planet with the "TM" symbol intact. Then the flying pumpkin man from the first logo (This time, his eyes doesn't glow purple and are plain black and his shoes are yellow instead of brown), appears from the top-right flapping his wings, looking at the logo. Then he flies to the left looking in front of the logo and he goes to the top-left area. As he reaches there, he flaps his wings faster making him land and stepping on the "BIZARRe" text. Then the text moves down tilting that causes him to be wobbly for a second. Then the "BIZARRe" text stops tilting and he stands still Then he turns to the right at the text, itching his head. Then he turns back to us and forgets about it. Then he jumps off the text causing it to tilt again while he dives off the text and down through the bottom-right. Two seconds later, he flies through the screen making the transition into a black screen.

Trivia: This is actually a 3D variant of the later variant of the first logo. The logo was modeled, animated, rendered and composited in Softimage by Jeff Powell, who was also the lead animator on Fur Fighters.

Variants:

On Project Gotham Racing 2, the background is plain black and the Mars texture is different and is a bit brighter. Plus, when the pumpkin man flies through the screen at the end, he makes a transition wipe into a 3rd logo (see below).

On the Game Boy Advance version of Disney's Treasure Planet, there is a still version of the logo where it shows him in the forgetting about pose and he's already standing on "BIZARRe". Plus, the "TM" symbol is gone.

FX/SFX: The CGI animation of the pumpkin man flying, the text tilting and the planet rotating.

Music/Sounds: A low windy sound with the sounds of flapping and tilting, which were done by the people at the company. On the still variant, it's silent.

Availability: Appears on Disney's Treasure Planet for PS2. The black background variant (along with the 3rd logo) appears on Project Gotham Racing 2 for Xbox. The still variant appears on Disney's Treasure Planet for Game Boy Advance.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo

(November 17, 2003-2009)

Nicknames: "The Pumpkin Head", "Bizarre Pumpkin Head"

Logo: On a black background, we see a white abstract picture of the pumpkin head, on a black square with a white outline. Under it is "BIZARRE CREATIONS" stacked in the Arial Bold font.

Variants:

The later years of this logo since 2006, has the glass button effect on the black square shape and the pumpkin head. Plus, the "TM" symbol was added next to the top-right of the logo.

On Project Gotham Racing 3, it's on the ground with some cars driving through it during the game's intro. Plus, it looks grungy.

Sometimes, it appears on a white background. On Project Gotham Racing 4, a red Ford GT drives through the logo on the ground during the game's intro.

On The Club, the words, "A" and "PRODUCTION" are above and below the logo respectively.

On Geometry Wars Retro Evolved, the logo is in a green tone and has the TV-like effect. Plus, "BIZARRE CREATIONS" is in the future-styled font and are not stacked. Under the logo is an ESRB Notice.

On Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2, the logo is once again, in a green tone tone and has the TV-like effect like in the GWRE variant. This time, it also has the green glow effect as well. Plus, "BIZARRE CREATIONS" are in stacked words like in the standard variant and in the similar font as the GWRE variant. Like before, the ESRB Notice is under the logo. Also, the logo appears from the stretch warp effect. On the trailer for the said game, the ESRB Notice is not there.

FX/SFX: Depends on the game, but usually none.

Music/Sounds: Silent or the opening theme of the game. On Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2, it's the the sound effect that plays when you start a new game in the Geometry Wars games.

Availability: First appeared on Project Gotham Racing 2 for Xbox at the end of the 2nd logo (see above). It also appears on other Bizarre games such as Project Gotham Racing 3 and 4 for Xbox 360, The Club for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, and Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 1 and 2 for Xbox Live Arcade.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo

(2009-May 25, 2010)

Nicknames: "The Pumpkin Head II", "Bizarre Pumpkin Head II", "The Line-Drawn Logo"

Logo: On a black background, a light brown line and a green line fly in from the left and right sides of the screen respectively and start drawing the previous logo (the green line draws the pumpkin head and the light brown line draws the square outline). Once the lines finish drawing the logo, a "TM" symbol appears next to the top-right of the logo, the logo turns white, and the words "BIZARRE CREATIONS", in the same font as the 3rd logo, appear below.

FX/SFX: The lines flying in and drawing the logo, the logo turning white, and the appearance of the trademark symbol and company name.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Was seen on trailers for Blur and in the game itself.

Editor's Note: None.

5th Logo

(2010)

Nicknames: "The Pumpkin Head III", "Bizarre Pumpkin Head III", "The Line-Drawn Logo II", "The Swirly Line-Drawn Logo", "The James Bond Logo"

Logo: Against a black background with a red spotlight, we see eight metal swirly lines, drawing in, drawing the pumpkin head in the similar style from before and then the red blood color fills inside the pumpkin head. Then the white color along with the square wipes in and fills the pumpkin head as the red spotlight fades out. Then the glass button effect from the 3rd logo, wipes in on the logo and two white lines appear through the blur-like wipe from the left and right respectively and wipes down to reveal the words, "BIZARRE CREATIONS" in the similar font from the 3rd and 4th logos and the "TM" symbol appears next to the top-right of the logo.

FX/SFX: The lines flying in via swirling and the drawing of the logo from before, the text appearing.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Appears on James Bond 007: Blood Stone for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Editor's Note: None.