Probe Entertainment

Credits

Descriptions by
Betamax52 and EnormousRat

Captures by
Betamax52 and EnormousRat

Editions by
CuriousGeorge60 and Shadeed A. Kelly

Video captures courtesy of
Betamax52 and EnormousRat

Background

Probe Entertainment (first known as Probe Software until 1995) was a British video game developer founded in 1984 by Fergus McGovern (who later founded another video game developer, HotGen Studios). It originally functioned as both a developer and publisher, but the company stopped publishing games in 1987. On October 10, 1995, it was acquired by Acclaim Entertainment. In spring 1999, it was brought under the Iguana brand as "Iguana London" for a while, before it was renamed to "Acclaim Studios London" a few months later like other studios that were part of Acclaim.

Probe was responsible for porting Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II for home game systems except for SNES (which were done by Sculptured Software) and developing Extreme-G and Extreme-G 2 for Nintendo 64. They were also well known for successful licensed games like Die Hard Trilogy and Alien Trilogy, and for including references to Fergus McGovern's name or likeness in several of their games, such as secret "fergalities" in their Mortal Kombat ports, or the sentence "Is that you, Fergus?" presented to players of Trantor: The Last Stormtrooper upon gaining a low score.

Probe Software

Contents 1st Logo (1984-1987) 2nd Logo (1987) 3rd Logo (1987-1992) 4th Logo (1992-1995)

Probe Entertainment

Contents 1st Logo (1995-August 15, 1996) 2nd Logo (1995-July 1998) 3rd Logo (Batman Forever variant) (August-October 27, 1995) 4th Logo (Primal Rage variant) (November 1995-August 1996) 5th Logo (September 30, 1997-1999)

Probe Software

1st Logo (1984-1987)

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Visuals: On the game's title screen, there is a "P" behind a "S" in a blocky font.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on the Amstrad CPC game of The Devil's Crown, as well as the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum games of Xevious and the Amstrad CPC game of Arkanoid.

2nd Logo (1987)

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Visuals: Behind the title screen is the metallic text "PROBe" and the word "SOFTWARE" in a plain font below the logo.

Technique: 2D sprite animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Trantor the Last Stormtrooper for Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and DOS (The ZX Spectrum version used the next logo).

3rd Logo (1987-1992)

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Visuals: Against a black background, there is a rectangular shiny shield of purple with "probe" on it and having a shiny look with sparkles around the text.

Variants:

• Most of the time, the logo is shown within the game's title screen.
• On the ZX Spectrum version of SimCity, only the text is shown without the shield.
• The color varies depending on the platform the game was used when it was shown on home computers. Sometimes, the shield is gray, blue or white.
• On the European Amiga game of Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, the background is dark red, and "Produced by" is above the logo.
• On some later games, the text "A" and "PRODUCTION", in white, are shown above and below the logo, respectively.
• On the Sega versions of Smash T.V., the shield is redone, and the text is in a less-curvy font, and also looks more 3D.
• On Smash T.V. for Game Gear and Master System, the logo is a bit smaller with "Of" added below "Production".
• On Out Run Europe for Amiga, the logo is colored blue, plus there's the word "SOFTWARE" below.
• On the Genesis version of Back to the Future Part III, the logo is darker, due to a palette error.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None or the opening theme of the game.

Availability: Seen on several games by Probe, like Back to the Future Part III, the Sega Master System version of Alien 3, the European Amiga version of Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, Supremacy (aka Overlord in North America), OutRun Europa, the NES and ZX Spectrum game of RoboCop 3, Smash T.V. for Genesis, Game Gear, and Master System, Out Run Europa for all platforms, the Amstrad CPC game of Dan Dare III: The Escape, the Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64 game of BraveStarr, the Amiga and Atari ST versions of RoadBlasters, the Amiga, Commodore 64 and Atari ST versions of Mr. Heli, the Commodore 64 version of S.C.I.: Special Criminal Investigation, the Amiga and Amstrad CPC versions of 1943: The Battle of Midway and and the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, DOS and ZX Spectrum games of Savage, among others.

4th Logo (1992-1995)

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Visuals: Against a black background, there is a slab of bluish-green stone with "probe", in the same style as the last logo, carved out of it in a curvy black font. "A" and "DEVELOPMENT" or "PRODUCTION", in white, are shown above and below the logo, respectively (the font used varies depending on the game). Sometimes, the logo shines.

Variants:

• On Alien 3 for the NES, the logo is much smaller, is shown at the top of the screen, and "PRODUCTION" replaces "DEVELOPMENT".
• On Alien 3 for the Genesis and Amiga, the bottom says "PRODUCTION OF" in stacked words.
• On some Game Gear games like Bram Stoker's Dracula and Stargate, as well as the Master System game of The Flash and the NES version of Bram Stoker's Dracula, "A" and "DEVELOPMENT" are absent.
• The logo is smaller on some Game Gear games.
• On Mortal Kombat II for PC, the logo morphs into the MK Dragon logo. Plus, "A" and "DEVELOPMENT" are absent.
• On NHL '95 for Game Boy, the logo is on a white background.
• On FIFA International Soccer for Game Boy, the logo zooms out into its position and the logo shines. The words "A" and later "DEVELOPMENT" appear above and below the logo respectively. The logo stops shining after it forms.
• On the SNES game Stargate, the logo is superimposed.
• On the Game Boy game of The Pagemaster, the shield flips over the logo.
• On the Sega Master System and Game Gear games of Road Rash, the word "A" fades in, followed by the Probe logo, and then the text "CONVERSION" fades in below the logo.

Technique: 2D sprite-based animation. Sometimes, none.

Audio: None or the opening theme of the game.

