Nickelodeon Home Media Opening IDs

Background
The page describes the opening IDs Nickelodeon used on their VHS releases. Starting in 1996, when distribution of Nickelodeon videos switched from Sony Wonder to Paramount Home Video (which Viacom acquired two years later), Nickelodeon alternated between using their station IDs and their first home video ID before ultimately settling with the latter. Since 2009, the 2009 Nickelodeon Productions logo is used as a de-facto home video logo.

1st ID (August 31, 1993-October 5, 1999)


Nickname: "Montage"

Logo: First, the barbershop singers from the "Easy Groove" ID singing the familiar Nickelodeon theme on the bottom-left of the screen, behind the parrot from the "Dog and Parrot" ID, who caws out the Nickelodeon logo in the form of a speech bubble. Then, the monster from the "Flying TV Monster" ID flies into the screen, and the television on it switches to a background with a white floor and the Nickelodeon logo as its wall. Several characters from Nickelodeon IDs walk across it, including the "Blobman", the "Doo-Wop Dinosaurs", the "Frog" and several others. The DJ from the 1987 "Top of the Hour" bumper appears, holding three tube sticks on them, and hits them onto the screen, transitioning us to another scene where the barbershop singers perform against an orange-tinted clip of the "Take 50" bumper as more Nickelodeon ID characters move around in the background and foreground. The fish from "Top of the Hour" bumper appear. Several transitions bring us to several edited versions of Nickelodeon IDs, such as the "Anteater" and "Brew" bumpers against a "Top of the Hour" background (should've been shot in black-and-white), and the "T-Rex" roaring against the "Better Off by Far" bumper, a dish lid opens a viking singing and two dogs are riding bumper cars. Finally, the barbershop singers appear again as the Nickelodeon logo (in its form seen on, for example, Wild and Crazy Kids), in CGI, but the "Take 50" bumper is also shot in black-and-white and rotating from left to right as its design moves, appears above them. Finally, the logo ends with a television switch-off effect.

Variant: A shortened version of the ID, beginning when the barbershop singers appear near the end, was used on Sony Wonder releases to close out the tape.

FX/SFX: A mixture of various animation styles of the various IDs used, including hand-drawn animation, claymation, and CGI.

Music/Sounds: A funky Madchester-esque remix of the 1985 "Top of the Hour" theme, mixed with various sounds of the IDs.

Availability: Common.
 * Seen on most Nickelodeon releases from the era released by Sony Wonder and Paramount Home Video, and was also used on several international releases as well.
 * However, some videotapes, like the Paramount reprints of the Rugrats Sony Wonder tapes used one of the Nickelodeon station IDs from the time.
 * It was first seen on the original Sony Wonder releases of Rugrats and Doug and was last seen on Rugrats: Make Room for Dil.
 * It also appears on the 1995 Sony Wonder LaserDisc The Ren and Stimpy Show: The Essential Collection - Classics I & II.
 * The ID rarely appeared on KaBlam! 3-D.

Editor's Note: Some have explained the logo scared them when they were younger due to the large amounts of animation going on, as well as the switch-off effect. However, only a few people who have mentioned the ID. For the most part, it is a very good choice of many as it seems to be emblematic of Nickelodeon's visual style during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

2nd ID (1996-2002)


Nickname: "One World, One Nickelodeon"

Logo: On a Earth background, we see different children from around the world to speak (in languages) about. Throughout the logo, they interact with a spinning orange ball reading "NICKELODEON". At the end, a girl throws it towards the screen and it bounces back to the center.

FX/SFX: A mixture of live-action and CGI.

Music/Sounds: A multicultural beat with various sound effects, including a honk when the Nickelodeon ball is thrown up to the screen and bounces back.

Music/Sounds Variant: There is also a rare PAL high-pitched version, which can be seen on the UK VHS release of Rugrats: Angelica Knows Best.

Availability: Uncommon.
 * Seen on Nickelodeon videotapes released internationally by CIC Video and later Paramount Home Video, such as several Rugrats tapes from the UK and the Australian VHS releases of Blue's Clues: Arts & Crafts and The Ren and Stimpy Show: Incredibly Stupid Stories.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd ID (January 11, 2000-January 28, 2003, 2013)


Nicknames: "Maze", "The Nostalgic Maze", "The Green Labyrinth"

