Game Freak

Credits

Captures by
SubparMario63 and AlmightyKingPrawn

Editions by
mr3urious, TheLogoChamp, Shadeed A. Kelly, alexmcferren, Flake R, Liwakip, GETENT, TheBigLogoFan2, AlmightyKingPrawn and RSX-798

Game Freak
Founded:	April 26, 1989 (35 years ago)
Founder:	Satoshi Tajiri Ken Sugimori Junichi Masuda
Location:	Japan
Subsidiaries:	Koa Games

Background

Game Freak is a Japanese video game developer, best known as the primary developer of Nintendo's Pokémon series of role-playing video games.

1st Logo (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue/Yellow Version custom variant) (February 27, 1996-June 16, 2000)

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Visuals: On a letterboxed white background, a gray star shoots by from the top right of the screen to the bottom left. The Game Freak logo, which is a blobby black circle with a "G" on it, appears with "GAME FREAK" written below. Stars fall from the logo, and "PRESENTS" appears below.

Variants:

• On Pokémon Yellow Version, the logo is in color. The "G" is gold, while the stars falling from the logo are multi-colored in red, green and blue. This variant can also be seen when Red, Blue, and Yellow are played on a Super Game Boy or in Pokémon Stadium (2)’s GB Tower.
• On international copies of Red, Blue, and Yellow, "PRESENTS" is not seen below due to a localization bug.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: A shooting star sound which sounds similar to the move Metronome in the Pokémon games. The Japanese versions of Pokémon Red and Green have a slightly different sound.

Availability: Can be found on copies of Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version, Pokémon Yellow Version, and Pokémon Green Version (Japan only) for Game Boy, as well as their respective downloadable versions on Nintendo 3DS.

Legacy: This is a very popular logo with fans of Pokémon's first generation. The same can be said about the correspondent logos on every Pokémon generation afterward, as they are all considered powerful forces of nostalgia among the fanbase.

2nd Logo (Click Medic custom variant) (January 28, 1999)

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Visuals: On a black background, the Game Freak logo appears. A gold star falls onto the logo, explodes into little stars and at the same time, "GAME FREAK INC." appears below via a "drop-n-slide" animation letter-by-letter. The black background turns dark blue gradient.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Only known to be seen on Click Medic for PlayStation, which was only released in Japan.

3rd Logo (Pokémon Gold/Silver Version custom variant) (October 14, 1999-April 24, 2002)

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Visuals: On a black (or white if playing on the Super Game Boy 2 and older) background, a gold star spirals into the center of the screen, causing the Game Freak logo from before to appear, only with the "G" gold and the text white. Yellow bubbles float from the logo, and "PRESENTS" in slightly smaller text appears below.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: A high-pitched twinkling sound based on the 1st logo.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version for Game Boy Color, as well as their respective downloadable versions on Nintendo 3DS.

4th Logo (Pokémon Crystal Version custom variant) (December 14, 2000-November 2, 2001)

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Visuals: On a black background, a pink blob drops down from the center of the screen and bounces once, revealing it to be the Pokémon Ditto (known as Metamon in Japan). It then morphs into a dark orange Game Freak logo, and "GAME FREAK" in white appears below, along with "PRESENTS" in slightly smaller text.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: A couple of "thud" sounds, followed by a "morphing" sound, and ending with a short jingle.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon Crystal Version for Game Boy Color, as well as the downloadable version on Nintendo 3DS.

5th Logo (Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Version custom variant) (November 21, 2002-October 21, 2005)

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  Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version

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  Pokémon Emerald Version

Visuals: In a forest, there is a raindrop flowing down a leaf on the top-right. It drops into the water, followed by two more drops dropping down. After the drops are finished, the Game Freak logo in blue fades in, with "GAME FREAK" in white over it with "PRESENTS" below. The screen pans up to the opening to the game.

