Camelot Software Planning

Background

Camelot Software Planning is a Japanese game developer founded in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo on April 4, 1994 by Shugo Takahashi, who had worked at Shining Force developer Sonic! Software Planning, owned by his brother Hiroyuki Takahashi. Early on, Camelot would work with Sonic, who would be absorbed by them in 1998. Camelot would become a Nintendo affiliate the same year after the failure and subsequent discontinuation of Sega's Saturn hardware, becoming an exclusive supporter of their hardware, being known for the Golden Sun series, in addition to Mario Golf and Mario Tennis, sports spinoffs of Nintendo's Super Mario franchise.

1st Logo (November 3, 1995)

Visuals: On a white background, there is a yellow-orange gradient ribbon which forms the word CAMELOT, with a thin black border. The text Software Planning in black Windsor font is scanned in via a stripe effect, with two lines on either side.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Beyond The Beyond on PlayStation.

2nd Logo (July 17, 1997)

Visuals: On a starfield background, there is a sudden supernova occur, which then dies down to reveal a silver object which spins toward the camera, revealing the Camelot ribbon from before, this time recreated in CGI and in chrome. The screen then pans to the right as the logo continues to spin and stops abruptly, shining once with a lens flare moving over the top. The ribbon then fades out, with the starfield not too long after.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A drawn-out, calming 3-note synth fanfare, with two drum hits at the end, coupled with a phasing sound as the supernova appears and a sparkling sound when the ribbon shines.

Availability: Seen on Hot Shots Golf (Everybody's Golf in Europe and Japan) for PlayStation.

3rd Logo (June 11, 1999-November 1, 2000)

Visuals: Over a black background is the yellow text CAMELOT in Verona, with SOFTWARE PLANNING in black below. Everything is contained within a white outline.

Variant: On the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Tennis, the colors are slightly dulled out, and a registered trademark symbol (®) can be seen next to the logo.

Technique: A still sprite-based graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on both the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color versions of Mario Golf and Mario Tennis.

4th Logo (May 11, 2001-)

Visuals: Over a black background, the logo starts with the text CAMELOT in a stylized yellow font, with SOFTWARE PLANNING below in a more standard white font. Above is an abstract castle design, with three slanted gray-sky blue gradient towers with light green roofs and spires. The middle tower has a red flag on top, while the two beside it have smaller, yellow flags. The flags wave.

Variants:

Sometimes, the logo has a registered trademark symbol (®) next to the CAMELOT text.
Sometimes, the logo is still with static flags.
On Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Power Tennis is Waluigi (voiced by Charles Martinet) spring upside-down out of a white hole, holding a brown sign with the Camelot logo on it. He says Camelot, heh heh heh!.
On We Love Golf, the logo is solid white with dual blue and yellow outlines.
On Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, the logo is still and light gray on a white background.

Technique: Sprite animation.

Audio: None.

Audio Variants:

On the Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour/Mario Power Tennis variant, a clicking sound followed by Waluigi's dialogue. This audio can also be heard on the Game Boy Advance games Mario Golf: Advance Tour and Mario Tennis: Power Tour, albeit those use the standard Camelot logo.

Availability: Seen on Camelot's games since the Japan-only Mobile Golf on Game Boy Color. Many of the studio's games after Golden Sun: Dark Dawn have forgone using it as an opening logo, having an in-credit notice instead.