Logo: On a white background, we see a young Caucasian boy and an older African-American girl appear in a static-like format (similar to when you turn on an old-school CRT television set). They spin around a bit, and then are "teleported" to a giant maze with grassy structures. A set of video controls (from left to right, pause, rewind, stop, play, fast forward) is shown at the bottom left corner of the screen as the kids run through the maze (as play is activated) until we go through a video game-like screen of a maze with orange squares (portals) and two small white squares (the kids), going into the center portal. The kids teleport into a different part of the maze while the camera pans at different angles. An orange butterfly then flutters near the kids (followed by several more) until they begin running through the maze again (as well as another video game-like screen of a maze with the kids going into the center portal, teleporting them once again). We then cut to the kids jumping on an orange flower at different perspectives, then cutting to the kids running through the maze once again being followed by and chasing an orange sphere until they reach a dead end, in which we then cut to them running and reaching the end of the case with the orange sphere following them. Finally, we cut to the kids facing the sphere on a white background. The camera zooms in while the Nickelodeon text appears and the same video controls from before appear and flicker until just the play button shows.

FX/SFX: A very good mixture of the live-action kids and the CGI effects.

Music/Sounds: A techno tune with a guitar section and some female vocalizing near the climax. There are also various sound effects heard throughout, including laughing near the opening, birds and cicadas chirping, and some boinging/beeping as the play button flickers at the end.

Availability: Just as common as the first bumper.
 * Seen on Nickelodeon videotapes from the era, including later Rugrats tapes as well as the first few SpongeBob SquarePants VHS releases.
 * It was introduced on Rugrats: I Think I Like You and made its last regular appearance on Rugrats: Mysteries.
 * Strangely, this logo, alongside the 1995 Paramount Pictures logo, also appears on the 2013 It's a SpongeBob Christmas Blu-ray release if you select either the first episode or "Play All" on the bonus episodes (which were the same episodes from the Nautical Nonsense and Sponge Buddies releases), as those episodes used the same video master as their respective VHS releases. This is cut on the DVD version as the correct master is used.
 * It was also used as a station ID.

Editor's Note: The biggest-pick ID of many for its unique effects and impressive CGI. It's also a very good choice among design fans due to its embrace of the Y2K aesthetic of the time. However, a few might not be happy with the length, as it is 1 minute long & others weren't close to being the length, especially with it's successors & predecessors.

3rd ID (March 12-September 24, 2002)


Nicknames: "The Oval", "Nickelodeon Oval", "The Dull Orange Oval"

Logo: Over a black background, an oval-shaped, 2D Nickelodeon logo is seen.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare.
 * It was only seen on the first two Nickelodeon DVDs: Rugrats: Decade in Diapers and SpongeBob SquarePants: Nautical Nonsense & Sponge Buddies.

Editor's Note: It has less effort than many other logos on the page, but it may be due to it being a placeholder.

4th ID (August 27, 2002-September 30, 2003)


Nickname: "Nickelodeon Robot"

Logo: On a black background, a robot-shaped 3D Nick logo is seen in the top right corner, moving down as it turns it's head towards the screen and waves at us. It then realizes it'll soon crash, and then swerves to the right before swerving back to the left and then finally rests in the center, arms on it's waist.

FX/SFX: The robot moving.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare.
 * Only appears on the SpongeBob SquarePants: Halloween and Nicktoons Christmas DVDs. The VHS versions have the regular Fish logo.

Editor's Note: None.

5th ID (January 28, 2003-August 31, 2004, 2011)


Nickname: "Nickelodeon Top"

Logo: On a black background, a top-shaped 3D Nickelodeon logo is seen spinning towards the screen, bouncing about before it stands still.

FX/SFX: The top spinning.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Fairly rare.
 * Only seen on four Rugrats DVD releases: Mysteries, Saves the Day, Halloween and Turkey & Mistletoe, and makes a surprise appearance on the 2011 reprint of the first title, which was released on September 20, 2011, while the others use the 2009 Nickelodeon Productions logo on their reprints.

Editor's Note: None.

6th ID (2003-2005)


Nicknames: "Nickelodeon Rocket", "The Jimmy Neutron DVD/VHS Logo", "The Jimmy Neutron Logo", "The Rocket"

Logo: On a black background, a rocket-shaped 3D Nickelodeon logo is seen flying across the screen. It first goes from bottom right to top left, then top right to bottom left, and then swerves into the center. Blue flames can also be seen coming out of it.

FX/SFX: The rocket flying around.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare.
 * Can be found on all VHS and DVD releases of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.
 * It also appeared on the DVD release of Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 1, and a few DVD releases of Rocket Power and All Grown Up.

Editor's Note: None.

7th ID (2002-March 30, 2010)


Nicknames: "Nickelodeon Fish" "The SpongeBob Logo" "Nick Jr Frogs' Replacement"

Logo: We start off as a black background. Then an Orange 3D fish-shaped Nickelodeon logo is seen swimming around, turning directions twice before stopping in the front of the screen for a couple of seconds. As the fish swims, blue bubbles are seen coming out of the said fish.

