High Voltage Software

Background

High Voltage Software is a video game developer formed in 1995. Originally starting off as being a developer for the Atari Jaguar's last few months of existence, they have since produced some notable titles in their lifetime, such as the NBA Inside Drive series, Paperboy, Lego Racers, and others. It was bought out by Keywords Studios in 2020.

1st Logo (August 1, 1995-December 20, 1996)

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Nickname: "The Transmission Tower"

Logo: On a black background, the High Voltage logo of the time fades in. It consists of a shiny rectangular frame containing a transmission tower set at an bottom angle against a dark cloudy sky. Below it is the blue/silver 3-D text "HIGH VOLTAGE" with "SOFTWARE" in a smaller print below it, both arcing around the bottom of the frame. 4 bolts shoot off from the tower one by one from each point.

Variants:

• On White Men Can't Jump, 2 pieces of warning tape, both having the words "DANGER!!! HIGH VOLTAGE!!!" in red on them, slide into view before the bolts go off, and slide away when they finish. There's also no "TM" symbol and the logo is notably zoomed out.
• On the Jaguar port of NBA Jam Tournament Edition, the frame and words slide in individually from the top and bottom of the screen respectively. The frame then "shines" with electricity once, and then 2 more times in succession. A warbling "magic" sound plays when the logo slides in, and then sparks are heard when the frame "shines".
• The Saturn port of Tempest 2000 has a later version of the logo, with the sky in the box being partly cloudy, the text having a tighter curve to it, and "INC" being added to "SOFTWARE". No lightning is shot off either.

FX/SFX: The electricity.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the game, with the sound of thunder rumbling when the bolts go off.

Availability: Seen on High Voltage games of the time, like NBA Jam: Tournament Edition and White Men Can't Jump for the Atari Jaguar.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (September 21, 1995)

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Nicknames: "The Transmission Tower II", "The Early Sign"

Logo: We start off with the same transmission tower from before, but taking up the entire screen and with the sky rotating slightly. The sky lightens up for a few brief moments from the lightning, before it eventually has a bolt traveling across one of the power lines and causes it to burst out a flash of light. As this happens, it cuts to a low shot of the transmission tower across a barren flatland with hills in the back, and a creaking sign on a metal pole is revealed as well. It is white with a large red rectangle with the stencil text "DANGER" on it, and "HIGH VOLTAGE" is below that in a much more standard font. Another section of the sign flips out from below, revealing "SOFTWARE" in a messy graffiti font. The sign eventually stops swinging, and the sky flashes one last time.

FX/SFX: The lightning and the sign extension flipping out.

Music/Sounds: Ominous tones can be heard throughout, as well as electrical sounds and the sign creaking.

Availability: Appears only on Vid Grid for the Jaguar CD.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (November 1, 1996)

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Nicknames: "The Transmission Tower III", "Thunderstruck Tower"

Logo: Cutting into a tilted shot of a different, more generic-looking high voltage sign on a rusted fence, the camera swoops across it and pans upwards to a transmission tower, all on a cloudy sky similar to the 1st logo. A lightning bolt strikes the tower and then suddenly, a silver wall with a frame in and screws on each corner zooms out and 2 yellow bands emerge from the wall, being the text from the 1st logo's later version. The areas around the word liquidate for a bit and sparks come off, before a large blast of sparks emerge, and the words cool down to their blue color.

FX/SFX: CGI animation and the electricity.

Music/Sounds: Several whirring and electric sounds throughout, with a low hum near the end.

Availability: Currently only known to be on Tempest X3, the PlayStation remake of Tempest 2000.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo (February 28, 1997)

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Nicknames: "The Transmission Tower IV", "Melting Sign"

Logo: On a black background, the same high voltage sign from before, but slightly weathered, fades in, as well as a "TM" symbol. The "TM" symbol disappears as a laser carves out a small rectangle in the sign, which drops down to reveal a transmission tower. A strange mist then burns the sign, leaving it horribly blackened and bubbly. Large dents are made in the bottom, leaving the sign to rock, and the "HIGH VOLTAGE SOFTWARE INC." words burst through with sparks, starting off glowing yellow before cooling to their blue color.

