PlayFirst

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum



Background

PlayFirst was a video game publisher known for their casual/strategy-based titles, formed in 2004 in Delaware. They are best known for their Diner Dash series of games and spin-offs. In 2010, the company expanded into mobile/online games, and by 2012 ceased production of newer PC and Mac titles. In 2014, the company was acquired by and then quietly absorbed into Glu Mobile.

1st Logo (2005-2013)


Visuals: Over a spotlit blue background, the word "Play", in a cartoony white font outlined in both orange and black, bounces in letter-by-letter. Then, "First", in the same font, slams into the text hard, causing the "P" to jump out of its outline, before it all settles, now reading "PlayFirst". The words "IT'S A" and "GAME" then appear from the top-left and bottom-right corners of the finished product.

Trivia: If one doesn't have Adobe Flash Player installed on one's computer or playing their non-Flash games, either the still version of this logo will appear, or the game will just skip to a logo from another company or the game's title screen instead since this logo was originally an SWF file.

Variants:

  • This logo has both a fullscreen and widescreen version.
  • Versions of PlayFirst games distributed by either GameHouse, RealArcade or Oberon use a still logo, as well as Diner Dash: Flo on the Go and Wedding Dash for the DS.
    • There is also a still version with the words "PRESENTED BY" on top of the logo. This was spotted on copies of Gutterball 3D distributed by them.
  • On Diner Dash for the PSP, the logo (with "IT'S A" and "GAME" intact) is still on a white background.
    • RealArcade and Shockwave's prints of Diner Dash use the same variant, without the additional text.
  • On Diner Dash for the DS, as well as the aforementioned PSP version after the opening logos, the logo consists of just "PlayFirst" at the top of a black background, with copyright info below.
  • Later games have the company's website fade in underneath.

Technique: Flash animation.

Audio: A soft 6-note synth horn/string theme, with a whoosh as "First" appears, and two ascending horn notes as "IT'S A" and "GAME" appear. The "Presented By" variant has the opening theme play over the logo.

Availability: Despite the website no longer existing, it can still be seen on copies from Shockwave and RealArcade. It was seen on casual games of the time such as Diner Dash and its sequels, TriJinx, Plantasia, Pirate Poppers, and Wedding Dash, among others.

2nd Logo (2014)

Visuals: On a white background, a sideways green triangle with a lowercase "p" cut into it appears. Underneath, there is the text "playfirst".

Technique: A still 2D graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: It was seen on Diner Dash for iOS and Android. This was retired after Glu acquired PlayFirst and has since been updated with the Glu logo.

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