Sega Triforce

Background

The Triforce (トライフォース) is an arcade board developed in a joint venture between Sega, Nintendo, and Namco. It is based upon the Nintendo GameCube video game console to reduce development costs, and allowed for arcade ports of home console games, and vice versa. It is named after the magical, often sought-after object in Nintendo's popular The Legend of Zelda series.

While the platform was shared between the three companies, Nintendo was not in the business of producing arcade games at the time, and as such licensed its properties to Sega and Namco. Sega were the first to launch a game for the system with Virtua Striker 2002 in the Autumn of 2002, which shipped on Sega's propietary GD-ROM format (with later releases doing the same). Namco would not release a game for the system until 2005, and would ship its software on bespoke ROM cartridges.

Sega would also use the rival Xbox console as a bases for arcade hardware (the Chihiro), while Namco's System 246 board would be based on the PlayStation 2.

Logo (2002-2007)

Visuals: On a grey/white diagonal gradient background, a red triangle, which reads "TRIFORCE", with "NAMCO · SEGA · NINTENDO" below, goes up and flashes to purple. Underneath the logo is the words "TRIFORCE is a Trademark of Nintendo". Below is the loading status bar of the game, in a dark transparent rectangle with yellow italic text.

Trivia: Both this and the Chihiro startups feature a nearly identical design layout. Aside from the logos, the pattern used on the gradients is the other main difference between the both.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: An electronic humming sound/synth drone when the logo goes up, ending with a synth twinkle as it is formed.

Availability: Seen when a Triforce is booted up.