FX/SFX: The sign rusting and forming of the logo.

Music/Sounds: A mechanical whirling in the background, as well as the sounds of searing metal and loud banging. A single synth blast plays when the words burst through.

Availability: Appeared on World League Basketball and NCAA Final Four '97.

Editor's Note: None.

5th Logo (July 31, 1999-December 17, 1999)

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Nicknames: "The High Voltage Sign", "The Signboard"

Logo: Starting off with a darkened area at dusk/dawn, a spotlight illuminates an area with weeds coming out of the wooden floor, and a lever is seen at the end. A Lego minifigure, wearing an white shirt with blue overalls and a blue baseball cap, walks into the spotlight, smiling at us as he trots along. He reaches the lever and then grabs the lever, struggling to pull it. He eventually does with notable creaking, and is dealt with recoil as he does, with flashes of white on the screen. The camera zooms in to show the minifigure's gleeful impression, and the camera flashes to an angled shot of a dim signboard powering up, showing off the new High Voltage Software logo: the same generic high voltage sign from the previous 2 logos, but with "DANGER" in a bolder font, and a black rectangle with "SOFTWARE" running along the side of it. A transmission tower can also be seen in the corner. As the sign fully lights up, the camera slowly rotates straight forwards at the signboard, with occasional sparks coming off of the lights. As it rests, another transmission tower can be seen in the background before the logo fades out.

Variant: The Nintendo 64 version of Lego Racers uses in-game graphics rather than the pre-rendered video of the other 2 versions. While the animation is the same, there are several key differences, like the beginning being an empty black void, the lever now resembling a electrical switch, and the panning to the sign being rather different with the minifigure still in view before the camera pans up to the logo, as well as several other details changed.

FX/SFX: The minifigure pulling the lever, the sign lighting up, the camera rotating forwards.

Music/Sounds: The sounds of the minifigure's footsteps, the creaking lever, and all the machinery and electrical sounds lighting up the logo. As the sign lights up, a rising synth note is heard, before it segues into a twinkling set of notes, and finally a choir is heard before the logo fades out.

Availability: Only appears on Lego Racers for the PC, PlayStation and Nintendo 64.

Editor's Note: This logo is a favorite among Lego fans.

6th Logo (October 26, 1999)

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Nickname: "Short Circuited"

Logo: On a black background, the Paperboy from the game appears, riding his bike. We then pan down to the bulldog, which is chasing him. The camera then switches to 2 electrical towers and a power switch with the HVS shield below the switch on the sign. The Paperboy throws a newspaper at the switch, turning on the towers and shocking the dog. He then lies on the ground, possibly dead, and the switch turns as we zoom in on the logo. A lightning bolt scans the screen.

FX/SFX: The animation in the logo, which is made of simple polygons.

Music/Sounds: Wheel-creaking and the whining of fried dog, with a horn theme all through it. Crackling is heard at the end.

Availability: Appeared only on Paperboy for Nintendo 64.

Editor's Note: None.

7th Logo (December 14, 2000)

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Nickname: "The Transmission Tower V"

Logo: Through an optic device, we observe soldiers moving across the desert, when we scan over to a transmission tower, not unlike those in the 1st couple of logos. As it pans down and eventually stops, there's also generators and a fence with the High Voltage Software logo on it. The device shuts off for a moment, only for it to turn on and show the logo zooming out while being out of focus. When it comes into view, the scanlines disappear.

FX/SFX: Animation of the soldier figures and the tower, not very complicated.

Music/Sounds: Minor wind sounds and the soldiers talking, as well as a loud whirring sound when the logo zooms out.

Availability: Appears only on Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy.

Editor's Note: None.

8th Logo (January 21, 2002-November 18, 2003)

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Nickname: "Power Plant"

Logo: At a generator plant at a cloudy day, several bolts of lightning strike and emerge from the transformers, causing sparks to go everywhere. On the fence in front of it, there is the High Voltage Software logo, but all rusty, on it. As the camera zooms in and rebounds from it, sparks rain down in front of it as bolts still continue to fly about.

Variant: The NBA Inside Drive series appears to have the logo rendered in-game, with the bouncing removed and given widescreen support.

