Iguana Entertainment

Background
Iguana Entertainment was a video game developer founded on August 14, 1991 by Jeff Spangenberg (who later founded Retro Studios) in Sunnyvale, California to develop games published by Acclaim Entertainment and Sunsoft Games. In September 1993, it moved to Austin, Texas and became a Texas corporation three months later. At the same time, it acquired Optimus Software, which was renamed into Iguana UK.

The company's first game was Super High Impact for Sega Genesis. Iguana later became known for developing such games as NBA Jam, the NFL Quarterback Club series, the Turok series, the Aero the Acro-Bat series, and South Park games.

In January 1995, Iguana was purchased by Acclaim and became a subsidiary of it. In July 1998, Acclaim fired Jeff Spangenberg from the company and he sued them a few months later. In May 1999, Iguana was taken over by them and turned into Acclaim Studios Austin, intended as a flagship division of their "Acclaim Studios" branding.

1st Logo (1992-1993)
Visuals: On a white background, there is the word "IGUANA" in a sci-fi pixel-like font with lights on its black outline with "ENTERTAINMENT" under it and the "TM" symbol is the top right of the second "A". Suddenly, the "IGUANA" text shines as a rainbow gradient slides inside the text, forming the logo.

Variant: On the SNES tech-demo Jeff's Shoot'Em Up, the logo is still and takes place on a scrolling starfield background. Also, "ENTERTAINMENT" has a white gradient shine.

Technique: 2D sprite-based animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Super High Impact for the Sega Genesis. Also appears on the SNES tech-demo Jeff's Shoot'Em Up.

2nd Logo (August 1, 1993-August 1995)
Visuals: On a background, there is the text from before, but this time, there is an iguana who is wearing sunglasses and hanging on "IGUANA". Plus, "ENTERTAINMENT" has a gradient color.

Trivia: The original version of the logo was painted on canvas by Matt Stubbington.

Variants: There are many different variations of the logo.
 * On the Aero the Acro-Bat games (save for the SNES version of the first game), there are rainbow-colored paint smudges on the bottom half of the background. These smudges are more vivid on the Genesis versions.
 * On NBA Jam and NBA Jam Tournament Edition, a humanoid iguana (with a full human body) is wearing a basketball jersey spinning a basketball with his right hand and is sitting on the "U" of the "IGUANA" text with parts of its body hanging in front between the letters. Plus, he is grinning. Also, there is a drop shadow behind the logo.
 * On the SNES version of the former, the logo is on a basketball floor background with a spotlight effect. Plus, the text is in a 3D style with a brighter outline and the drop shadow is behind the logo but darker, and "ENTERTAINMENT" is in plain white. The "TM" symbol is absent. This version also appears on the beta version of the latter title for SNES.
 * On the Game Gear version of the former, the logo is in the same style as the SNES version, but the background is black, meaning there is no drop shadow behind the logo, "ENTERTAINMENT" is in a light peach color, there is no "TM" symbol and the basketball lands on the iguana's finger once the logo fully fades in. Plus, the logo flashes into white after a couple of seconds.
 * On the Game Gear version of the latter, it's in the SNES style, but it's on a white background, the shadow is not there and "ENTERTAINMENT" is dark green.
 * On Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel, the iguana is wearing a pink ninja bandana and he's holding a shuriken. Also, there are paint smudges on the bottom half of the background.
 * On the Genesis version of Pirates of Dark Water, the iguana is wearing a pirate hat, an eye patch instead of sunglasses, has a sword on his left hand and hook on the text. Also, he is grinning. Plus, if you enter the Level Select code, the background will turn.
 * On the SNES version of Side Pocket, the iguana is holding a pool stick, with the pool stick sharpener on the "G". Also, he is grinning and there are paint smudges on the bottom half of the background. Plus, the logo appears via a pixelized transition.
 * On NFL Quarterback Club, there is the artwork version of the CGI iguana facing right, hanging on the CGI text with slimy and icky colored stuff under it, with "ENTERTAINMENT" in black. On the Genesis version, the text part of the logo is in its 2D style like in the standard version. Plus, the slimy and icky colored stuff is absent.

Technique: None.