FX/SFX: The fish swimming & the bubbles, which are all made in 2000s CGI.

Music/Sounds: None.

Music/Sounds Variant: On the VHS of The Fairly OddParents: Channel Chasers and the DVD of SpongeBob SquarePantsː Season 3, bubble noises are heard.

Availability: Common, since it was used for eight years.
 * With the exception of a few releases, this is seen on virtually every Nickelodeon DVD release from this time, including the majority of SpongeBob SquarePants releases through the era including the first five seasons and the first volume of season 6, DVDs of Avatar: The Last Airbender, as well as many other shows, and later Nick Jr. releases.
 * Also seen on some VHS releases at the time, as most have other logos (mostly one-offs) being present.
 * It makes a surprise appearance on several 2010 DVDs released after the 2009 rebrand (even when the packaging and most of them include the new logo), including Nickelodeon: We Love Our Friends, released on January 5, 2010, SpongeBob SquarePants: Viking-Sized Adventures, released on January 26, 2010, and made its final appearance as a whole on the DVD release of iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx, released on March 30, 2010.

Editor's Note: The most common opening ID on this page. It is fondly remembered by many.

8th ID (2003-2005)


Nickname: "Nickelodeon Flower"

Logo: On a black background, a frisbee-shaped 3D Nickelodeon logo is seen zooming in and turning towards the screen before blooming its petals.

FX/SFX: The flower blooming.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare.
 * Only appears on some VHS releases of As Told By Ginger and The Amanda Show. The regular Fish logo appears on the DVD releases.

Editor's Note: None.

9th ID (July 15, 2003)


Nicknames: "Nickelodeon Slime", "The Wiggling Slime"

Logo: On a black background, a moving orange splat appears before swooping over to the center of the screen, showing that it's an orange slime 3D Nickelodeon logo (which looks more like a cloud) wiggling its edges.

FX/SFX: The slime spinning.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare, compared to being a closing logo.
 * This only appears on one release - the VHS version of The Fairly OddParents: Abra-Catastrophe! The Movie. Once again, the DVD release of it just features the regular fish logo.

Editor's Note: A sadly wasted effort that makes only one appearance.

10th ID (August 26, 2003)


Nickname: "Nickelodeon Eye" "The Creepy Eye"

Logo: On a background, a set of 3D orange eyes bounce around, all having "NICK" inside the pupil. One of them comes to the screen and starts blinking.

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare.
 * Only seen on the Nicktoons Halloween DVD.

Editor's Note: The shape looks weird to some, and can be classified as creepy.

11th ID (2004-July 25, 2006)


Nickname: "Nickelodeon Crown", "The Crown"

Logo: On a black background, a 3D crown Nickelodeon logo is seen rolling on its side before it collapses down to its bottom.

FX/SFX: The crown spinning.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare.
 * Can be found on the VHS version of SpongeBob SquarePants: Lost in Time (the DVD version has the regular Fish logo), which is also the final SpongeBob SquarePants VHS released.
 * Also appears on some Fairly Odd Parents VHS and DVD releases (the Fish logo is used otherwise), some All Grown Up! VHS releases (which use the Rocket or the Fish on the DVD counterparts) and the DVD releases of Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 2 and 3.

Editor's Note: None.

12th ID (2004-2005)


Nicknames: "The Flying Carpet", "Nickelodeon Carpet" "Nickelodeon's Aladdin" "If Aladdin was bought by Nickelodeon"

Logo: On a black background, an orange carpet with the Nickelodeon logo on it flies across the screen before stopping in the center. The carpet waves a bit before fading out.

FX/SFX: The carpet moving.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Originally used as a station ID.
 * It only appeared the VHS release of The Fairly OddParents: Superhero Spectacle. Yet again, the regular fish logo is on the DVD.

Editor's Note: None.

13th ID (2005?)


Nicknames: "Nickelodeon Worm", "The Crawling Worm" "Nickelodeon Slug"

Logo: Same as the closing version, but without any copyright info.

FX/SFX: The worm moving.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. This was not used in the US and Canada.
 * Only appears on the region 4 DVD release of The Wild Thornberrys: Heroes of the Animal Kingdom. Other prints just have the Fish logo.

Editor's Note: None.

Final Note
Since the 2009 rebrand (with some exceptions), the 2009 Nickelodeon Productions logo (but without the word "Productions" and the copyright info) is used as a de-facto home video logo, despite that logo being replaced in 2017.