FX/SFX: The bolts, the zooming-in, and everything what is happening in the factory.

Music/Sounds: Various electricity sounds, which features a dramatic 11-note horn fanfare in the background.

Availability: Can be seen on games such as the NBA Inside Drive series and Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626.

Editor's Note: None.

9th Logo (November 20, 2002-October 14, 2003)

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Nicknames: "Bug Zapper"

Logo: On a black background, the High Voltage Software logo fades in, before fading into a darker environment with the logo on it, with rust around it and swinging back and forth. It then zooms out to reveal that it's on a bug zapper, hanging above a old porch with broken windows and insects flying around it, with one being shocked. We then cut to a close up shot of a bron bug with a cigar in it's mouth, goggles over it's eyes and the left wing shell has "DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR" and the other one have a skull and crossbones and saying below it "LIVE FREE OR DIE", both being in a grungy white font. We zoom out from him to reveal a swarm of wasps, dragonflies, and other insects flying through a forest. They swerve off screen and then we cut back to the porch, but in a wider shot, where a bug gets shocked and then the swarm goes into it. They then all get shocked, with proves too much for the zapper and explodes, sending the brown bug off the screen, the windows burned out, and the porch with burn marks as the remains of the zapper swing back and forth, sending a few jolts before falling off and hitting the ground. We then cut to the bug zapper remains and zoom in onto the High Voltage Software logo, where remain there for the rest of the logo as a lone firefly lights up the logo before flying away and fading to black.

FX/SFX: All the motion in the logo.

Music/Sounds: Sounds of zaps and buzzing heard throughout the logo, a dramatic orchestral theme when we cut to the swarm, an explosion when the bug zapper blows up, and then sounds of rusty swinging when the zapper swings.

Availability: Seen on the GameCube versions of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Disney's The Haunted Mansion, and other games of the era. Used in tandem with the previous logo.

Editor's Note: The bug's appearance and design can be frightening to some viewers, as well as the sudden bug zapper explosion.

10th Logo (October 5, 2004, December 12, 2006)

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Nickname: "Glowing Blocks"

Logo: On a black background, glowing white/red block wireframes fade into existence, all of them falling as the camera rotates around them. When the camera pans over the, they all seem to flicker on part of the company logo on them. The camera spins around and zooms into the completed logo, distorted from the red static. A plain print logo wipes over the finished product.

FX/SFX: The blocks moving.

Music/Sounds: Some electrical swishes.

Availability: Appeared on Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude and Blitz Overtime for PSP.

Editor's Note: None.

11th Logo (November 2, 2004)

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Logo: The flames open up a view on the red-haired game character shown from behind. Then he looks back and we immediately zoom close into his eyes. He produces a Duel Masters card from flames and proceeds to throw it at the screen. The card has the logo on the other side of it, and it flips several times before it flashes and wipes.

FX/SFX: Cartoon animation.

Music/Sounds: Mainly "whooshes" in various tones.

Availability: Appeared only on Duel Masters.

Editor's Note: None.

12th Logo (July 15, 2005-)

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Nickname: "The Nerdy Boy"

Logo: We see a young boy (not the same as the last logo) with glasses, short slicked up straightened black hair, black eyes and pale skin that's wearing a light grey short sleeved T-shirt with long black pants and white socks in a room, who's looking through a pile of games that he has. He then pulls out a disc that has a stylized label based on the logo, and it shines with pride while orange rays rotate around. He puts it in his game console and begins playing it, until his TV begins to shake. It surges with electricity, and shoots out a bluish light, leaving the boy with an amazed face as the camera zooms in on his glasses, where the logo can be seen in his glasses, and then the camera zooms in on that. The logo surges with electricity on a black background, zooming in slightly.

Variant: A short version exists, it can be seen on some Nickelodeon games.

FX/SFX: Cartoon animation.

Music/Sounds: A rock theme starting when the boy finds the disc with the logo on it, but we hear the sounds of birds chirping beforehand, and we also hear several video game sound effects and electrical surges throughout.

Availability: Currently only known to be on the console versions of Codename: Kids Next Door: Operation V.I.D.E.O.G.A.M.E, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Iron Man 2, and Ben 10: Protector of Earth. Still in use today.

