Ocean Software

Background

Ocean Software was a British video game publisher and developer founded in 1983. In 1998, it was bought by Infogrames and became its UK branch. The final game Ocean Software published was GT 64: Championship Edition for Nintendo 64. In 2009, Bandai Namco Entertainment purchased Atari SA's UK assets, including the remains of Ocean Software.

1st Logo (Still variants) (1983-1995)

Logo: On a special background, we see the Ocean logo from the 2nd logo. Either above or below it is the title screen.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Common. Seen on Ocean games like the Game Boy version of Darkman.

2nd Logo (Still variants) (1988-1995)

Logo: On a black background, we see a shiny rounded rectangle with the word "ocean" on it. Sometimes, either "PRESENTS", "LICENSED BY NINTENDO", "LICESNED BY SEGA ENTERPRISES, LTD." or the copyright notice is seen underneath the logo. Also, the logo varies on each pre-1995 Ocean game.

Variants:

The Addams Family for SNES and Genesis has a purple background.
Pushover has the title screen under the logo.
Lethal Weapon, The Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt and Choplifter III: Rescue Survive for SNES has a blue/black gradient background.
Jurassic Park for Amiga and DOS has the island covering the Ocean logo.
Addams Family Values for SNES and Genesis has a graveyard background.
Syndicate and Theme Park for Atari Jaguar has this logo in purple with no rectangle box.
The Flintstones for SNES has a teal background and the Ocean logo carved out of stone. Then, Fred Flintstone enters from the left and yells his catchphrase "Yabba-Dabba-DOO!".

Technique: Depends on the variant.

Music/Sounds: None, or the opening theme of the game. However, on The Addams Family, a tune similar to the THX Deep Note can be heard.

Availability: Common. It can be seen on Ocean games of the era, like The Addams Family and Lethal Weapon, among others. You can also find this logo on the European NES version of Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2.

3rd Logo (McDonaldland variant) (1992-1993)

Logo: Set in the sky, with a huge cloud underneath, we see what looks like a yellow airplane's tail with the word OCEAN' on it. It passes from right to left, leaving what looks like smaller clouds. When the plane leaves, the clouds (15 of them, to be exact) morph into the words "OCEAN PRESENTS..." and we fade out.

Technique: The plane flying to the left and the clouds morphing into "OCEAN PRESENTS...". Impressive 8-bit animation.

Music/Sounds: The buzzing of the plane, and a downward 8-bit synth flourish, which is part of the intro to McDonaldland.

Availability: This was only used on the infamous NES game McDonaldland. This is not present on the NTSC version, titled M.C. Kids; instead, it is replaced by the word "Virgin" in its corporate logo font, as Virgin Games published it in that territory.

4th Logo (1995-1998)

Logo: On a white background, we see the same Ocean logo as the 2nd one, fading in.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on GT 64: Championship Edition, Fighters Destiny, MRC: Multi-Racing Championship for Nintendo 64, and Lucky Luke for PlayStation. It can be also seen on Hexplore in high quality.

5th Logo (1995-1998)

Note: The second video above, had the logo starting at 0:15

Logo: We see the same Ocean logo on a black background, this time with an image of reflecting waves inside. The logo animates in the form of ripply waves, and a dolphin comes in from the left, looking at us and smiling. The dolphin leaves and the logo stops rippling as we fade out.

Later Variant: Starting with Tunnel B1, we see a shark instead of a dolphin across the Ocean logo. Then the shark leaves and we see three dolphins. The second dolphin looks at us, embarrassed. The Ocean logo looks different as well, being brighter. However, some games lack the shark.

Variant: A still version of this logo can be seen on some games.

Technique: All the animation in the logo.

Music/Sounds:

Single dolphin: A mystical synth jingle with high-pitched beeping sounds (a reference to dolphins' ultrasound locator).
Shark/multiple dolphins: An ascending dream soundtrack with a dolphin's locating signal.

Music/Sounds Variants:

Motor Mash had the single dolphin variant with a slightly sped-up version of the multiple dolphin jingle.
On True Pinball, a different soundtrack plays.
On Cheesy, the PAL version of Jersey Devil (PAL version) and the PlayStation version of Break Point Tennis (PlayStation version), a 5-note synth jingle with wailing dolphin sounds is heard. The latter game has a higher-pitched variation.
- If listened to in stereo, the dolphin sounds pan from the left to right speakers, while the synth jingle is center panned.
On Guts'n'Garters in DNA Danger, wave sounds are heard, without any music or Dolphin sounds.
On Power Serve 3D Tennis, the logo is silent.

Availability: Uncommon. Depends on the variant:

The Single Dolphin version appears on Worms, Power Serve 3D Tennis (without music), Sea Legends, True Pinball, Offensive, Motor Mash (with the multi-dolphin track), and the the PAL releases of Jersey Devil, and True Legends.
The Multi-Dolphin version appears on the Sega Saturn version of Tunnel B1, X2, GT Racing '97, and Last Rites.
The Multi-Dolphin Shark version appears on the PS1 version of Tunnel B1 and Guts'n'Garters in DNA Danger.
The still version appears on Sega Saturn versions of True Pinball (one of the first virtual pinball games ever) and Break Point Tennis, the PAL PS1 releases of The Raiden Project and Zero Divide, and the Amiga version of Worms.

6th Logo (1997-1999)

Logo: On a black background, the same Ocean logo, colored blue, zooms out. It pauses for a few seconds, then begins to spin around once, and we fade out.

Variant: In Wetrix, the logo comes out of the water. Then the words "presented by" appear above the logo. The logo then flies away.

Technique: The logo zooming out and spinning.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on the Mission: Impossible video game for the N64 and on Heart of Darkness for PC.

7th Logo (1997-1998)

Logo: We zoom out over the sea surface to a construction site containing "ocean", made of wooden twigs. The background clears down, leaving the sketch logo, which then fills with white and blue color and becomes relieved.

Technique: The logo zooming out and converting to full view.

Music/Sounds:

Total Drivin' - An electric rock sounder.
Viper - Humming followed by jingles.

Availability: Ultra rare. Only appears on Total Drivin/M6 Turbo Racing, and Viper for PlayStation.