Variant: A different version is found on Pokémon Emerald Version where the logo appears earlier than usual in a bubble-like fashion instead of a fade. This version also zooms in at the end. The "PRESENTS" does not appear in this version.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: The intro of the game.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon Ruby Version, Pokémon Sapphire Version, and Pokémon Emerald Version for Game Boy Advance.

6th Logo (Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen Version custom variant) (January 29-October 1, 2004)

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Visuals: A similar concept to the 1st logo (fitting, as it is attached to the remake of said logo's game). On a black background, the star is bigger and slower, leaves a star trail to form the Game Freak logo, and the words "GAME FREAK", with "PRESENTS" below, fade in over the "G".

Variant: Version 1.0 releases of the English versions of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen do not have "PRESENTS" due to an localization error. Version 1.1 releases fix this error.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: A warbly 8-bit tune followed by a little quiet, peaceful song. This was composed by longtime Pokémon music composer Gō Ichinose, and included on the release of the FireRed and LeafGreen soundtrack.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon FireRed Version and LeafGreen Version for Game Boy Advance.

7th Logo (Drill Dozer custom variant) (September 22, 2005-February 6, 2006)

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Visuals: On a brick wall, there is the white Game Freak logo. The camera pans to the right and the wall starts to burst, then we briefly see a red drill from the logo of the game zooming in and rotating.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: The opening theme of the game.

Availability: Seen on Drill Dozer for Game Boy Advance as well as the downloadable version on the Wii U Virtual Console.

8th Logo (Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum Version custom variant) (September 28, 2006-July 2, 2009)

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  Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version

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  Pokémon Platinum Version

Visuals: Stars go from the top screen to the bottom, then the Game Freak symbol appears in gold. More stars fall to create the text on the bottom screen saying:

GAME FREAK
.PRESENTS.

Variant: On Pokémon Platinum Version, a small Game Freak symbol appears to the left of the text (which is more spaced out) on the bottom screen. The vertical edges also have a red tint as well.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: A dramatic theme based on the song of the Azure Flute, with 3 notes added to the end that are taken from the Pokémon theme.

Audio Trivia: The Azure Flute was an item in Pokémon Diamond Version, Pearl Version, and Platinum Version intended to be distributed through an event that allowed the player to encounter and catch the Mythical Pokémon Arceus. It was never released, leaving this intro the only place to hear a version of the song without hacking until Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which has the Celestica Flute play the beginning of the same song.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version for Nintendo DS. The variant appears on Pokémon Platinum Version.

9th Logo (Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver Version custom variant) (September 12, 2009-April 2, 2010)

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  Pokémon HeartGold Version

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  Pokémon SoulSilver Version

Visuals: Nearly the same as the Pokemon Platinum variant of the 8th logo, except it cuts to a scene of the ocean with the sun rising. In Pokémon HeartGold Version, it is light out and there are conifer trees growing to the sides, while in Pokémon SoulSilver Version, it is dark out and rocky cliffs are to the sides instead. Then, either Ho-Oh (in HeartGold) or Lugia (in SoulSilver) flies towards the screen and the screen fades to white.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: Bells tolling 3 times, then a dramatic rendition of the Pokémon theme.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version for Nintendo DS.

10th Logo (Pokémon Black/White Version and Pokémon Black/White Version 2 custom variant) (September 18, 2010-October 12, 2012)

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Visuals: On a black background, there is a bluish-white star with a trail. It then crashes into the spotlight, emitting in the cyan-pink cloud, forming the letters "G", "A", "M", "E", "F", "R", "E", "A" and "K". They form "G A M E F R E A K", take place, and then the Game Freak symbol fades in from the left. The symbol then flashes and the words shine. Then the logo fades out.

Technique: 3D sprite animation concepted and animated by Game Freak designer and art director James Turner.