Editor's Note: None.

13th Logo (August 29, 2006-?)

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Nickname: "Key Drive"

Logo: On a black background, we see the logo as we zoom in on a mechanical arm coming out from the left side of the logo. It begins rotating and mildly surging with electricity, and then a rod extends out of the tip as we pan over the "DANGER" portion and the rod sparkles. The camera then cuts back to the logo, panning down to face it head on with 2 strange arms coming off of it, which then tilt back and discharge electricity onto the logo. The screen is engulf with the electricity, erasing the arms.

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: The sounds of electrical surges throughout.

Availability: Currently only known to be on the console versions of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and all versions of Family Guy Video Game!.

Editor's Note: This is a pretty cool logo.

14th Logo (August 23, 2007-January 8, 2008)

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Nickname: "Metal Patch Circuit"

Logo: On a black background, the logo is seen on a metal plate. 2 streams of fire-like energy emerge and coat themselves over the logo, filling the screen with white briefly and scanning the logo downwards before disappearing. The logo slightly zooms in before disappearing via a "shut off" effect.

FX/SFX: Fire streaks and effects.

Music/Sounds: An ethereal noise.

Availability: Appears on Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law for all platforms, and Tom Clancy's GRAW 2 for PSP.

Editor's Note: None.

15th Logo (June 23, 2008- )

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Logo: Just the logo on a white or black background.

FX/SFX: None, though it may sometimes zoom in slightly.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: A generic still logo, seen first on Gyrostarr for Wii and has appeared on a few other titles since.

Editor's Note: None.

16th Logo (June 23, 2009)

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Logo: A hand pulls out a orb (All-Seeing Eye) that shines light on a rune, with the symbol of the game itself and the High Voltage Software logo over it in gold, as well as several different alien letters. The orb then produces a beam onto the logo and then the camera suddenly focuses onto the logo, where it shines to it's correct colors as the background becomes pure white.

FX/SFX: The light, the logo changing colors.

Music/Sounds: The orb making sounds as it scans and electric sounds when the logo appears on full screen.

Availability: Seen on The Conduit.

Editor's Note: None.

17th Logo (April 19, 2011-March 6, 2012)

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Logo: Just the logo zooming in while tilting, all over a cloudy mass with lightning emerging from it.

FX/SFX: Lightning animation.

Music/Sounds: Thundering sounds.

Availability: Rare. Seen on Captain America: Super Soldier, Conduit 2, Nicktoons MLB (barring the DS version), and Country Dance.

Editor's Note: None.

18th Logo (October 25, 2011-2012)

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Logo: On a purple stage, the High Voltage Software logo appears, pulsing and emitting reflections in joint with the music beats. Three lights descent above and join in with the beats. After some beating, the logo suddenly explodes and dissolves into particles.

FX/SFX: Logo pulsing and colors switching.

Music/Sounds: Disco beat music synchronized with the sign beating.

Availability: Just as rare as before. Seen on Victorious: Time to Shine, Nickelodeon Dance and Country Dance 2 (Country Dance used the previous logo for some reason).

Editor's Note: None.

19th Logo (October 30, 2012)

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Logo: On a black background, dust seems to scatter about as a orange square blinks and a cyan border grows. The screen then glitches as more borders spin around, along with a cluster of cyan pixels appearing. The logo then pixelates into existence and glitches out for a brief moment before returning to normal. Several pixels also appear for a brief second before the screen glitches one last time. A single cyan pixel blinks until the logo ends.

FX/SFX: Computer square animation.

Music/Sounds: Beeping and clicking sounds.

Availability: Seen on Toy Story Mania for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Editor's Note: None.

20th Logo (January 24, 2019)

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Logo: On a black background with a wet roadbed below, an orange-colored rectangular spark is seen, which then gets struck by an orange lightning bolt. This forms a rusty metal High Voltage Software logo, which then brightens. The camera slowly zooms in during all of of this.

FX/SFX: The sparks and flashing.

Music/Sounds: The opening/closing theme of the showreel.

Availability: Appears on this showreel of games by the studio.

Editor's Note: Only time will tell if this will appear on any of their games.