The rainbow is a powerful and naturally awe inspiring natural phenomenon. But depending on the context they can have several connotations. In the world of video games it became of polarizing symbol during the 1980s. Two software (app makers) companies used the rainbow in the 1980s and created a full spectrum of emotions that can be associated with this natural icon as it was in the 1980s video games: from boredom, anger, revulsion, frustration, mild amusement, nostalgia, joy, and love.
First with the Atari entertainment system, ACTIVISION used the rainbow in their original logo. It was a straight rainbow of red, orange, yellow, green, and blue fimbrated with white lines between the colours. Whenever one saw the ACTIVISION rainbow, it was sign of trust, and chances were you were getting a quality game worth every dime. However in the latter 1980s another company chose this lovely symbol — Ljn. Within the context of Ljn, the rainbow became a repugnant symbol and laughing stock of the 1980s. Chances are you were getting a second rate, disconnected, low quality experience. The Ljn rainbow was curved, but it was a backwards, the upper rainbow—the top band was violet and the lower was red—without the fimbration.
The quality of work between Ljn and ACTIVISION is tied to their origin stories. ACTIVISION was formed by maverick Atari programmers who were sick and tired of corporate bean counters running the show, who knew little of game design or tapped into the core joy of the product and treated the staff like disposable pieces of trash. Rather these talented code writers, took the big risk of running their own company. The result was a slew of game changers that rocked the market. The foremost example being Pitfall! that generated the most original and iconic hero of the Atari Age, Pitfall Harry. Pitfall Harry was the literal forerunner to Mario and Luigi. Nine times out of ten, when you unpacked an ACTIVISION game that straight rainbow became a testament of these justly righteous souls.
After the Atari Age ended, the Nintendo Age took over. The idea of adapting popular movies to videogames was still something Hollywood suits still couldn't wrap their head around. A video game based upon Jim Henson's 1986 Labyrith? Who would want such a thing? There were so many action movies that missed out on a video game tie through the 1980s and 1990s. However one snarky salesman from Ljn. was able to gobble up all the movie rights and turn a quick profit of the short sighted design. His motto seemed to be Kids are Stupid and will buy anything with the "subject logo."
Ljn. was able to snap up the rights for video games and make a quick profit. Instead of employing talented game designers to make awesome games, Ljn created less than inspiring games that ran on name recognition. Subsequently Nintedo's Back to the Future, the X-Men, and Bill and Ted were destined to have way, not cool, mis-adventures into waste-o-timeland. Back then, there was no internet to rate games, and the magazines that did were all shill five 'n dime outfits that had to give good reviews to maintain insider access. However, Hollywood could not yet see the big picture and saw video games as.... kids stuff. But today, any suit will recognize that video games haul in more cold hard cash that most movies, nowadays. Back then, the studios sold out to Ljn just because of the Ljn's short sighted businessen plan.
Imagine if Hollywood would have sold the rights to Back to Future to Konami or Capcom? The extra schwag and rights generated from those games today could still be turning a profit. No doubt a Bill and Ted 1980s Nintedo Game by Konami would have been beyond awesome, and not to mention very profitable.
But no, the suits went with what they knew and they all seemed to know Ljn because some joker of slick salesman made quick promises and had a safe established track record. Getting input from the fans is always wise idea, but history loves to repeat itself. And big corporations often get a big ego and end up with expert group think, that thinks they know better. Perhaps the middle road if the best. Listen to the experts and listen to the people.
Thus today, if you lived through the Ljn and Atari periods those rainbows conjure up two different feelings. The Ljn rainbow is the bane of Nintendo, that fills the soul of why!? Why God? How do these turds of such missed potential rise to the surface. On the other hand, Activision conjures up lovely sparkles of memory that carry on today. Even deeper, it is a blessing that Ljn was able to create such crappy games, consequently this electrion manure became the fodder that allowed the AVGN to bloom and create content of wisdom. Thus with any curse they is a silver lining, which is only visible years afterwards.
Great article. History repeats itself.
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