Audio: None.

Audio Variants:
 * On the Aero the Acro-Bat games, the game's title music is heard.
 * On the SNES version of Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel, the game's opening theme is heard.
 * On the SNES version of Side Pocket, there is a fast 6-note jingle followed by a pool stick hit sound as the logo fades out.

Availability: Seen on Iguana games from the era.

3rd Logo (September 4, 1995-May 3, 1999)
Visuals: There is the iguana with sunglasses peeking its head out and looking to the left. It zooms out to reveal that he's hanging on the rainbow gradient colored "IGUANA" text with "ENTERTAINMENT" underneath with a spotlight effect done in CGI as he looks to the right. When he looks back to the left and taps his fingers, the latter word shines as it stops into its normal position. The "TM" symbol is not there.

Trivia: The still version is the 3D variant of the previous logo and was done by Cyrus Lum.

Variants: Like the last logo, there are many different variations of the logo.
 * On the Sega Saturn version of College Slam, the standard logo is much smaller.
 * There is a still artwork version of the logo where it has the light shine on the top of the second "A" while "ENTERTAINMENT" has a - texture on it. On the Genesis version, the background is white. On the SNES version, the background is black and "ENTERTAINMENT" has a spotlight effect on it. Also, the "TM" symbol is present on the top right of the second "A".
 * On the 32X versions of NFL Quarterback Club and NBA Jam Tournament Edition, the still logo is on an iguana skin background. Also, the "TM" symbol is present on the top right of the second "A". On the latter, the logo appears via a wipe transition from the Acclaim logo.
 * On PlayStation, Saturn, and PC versions of Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball, the logo is stretched into letterbox view. Also, when the word "ENTERTAINMENT" shines, it fades into the opening shot of the game.
 * On PlayStation and Saturn versions of NBA Jam Tournament Edition, as well as the PC versions of College Slam, and Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball (if the game runs without videos), the still logo is on a light blue- sky background with a close-up of the iguana's eye under the logo with the "TM" symbol present. It also zooms in after a couple of seconds on the PS version of the former title. On the latter titles, there is sunlight above on the sky background.
 * On Batman Forever: The Arcade Game, it's on the same background from the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment logo. Plus, an "®" replaces the "TM" symbol and it's in light blue.
 * On WWF War Zone, the logo glows as it fades into the logo and it's on a steel plate during the game's opening intro. Plus, "ENTERTAINMENT" is in plain  without a texture. Also, the "®" symbol is seen on the top right of the second "A". On the Nintendo 64 version, the logo doesn't glow when it appears.
 * On All-Star Baseball 2000, the logo is superimposed on the opening intro of the game without the iguana. Also, the "TM" symbol is not present.
 * On a PlayStation prototype version of WWF Attitude, the logo is on a steel background with the 1999 Acclaim Sports logo underneath it in . This was replaced with a normal Acclaim Sports logo on the final product when Iguana SLC became Acclaim Studios Salt Lake City.
 * There exists a variant intended for Shadow Man, but was scrapped due to the game being developed the same time that Iguana UK became Acclaim Studios Teesside. The iguana, without his glasses, looks around a wasteland, with a ruined citadel behind him, when he sees a monster running and he chases after it, eating it whole. The camera flies past the text afterwards.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A synth tune with the sounds of the iguana growling and the shining, ending with a three note synth choir.

Audio Variants:
 * The game's title theme or silence for the still variants.
 * Sometimes, the game's background music is used for other variants.
 * On the Shadow Man variant, a dismal synth tune is heard.

Availability:
 * The standard animated variant was only used for the logo's first two years and has appeared on NFL Quarterback Club 96 for Sega Saturn and PC, and College Slam and Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball for PlayStation, Saturn, and PC.
 * The still variants appear on Iguana games for SNES, Genesis and Sega 32X, and NBA Jam Tournament Edition for PlayStation, Saturn and PC.
 * The WWF variant was only seen on WWF War Zone for PlayStation and Nintendo 64.
 * The Batman variant appears on Batman Forever: The Arcade Game for PlayStation, Saturn, and PC.
 * The Shadow Man variant can found inside the files of the PC version of said game.