Audio: Ambient humming and futuristic sounds, such as laser sounds and an echoed glass shattering sound when the star explodes, then the ambient humming sound morphs into a choir that abruptly changes to a logo jingle playing in reverse when the logo shines.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon Black Version, Pokémon White Version, Pokémon Black Version 2, and Pokémon White Version 2 for Nintendo DS.

11th Logo (September 5, 2012-July 21, 2015)

Visuals: Just a still shot of the final product of the 10th logo, which fades in and out.

Technique: A still, digital graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on HarmoKnight for Nintendo 3DS and Tembo the Badass Elephant for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

12th Logo (Pokémon X and Y custom variant) (October 12, 2013)

Visuals: Just an in-credits text on the title screen reading:

PRESENTED BY
G A M E F R E A K

The Game Freak symbol is seen on the left as usual.

Technique: A still, sprite-based graphic.

Audio: The title screen music, which is the Pokémon theme.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon X and Y for Nintendo 3DS, at the end of the title screen's animation when the game is left idle; thus it is possible to complete the game without even seeing the logo once.

13th Logo (Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire custom variant) (November 21-28, 2014)

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Visuals: The screen pans across a forest with three Beautifly flying, and we come across the pond from the 5th logo. A Skitty and a Zigzagoon's tails are seen, but then the Pokémon disappear into the bushes. Then, the raindrop flows down to the tip of the leaf in the same manner as before and falls into the pond. Two more drop, with "PRESENTED BY" fading in, followed by "GAME FREAK" and the Game Freak symbol on the left. The camera then pans to Mt. Chimney, fading out as Latios (in Pokémon Omega Ruby)/Latias (in Pokémon Alpha Sapphire) fly toward the mountain, segueing into the game's intro.

Trivia: The pond is featured in-game on the North of Route 103.

Technique: 3D sprite animation.

Audio: A remixed version of the opening theme from the original Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for Nintendo 3DS.

14th Logo (Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon custom variant) (November 18, 2016-November 17, 2017)

Visuals: Similar to the 12th logo, except this time around, the logo appears at the end of the opening cutscene (when Lillie is cornered in Aether Paradise and Cosmog begins to transform into either of the main legendaries, and the camera pans up). Under the logo is text reading:

PRESENTED BY
G A M E F R E A K

The Game Freak symbol is seen on the left as usual.

Technique: 3D in-game animation.

Audio: The background music of the opening cutscene.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon for Nintendo 3DS. Also seen on their updated versions, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon.

15th Logo (November 16, 2018-)

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  Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!

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  Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, Pokémon Legends: Arceus

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  Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet

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  Pokémon Legends: Z-A reveal trailer

Visuals: On a white background, the Game Freak logo with the symbol to the left fades in, along with the words "PRESENTED BY" on top. Everything then fades out of view, segueing into the game's intro.

Variants:

• On Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield for Nintendo Switch, as well as Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the logo is shifted slightly up and has inverted colors. "PRESENTED BY" is justified to the top-left of the Game Freak logo and is in a more modern font.
  • On Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, it's the same as above but the text is black on a white background similar to the variant from Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!.
  • On the reveal trailer for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the logo is white on black again, and is still with no "PRESENTED BY".
• On Little Town Hero, the Game Freak logo fades in first, before "presents" fades in below in a lowercase font. Like the above variant, it uses inverted colors and is on a black background.

Technique: Fading effects.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on games starting from Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! for Nintendo Switch. However, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl use the next logo instead.

16th Logo (Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl custom variant) (November 19, 2021)

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Visuals: On a black screen, copyright information fades in and out. Then, sparkles appear on a black background and start to fall. White text fades in reading:

Developed by
ILCA

The text and sparkles then fade out, and more sparkles appear, followed by more text fading in reading:

Based on original games by
(Game Freak symbol) G A M E F R E A K

which then fades out as well.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: A remastered version of the music from the 8th logo.

Availability: Seen on Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl for Nintendo Switch as a legacy credit despite Game Freak not developing these games.