ASC Games

Contents

1st Logo (1992-1993)	2nd Logo (1993-1994)	3rd Logo (1993-1994)	4th Logo (1996)	5th Logo (1996)	6th Logo (1996-1999)

Background

ASC (abbreviated from American Softworks Corporation) is a computer and video game publishing company that was founded in 1992 and soon became the major publisher for games on the NES, SNES and Sega Genesis. Before 1996, the company used its full name, but then switched to the abbreviated brand. ASC was based in Darien, Connecticut until the company closed down in January 7, 2000 due to the financial issues that came with the ongoing delay of their upcoming game, Werewolf: The Apocalypse - The Heart of Gaia, which was in development by BetaSoft Games.

1st Logo (1992-1993)

Visuals: On a black background, there is a parallelogram with the text "ASC" inside the logo.

Variant: An early version, found on The Mutant Virus had the text "ASW" inside on a parallelogram.

Technique: Sprite-based graphics.

Audio: None.

Availability: It was used on their earliest NES games, like Power Punch II, The Trolls in Crazyland and on Skuljagger for SNES.

2nd Logo (1993-1994)

Visuals: On a white or black background, there is a box with the text "ASC" inside. Below it is the text "AMERICAN SOFTWORKS CORPORATION" with squares inside the logo.

Variant: The logo seems to differ game after game.

Technique: Sprite-based graphics.

Audio: None.

Availability: The steel logo appeared on Chavez, the blue-gray logo appeared on Chavez II and the B&W variant was seen on Snow White in Happily Ever After for SNES.

3rd Logo (1993-1994)

Visuals: There are three interconnected orange rhombuses and the name below in the two lines.

Variant: Like the previous logo, it is known that this logo has it's own variant on almost every game.

Technique: Sprite-based graphics.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen mostly on their games from 1994, mostly on PC and SNES, as well as TNN Bass Tournament of Champions for Genesis.

4th Logo (1996)

Visuals: On a purple background, there is a globe with a red circle, with the steel text "ASC" inside, and above it is a red parallelogram with the text "Quality" inside it.

Technique: Sprite-based graphics.

Audio: None.

Availability: It appeared on TNN Outdoors Bass Tournament '96 (which is based on a license from 1993).

5th Logo (1996)

Visuals: On a space background, there is Jupiter zooming in, while two blue and green ovals fly as the sphere turns red. The text "AMERICAN SOFTWORKS CORPORATION" flips in and then a light shines through the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Windy synth sounds.

Availability: Only seen on S.T.O.R.M.

6th Logo (1996-1999)

Visuals: On a starry background, a purple/white galaxy-like vortex emerges at the center and attracts a red sphere and two spinning blue/green oval streaks. The red sphere goes to the center of the streaks (which keeps on spinning) as the vortex disappears. The words "ASC GAMES" stacked on top of each other fades in below as the stars fades out.

Variants:

On Mass Destruction, the logo is simpler, much like the previous one, and already complete. A rocket blows it to parts.
On One, the neon logo is superimposed over the opening credits.
On Animaniacs: Ten Pin Alley, a bowling ball hits the pins standing on the logo, completing it.
On Dead in the Water, the logo swims in the water and a skull appears inside.
On TNN Outdoors Pro Hunter, the arcs are brown-colored with a crosshair inside.
On Sanitarium, the logo is covered in bandages.
A print version exists on the Game Boy Color game of TNN Outdoors Fishing Champ.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Windy sounds mixed with female screaming noises (probably from a roller coaster). When the oval streaks and the sphere flies in, there is a synth note that intensifies to the point where the vortex disappears, whereupon the note jarringly changes to a synth bass note mixed with a cymbal crash when the company name appears, followed by a female announcer whispering the company's name.

Availability: The stock version is hard to find. It appeared on Perfect Weapon, Ten Pin Alley and TNN Motor Sports Hardcore 4x4. The variants are more common, though.