Majesco Entertainment: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 12:27, 12 March 2023

Background

Majesco Entertainment is an American game publisher founded in 1986 under the name "Majesco Sales, Inc." In its early years, they just resold old titles that were abandoned by their original publishers. Gradually, they entered the publishing business and created their first internal development brand Pipe Dream Interactive in 1999. The company experienced deep financial trouble after their titles failed commercially, especially Psychonauts in 2005. After barely escaping bankruptcy, Majesco shifted to the casual game market. Since 2006, they were exclusively publishing for the Wii and Nintendo DS, but later started publishing to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In December 2016, the company exited the video game business after merging with biotech firm PolarityTE. However, it was reactivated in 2017 through a management buyout by CEO Jesse Sutton. In 2018, 51% of the company was purchased by Liquid Media Group.

1st Logo (August 13, 2001-April 15, 2005)

Without website URL
Earthworm Jim 2 variant
Majesco Digital Video variant
Zoomed-in variant with website URL
Seen on games co-developed by Terminal Reality

Logo: We see a blue-outlined oval shield containing the stylized blue letter "M" with its middle part cut down and "MAJESCO" placed there. There is a website URL below, written in burgundy italics.

Variants:

On many games, the background is black and the website uses the regular white font. Early games had no website URL.
On Dark Arena, the logo is zoomed in.
On Earthworm Jim 2 for GBA, the logo is occupied by the game characters.
On games co-developed by Terminal Reality, the logo appears in a red fire fall, followed by said company's logo made in the same way.
A variant appears on Game Boy Advance Video cartridges. On a white background, a 2D Majesco logo fades in. Then, "DIGITAL" and "VIDEO" appear from the left and right respectively and flash. "DIGITAL" is black and "VIDEO" is shiny gray, and both words have rainbow trails near them.

Technique: Usually none, except for the variants.

Music/Sounds: None for the still version, harsh blows and sounds for the animated version.

Availability: Uncommon. The first game to have this logo was Fortress for Game Boy Advance, and the last game to have this logo was Game Boy Advance Video: Cartoon Network Collection - Platinum Edition.

2nd Logo (April 19, 2005-2012)

Black variant
White variant

Logo: We see lines coming out into the screen, with a green dotted light before the logo is on the black background, and see a few blue lines. A light traces the gray bottom squiggly lines until the logo hits the black background again and the company name appears.

Variants:

There is an animated version with no "ENTERTAINMENT" used on Psychonauts.
There is a rare version with a white background seen on the trailer for Jaws Unleashed and a few games like Cooking Mama.
The still version is much more common.

Technique: The logo forming or none.

Music/Sounds: None, but on Mad Dog McCree: Gunslinger Pack for the Wii, it has a rock tune.

Availability: Used in Advent Rising, Psychonauts, Jaws Unleashed, and in a huge amount of casual games for Wii and DS. The animated version is uncommon, and was used on Infected for PSP for instance. The logo also appears on GBA Video cartridges of Shrek, Shrek 2 and Shark Tale.

3rd Logo (2012-2016)

Logo: We see a light blue (and lime green on the other side) ribbon which comes and flips to the screen, with a blue sphere above, together forming a stylized person. The name slides out and unfolds with the logo.

Technique: The ribbon swirling and unfolding.

Music/Sounds: A sequence of soft raindrop tunes.

Availability: Seen on later games from the company, like Harley Pasternak's Hollywood Workout for Wii.

◄	Majesco Sales, Inc.

Majesco Entertainment

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-{{PageCredits|description=EnormousRat|capture=Oh, No! It's Eddie!}}
+{{PageCredits|description=EnormousRat|capture=Oh, No! It's Eddie!|edits=RSX-798}}
 ===Background===
 '''Majesco Entertainment''' is an American game publisher founded in 1986 under the name "'''Majesco Sales, Inc.'''" In its early years, they just resold old titles that were abandoned by their original publishers. Gradually, they entered the publishing business and created their first internal development brand [[Pipe Dream Interactive]] in 1999. The company experienced deep financial trouble after their titles failed commercially, especially ''Psychonauts'' in 2005. After barely escaping bankruptcy, Majesco shifted to the casual game market. Since 2006, they were exclusively publishing for the Wii and Nintendo DS, but later started publishing to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In December 2016, the company exited the video game business after merging with biotech firm PolarityTE. However, it was reactivated in 2017 through a management buyout by CEO Jesse Sutton. In 2018, 51% of the company was purchased by Liquid Media Group.
-==Majesco Sales==
-===1st Logo (1998-2000)===
-<gallery mode=packed heights=200>
-Majescosales.jpg|SNES variant
-Majescosalesgameboycolor.jpg|Game Boy Color variant
-Game Boy Majesco.jpg|Game Boy variant
-</gallery>
-'''Logo:''' On a white background, we see "{{color|darkred|MAJESCO SALES, INC.}}" written in a futuristic-like font, with the second "S" having extended tails that underlines the word "MAJESCO" and puts a line on top of "ALES, INC.".
-'''Variants:'''
-*On Game Boy versions of ''Centipede'', ''Super Breakout'' and ''Frogger'', the text is in black.
-*On Game Boy Color titles like ''10-Pin Bowling'', ''Ultimate Paintball'' and ''F-18 Thunder Strike'', the text has a drop shadow effect.
-'''Technique:''' None.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' None.
-'''Availability:''' Very rare, as most of Majesco's games omit it. ''Centipede'' for GBC has this logo, as well as ''Frogger'' for the GBC and SNES.
-===2nd Logo (June 10, 2001)===
-<gallery mode=packed heights=200>
-Majesco Sales MSI GBA.jpg
-</gallery>
-'''Logo:''' On a {{color|blue}}, white, and {{color|lightgreen|mint green}} gradient background, we see the same logo from before, but in {{color|gray}}. Below it, "MSI" (using the letters taken from above) is written.
-'''Technique:''' None.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' None.
-'''Availability:''' Was spotted on ''Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure'', ''Earthworm Jim'' and ''Iridion 3D'' for the GBA. The logo was a placeholder before the next one was created.
-==Majesco Entertainment==
 ===1st Logo (August 13, 2001-April 15, 2005)===
 <gallery mode=packed heights=200>
@@ Line 90: / Line 58: @@
 '''Availability:''' Seen on later games from the company, like ''Harley Pasternak's Hollywood Workout'' for Wii.
+{{Chronology|[[Majesco Sales, Inc.]]|}}
 [[Category:American video game logos]]
 [[Category:United States]]