Saffire Corporation

Background

Saffire Corporation was an American game company, who developed license-based titles. It was founded by Hal Rushton, who had earlier launched Sculptured Software. Saffire went out of business sometime in 2005.

1st Logo (March 15, 1995-March 30, 1998)

Visuals: There are the black words "SAFFIRE" in a spaced out serif font and the words "CORPORATION" on a black box. A sapphire is shown replacing the line of the "A". The logo is surrounded by a purple glow.

Variant: On James Bond 007 for Game Boy, at the end of credits, the logo is greyscale on a white background.

Technique: A still digital graphic or the credit roll for the variant.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Saffire's first titles, including Rampage World Tour, James Bond 007 and They Call Me... The Skul. The former has it only in the corner, and the latter at the end of credits. Unfortunately, this game can hardly be found now.

2nd Logo (April 30, 1998)

Visuals: On a space background, a blue explosion occurs. Debris comes into the starfield, which then creates a silver circular construction in the form of the letter "S", it has the gem attached to the hexagonal basement. The light shines, and the debris disappears. We can see the black words "SAFFIRE" folding in with a blue glow.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Variant: A short version of the logo exists, which starts with the explosion/debris forming the "S", which then rotates, and then the debris then disappears. The text then animates as usual, the light shines and the explosion forms the gem very faster.

Audio: A explosion and a choir theme.

Availability: Seen on Bio F.R.E.A.K.S. for PlayStation.

3rd Logo (May 1998-December 10, 2003)

Visuals: The logo is basically a still artwork version of the 2nd logo, except the "S" design is more silver and darker, and a light shining coming from the "S". The text is white and it was spaced out further.

Variants:

• On Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six for the N64 and Barbarian for PlayStation 2 and Japanese GameCube, the logo is on a space background. Plus "DEVELOPED BY" is above, and the text is in metallic.
• On CyberTiger for the N64, the text is smaller to fit the length of the "S". Plus, just like the Rainbow Six and Barbarian variants, the text is in metallic.
• On Game Boy Color titles, the text is in light blue.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Appears on several games, such as Lego Bionicle, Hot Wheels: Velocity X, The Hobbit and Peter Pan (2003) for Game Boy Advance, the N64 version of CyberTiger and Bio FREAKS for N64 and PC, Xena: Warrior Princess - The Talisman of Fate for N64, and Game Boy Color titles like the European version of The Mask of Zorro, Microsoft Pinball Arcade, Microsoft: The Best of Entertainment Pack and E.T.: Escape from Planet Earth.

4th Logo (December 1, 1998)

Visuals: It's the same animation as the 2nd logo, but this time the debris formed the "S" faster. The debris then disappears, creating the Saffire logo. The words "SAFFIRE" appear first in 3D silver, then it flashes and the text turns 2D. The light then blinks. The end result looks like the previous logo.

Technique: Same as the 2nd logo.

Audio: Sounds of blast and flashing.

Availability: Seen on Animaniacs: Ten Pin Alley for PlayStation.

5th Logo (December 1998-January 2000)

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Visuals: On a black background, there is a simplified version of the Saffire logo, but the text appears to be in solid in the style of the 2nd logo.

Variants:

• Sometimes, it was shared with other logos.
• On Oddworld Adventures, the Saffire logo is solid and the text is in black.
• A monochrome variant appears when playing Oddworld Adventures 2 for the original Game Boy in compatibility mode.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: The normal fullscreen logo appears on Billy Bob's Huntin'-a-Fishin for Game Boy Color. It also appears on Oddworld Adventures for Game Boy, Catz, Dogz, Oddworld Adventures 2 and the U.S. version of The Mask of Zorro for Game Boy Color.

6th Logo (October 31, 1999)

Visuals: On a black background is the "S" logo from the previous logos, but this time in purple with a gold border. The logo rotates, and we see the words "SAFFIRE" in the same font as before.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: The opening theme of the game.

Availability: Seen on Top Gear Rally 2 for Nintendo 64.

7th Logo (October 30, 2000-March 28, 2001)

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Visuals: The action takes place in the nighty outskirts of castle-like building. The camera passes over the attacking gunman to the inert Saffire logo carved on the wall. Blue streak then hits the "S" and activates it into blue, the logo shines and explodes everything around. The blue-lighted space appears with the spinning "S". It becomes white (with a blue gem) and shines.

Variant: On Rogue Spear for PlayStation, a human figure appears, while the logo is animating.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: Hollow ambient sounds, followed by two voices "Saffire" and "Can I play?".

Availability: Seen on two games, which are Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear for PlayStation and Army Men: Sarge's Heroes for Dreamcast. It is also seen on the unfinished PC game Lego Bionicle: The Legend of Mata Nui.

8th Logo (November 17, 2002)

Visuals: On a black background, there is a plain version of the Saffire logo. The text "SAFFIRE" is in a larger font.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Justice League for Game Boy Advance.

9th Logo (May 6, 2004)

Visuals: On a space background is the S logo from before rippling. The words "SAFFIRE" fly in turn and place themselves upon the "S". The logo becomes blue for a moment and wobbles. Then the letters zoom-out.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: None.

Avaiability: Seen on Van Helsing for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

10th Logo (May 6-August 10, 2004)

Visuals: Over a black background is the same Saffire logo from before. The text "SAFFIRE" appears in a different font beneath the "S" rather than from below.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Van Helsing, Thunderbirds and Around the World in 80 Days for Game Boy Advance.