Availability: Seen on Probe games from the time period, especially the Game Boy, Game Gear, Genesis and Amiga ports of Mortal Kombat 1 and 2 and the Game Boy, Game Gear, and Genesis versions of Primal Rage. First seen on Alien 3 (not the Master System version, which used the last logo).

Probe Entertainment

1st Logo (1995-August 15, 1996)

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Visuals: The word "probe" is written in white, with "ENTERTAINMENT" in capital letters below. Around the "o" letter, there is a red tilted aura circle-like ring making a reflection on the letter "r".

Variants:

• On Primal Rage for Jaguar, "ENTERTAINMENT" is red, and the ring is blue.
• On Mortal Kombat II for Saturn, a simple version is used, with the light flash rendered as a star.
• On FIFA Soccer 96 for Game Boy (when emulated on Super Game Boy) and Game Gear, the logo is even more simpler, completely in red. Plus, "ENTERTAINMENT" is white.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: The simple versions are seen on FIFA Soccer '96 for Game Boy and Game Gear and Mortal Kombat II for Saturn. The advanced version is seen on Primal Rage for Jaguar CD and Sega 32X.

2nd Logo (1995-July 1998)

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Visuals: On a black background, 5 circles zoom out and place themselves in the middle of the screen, starting from outer rings. A red ring also zooms out, leaving a residue trail as it goes along, and white streaks zoom over the circles to turn them into the word "probe". As the last white streak comes in, a blue one comes in under the text to reveal "ENTERTAINMENT" in blue, and a "TM" symbol wipes in. The logo is the same as the previous one, but without any light.

Variants:

• On the PSX, the logo moves at such a fast pace that it only covers 1/2 of the music. On the Sega Saturn, it is much slower (as seen in the video).
• On the PC version of Judge Dredd, the words "A" and "PRODUCTION" appear above and below the logo respectively when the logo forms.
• There is a still version of the logo.
• On Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble and the Game Boy version of NHL '96, the still logo is small.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A funky breakbeat tune that continues after the logo fades out.

Audio Trivia: The music samples the commonly-sampled drum break from "Amen, Brother" by the Winstons.

Audio Variants:

• On the PlayStation version of Alien Trilogy, there is no music at all.
• On Judge Dredd, the game's title screen music is heard.
• On the still versions, it's silent.

Availability: Seen on the Die Hard Trilogy, Fantastic Four, Judge Dredd (PC version), Alien Trilogy, Bubble Bobble also featuring Rainbow Islands and Jeremy McGrath Supercross '98. The still version can be seen on some games such as WWF Warzone for Game Boy and Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble.

3rd Logo (Batman Forever variant) (August-October 27, 1995)

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Visuals: The Probe logo, designed like the previous ones, is seen in 3D and silver colors. The "ENTERTAINMENT" word emits light rays. Plus, the red ring is absent.

Variant: On the Game Boy version, the background is white, and the logo is in B&W.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None. On the SNES version, the game's title theme is heard.

Availability: Seen on Batman Forever.

4th Logo (Primal Rage variant) (November 1995-August 1996)

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Visuals: The sequence starts inside of some waving bush leaves, then move forward, passing some animal's skull, and stopping near to an ancient temple. The ark inside of the temple is hit by lightning, it enlights to an orange color and we see the word "probe" written on it. A red circular line appears, and the ark fades.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Primal Rage for PlayStation, Saturn and 3DO.

5th Logo (September 30, 1997-1999)

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Note: The logo on the second video starts from 0:40 seconds.

Visuals: On a black background, the Probe logo is now in another custom 3D font. The first and last letter of "probe" spread long ends to the sides. The word "ENTERTAINMENT" is in a stretched bold font below the word "probe". There is also a big arc covering the logo, changing its red color to white (with a gradient effect).

Trivia: The UFO appears as a hidden vehicle in Re-Volt, accessible through an in-game cheat in most game versions.

Variants:

• On Bust-a-Move 2 for N64 and Forsaken, the logo is crystal on a silver background, the word "ENTERTAINMENT" is not bold and in a different font, and the arc ends with a light flash.
  • On the PC version of the latter title, the logo appears on a rippling water background while drops of rain ripple the water.
• On Extreme-G for N64, the "probe" word appears spinning and zooms out, while the flying probe vessel draws an arc. Then the word "ENTERTAINMENT" wipes in under "probe", but not spaced-out. Shortly after the logo forms, the vessel flies into the camera.
• On Extreme-G 2, the "probe" word is created by a running car. Then a UFO draws a rainbow-colored arc while the word "ENTERTAINMENT" wipes in, forming the logo shortly before the UFO flies away.
• On the PlayStation game of Batman & Robin, the logo is on a cloudy background.
• On a beta version of Re-Volt, the UFO flies out of the Acclaim logo, then onto a wooden floor and creates the arc as the Probe logo slams down, the UFO stops, and 2 RC cars (RC Bandit and Evil Weasel) in the game push it away.

Technique: Most variants use a still CGI graphic. The Forsaken PC version uses simple CGI animation. Others including the Extreme-G, Extreme-G 2 and Re-Volt variants are rendered in-engine.

Audio: None for still versions and the Re-Volt variant. Various object noises on the Extreme-G 2 variant. On Batman & Robin and Extreme-G, the game's title music is heard.

Availability:

• Seen on Extreme-G and Extreme-G 2 for Nintendo 64 and X-Men: Children of the Atom for PlayStation.
• The crystal version is seen on Forsaken and the Nintendo 64 version of Bust-a-Move 2.
• The Re-Volt variant had been removed when Probe was rebranded, but was brought back by the developers of the fan-made 1.2 patch for the game and appears in the said patch for the game.

Probe Entertainment

Acclaim Studios London ►