Bullet-Proof Software

Credits

Descriptions by
SnowflakesOmega

Captures by
SnowflakesOmega and Camenati

Editions by
RSX-798

Video captures courtesy of
bea!!, Retro Video Game Logo Project, Random Guy Productions and Daniel Frank

Background

Bullet-Proof Software is a Japanese video game company founded in 1980 in Japan. Although the company started releasing their games on computer systems such as the Sharp X1, FM-7, PC-8801, and the MSX, the company later got popularity for the making of famous titles. Tetris was released in 1989 on Nintendo systems, giving widespread success on the game market, especially on the Game Boy, for its gameplay concept and soundtrack. Another famous title from the company is the SNES Yoshi's Cookie, a co-operation with Nintendo. The company would then go on to keep making SNES games, distribute LucasArts games on Japan, and release other Tetris games on the PlayStation. Bullet-Proof Software then retired videogame business around the early 2000s, and future Tetris games would then be made under the related company Blue Planet Software.

1st Logo (April 14, 1987-December 21, 1991)

• 
  Normal
• 
  B&W

Logo: On a black background, a blue-ish rectangle is revealed containing the stylized text "BPS". The wordmark then shines, and a star glows on the top-right of the "S". The box then dims out.

Variant: A complete black and white version of the logo is seen on the Game Boy version of Pipe Dream.

Technique: 8-bit animation.

Music/Sounds: An ascending square wave, followed by a "ding".

Availability: Extremely rare. Can be found on the Famicom games Igo, Super Black Onyx, Tetris, Hatris, and Battle Storm. The only American release featuring this logo is the GB release of Pipe Dream.

2nd Logo (November 18, 1988-November 13, 1992)

• 
  Standard
• 
  Blue trademark
• 
  Deflektor

Logo: The normal logo consists of the "BPS" wordmark from the previous, filled in blue. The trademark is seen on the bottom right.

Variants:

• On the Sharp X68000 version of Tetris, the gray letters quickly zoom in one by one, flash, and turn blue.
• On the NEC PC-88 version of Tetris, the trademark is blue, and a colored outline appears and disappears on the logo, changing its colors. Later, the fill disappears, leaving the multicolored outline alone for almost two seconds.
• On Deflektor, copyright info is seen below the logo.
• On the Sharp X68000 version of Pipe Dream, the logo fades through white, and the trademark is blue.

Technique: None (excluding the Tetris variants).

Music/Sounds: None.

Music/Sounds Variant: The Sharp X68000 version of Tetris had three bangs, a low whoosh, and a male voice saying "Bullet-Proof Software".

Availability: Ultra rare. It only appeared on Japanese computer games, so it can be hard to find in the USA unless you emulate it.

3rd Logo (1991-1993)

• 
  B&W
• 
  Color
• 
  Faceball 2000
• 
  The Black Onyx

Logo: On a white background, we see the green-tinted face of a fish-like panther looking to the right. Above it is the metallic script "Bullet-Proof Software" in two lines. A star would sometimes glow on the panther's eye.

Variants:

• On Faceball 2000 for the SNES, it is just the panther on a black background. The star glows in its eye.
• The logo surfaced again on The Black Onyx for the GBC, where it had the result of the 5th logo.

Trivia

• The logo was designed by artist and designer Roger Dean, who well known for his album covers and artwork for rock bands Yes and Asia.

Technique: The star, or none.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. The original version is only seen on Hatris for the Game Boy and NES. The variants can be found in the mentioned games.

4th Logo (August 7, 1992-December 24, 1993)

• 

Logo: A blue glow covers the screen. The clear outline of the text "BPS" from the first two logos zooms out, and the glow dims. After that, the text flashes as the blue fill appears inside, and the borders become cyan. "TM" flashes next to the logo.

Technique: 16-bit animation.

Music/Sounds: A descending synth, followed by a higher-pitched synthesizer that leaves a short echoing arpeggio.

Availability: Extremely rare. Most known to appear on the Japanese version of Yoshi's Cookie, but other games featuring this logo include the Super Famicom titles Pipe Dream, Super Tetris 2 + Bombliss, and Taikyoku Igo: Goliath.

5th Logo (April 10, 1993-March 15, 1996)

• 

Logo: Same concept as before, although instead of the "BPS" zooming out, the panther from the 3rd logo is the one that does so. It is also moved a bit lower compared to the wordmark of the previous. Three blue/green spheres then fade in one by one above the logo, each saying "BPS" in a red script font. The background is also a little brighter, making it dark gray.

Variant: The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang has this logo still.

Technique: Same as before.

Music/Sounds:

• 1993: The descending synth from before, followed by a slowed-down version of the following arpeggio, without the echo effect.
• 1994-1996: A whoosh, followed by a banging sound.

Music/Sounds Variant: Wicked 18 has the logo silent.

Availability: Not that rare compared to the previous logos; perhaps the most known game to feature this one is the American version of Yoshi's Cookie. This also appeared on Tetris Battle Gaiden, the Drift King Shutokou Battle series, Tetris Flash, Obitus, Michael Andretti's Indy Car Challenge, Super Tetris 3, Super Bombliss, and other Super Famicom titles released through the mid-1990s.

6th Logo (January 19, 1996-March 11, 1999)

• 

Logo: On a black background, with a lightened floor below, three spheres zoom in. One is fully transparent, while the other two seem to represent planets (as one can see the blue one looks like Neptune and the orange/red one is Venus). As the spheres get closer, they suddenly change into the textures of the previous logo, with the respective "BPS" letters still intact. The spheres then get behind each other, making only one sphere visible, then spread out to reveal the wordmark. Then a flash happens on the spheres, covering the screen, then bringing up a full black background and the panther face from the 3rd and 5th logos below, but with more yellow added to it. A ring spreads out the screen from the "P" sphere, which then glows for a second. The spheres then shine, with a lens flare quickly appearing on the "S" sphere.

Technique: 3D animation.

Music/Sounds: A monotonous, majestic electronic theme, ending with a snapping sound. On Tetris games, the theme is low-pitched.

Availability: Extremely rare. The original version without pitch shifting is seen on Matsukata Hiroki no World Fishing on the PS1. This is easier to find on the Tetris games Tetris-X and Tetris-S, for the PS1 and Sega Saturn respectively. There is also a silent, Sofdec-watermarked copy of this on Tetris 4D, although it goes unused.