Animation Magic
Animation Magic was a Russian-American animation and video-game development studio known for CD-based interactive software and several licensed adventure games.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Animation Magic was a Russian-American animation studio and video-game developer founded in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in 1991. The company emerged during the early expansion of CD-based multimedia software, when publishers increasingly required substantial quantities of animated sequences, computer graphics, backgrounds, sprites, and other visual assets for interactive entertainment. Rather than operating solely as a conventional game publisher, Animation Magic worked as a production and development studio whose capabilities centered on animation and computer-generated content for CD-ROM software. The company later expanded its physical presence with an office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and established a wholly owned subsidiary in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This cross-border structure connected a United States-based business operation with Russian animation and game-development talent. The studio's workforce had reached approximately 90 employees by 1994, including 12 software engineers and roughly 60 animators, computer-graphics specialists, background artists, and sprite artists. The staffing profile illustrates that Animation Magic's core identity was closely tied to labor-intensive multimedia production rather than to a broad consumer-goods brand. Animation Magic participated in a number of notable game projects during the 1990s. Its credits included the interactive adventure titles Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, both released in 1993 for the Philips CD-i platform, as well as Mutant Rampage: Bodyslam, Pyramid Adventures, I.M. Meen, King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride, and Darby the Dragon. The studio also worked on Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans, although that project was cancelled before release. These projects placed the company within the period's emerging market for CD-based games, which emphasized animated presentation, voice and video content, and cinematic storytelling. Animation Magic's independent existence ended when it was acquired by Capitol Multimedia in December 1994. The assets and rights owned by Capitol Multimedia were subsequently sold to Davidson & Associates in April 1997. The transactions changed the ownership and control of the company's work, while the Animation Magic name eventually ceased to function as an active studio brand. Because the available reference material does not identify a continuing corporate successor operating under the Animation Magic name, the studio is treated as defunct. The company nevertheless retained a visible afterlife in internet culture. Around 2006, footage from several Animation Magic games became a major source for YouTube poop remixes, particularly Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and I.M. Meen. Their unusual cutscenes and widely circulated dialogue made the games recognizable beyond their original commercial context. On September 6, 2020, more than 200 animators collaborated on a reanimation project covering 21 minutes of cutscenes from the two Zelda-related games. This later fan activity helped preserve awareness of Animation Magic's work, even though the original studio no longer operated.
History
Animation Magic was established in 1991 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, as a Russian-American animation studio operating during the rapid growth of CD-based multimedia. At the time, CD-ROM software enabled developers to include far more animation, artwork, and audiovisual material than had generally been possible on earlier home-computer media. Animation Magic developed animations and related graphical assets for this market, combining software engineering with the work of animators, computer-graphics artists, background artists, and sprite artists. The studio developed beyond its original Maryland base. It later maintained an office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and operated a wholly owned subsidiary in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This arrangement made Animation Magic an example of the early internationalization of game and animation production, linking an American corporate base with Russian creative and technical resources. By 1994, the company had approximately 90 employees. Its reported workforce included 12 software engineers and about 60 employees working in animation, computer graphics, backgrounds, and sprites, indicating that visual production represented a substantial part of its operations. Animation Magic's project history included both original and licensed properties. Its best-known credits were Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, two 1993 Philips CD-i adventure games. It also worked on Mutant Rampage: Bodyslam, Pyramid Adventures, I.M. Meen, King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride, and Darby the Dragon. The studio was additionally involved with Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans, a project that was ultimately cancelled. The games reflected the period's emphasis on animated presentation and interactive storytelling, particularly in adventure and multimedia-oriented software. In December 1994, Capitol Multimedia acquired Animation Magic. The acquisition ended the studio's independent phase relatively soon after it had reached its largest reported staffing level. In April 1997, assets and rights owned by Capitol Multimedia were sold to Davidson & Associates. The available reference material does not document a later operating company under the Animation Magic name, so the brand is regarded as defunct rather than active. The studio's public legacy developed in an unexpected direction. Around 2006, its games became frequently used source material for YouTube poop, an online remix tradition built around editing and recombining audiovisual clips. Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and I.M. Meen were particularly prominent because of their distinctive animated cutscenes and dialogue. On September 6, 2020, a community project involving more than 200 animators reanimated 21 minutes of cutscenes from the two Zelda-related titles. Although this activity was not a commercial Animation Magic campaign, it demonstrated the continuing visibility of the studio's work in internet and fan culture.
- 2020
Fan-led reanimation project
[1]More than 200 animators collaborated to reanimate 21 minutes of cutscenes from the two Animation Magic Zelda-related games.
- 1997
Capitol Multimedia assets transferred to Davidson & Associates
[1]Assets and rights owned by Capitol Multimedia were sold to Davidson & Associates in April 1997.
- 1994
Workforce reaches approximately 90 employees
[1]By 1994, Animation Magic had about 90 employees, including software engineers and a large group of animation and computer-graphics specialists.
- 1994
Acquired by Capitol Multimedia
[1]Capitol Multimedia acquired Animation Magic in December 1994.
- 1993
Release of the Philips CD-i Zelda projects
[1]Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon were released for Philips CD-i, becoming the studio's most recognizable projects.
- 1991
Animation Magic founded in Maryland
[1]Animation Magic was founded in Gaithersburg, Maryland, as a Russian-American animation studio serving CD-based software production.
Products and positioning
A cross-border animation and multimedia development studio focused on producing animated and graphical content for CD-ROM software and computer games during the early 1990s.
Adventure video game · 1993
Link: The Faces of Evil
A 1993 Philips CD-i adventure game associated with Animation Magic. Its animated cutscenes later became some of the studio's most circulated material in online remix culture.
Adventure video game · 1993
Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
A 1993 Philips CD-i adventure game developed with Animation Magic involvement. Like its companion Zelda-related title, it became widely recognized for its animated sequences and later internet circulation.
Video game
Mutant Rampage: Bodyslam
A video-game project listed among Animation Magic's credits. The available reference material identifies the title but does not provide enough detail to characterize its mechanics or release history further.
Video game
Pyramid Adventures
A game associated with Animation Magic's 1990s development work. The cited material confirms the title as part of the studio's portfolio but does not specify additional product details.
Adventure video game
I.M. Meen
An Animation Magic-associated game whose cutscenes later became prominent source material for YouTube poop remixes, contributing to the studio's post-commercial internet legacy.
Adventure video game
King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride
A game listed among Animation Magic's development credits. The available source material does not establish the precise scope of the studio's contribution.
Video game
Darby the Dragon
Adventure video game
Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans
A cancelled adventure-game project associated with Animation Magic. It is notable as an example of the studio's work on a high-profile licensed property that did not reach commercial release.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Link and Zelda Cutscene Reanimation
Online fan communities · International
More than 200 animators collaborated on a fan project to reanimate 21 minutes of cutscenes from Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon.
Outcome. The project renewed attention to Animation Magic's animation work and its two Philips CD-i Zelda titles.
Brand decisions
1997
Sale of Capitol Multimedia assets and rightsM&ABackground
Capitol Multimedia held assets and rights connected with its earlier acquisition of Animation Magic.
Action taken
Those assets and rights were sold to Davidson & Associates in April 1997.
Aftermath
The transaction further separated Animation Magic's work from an independently operating Animation Magic studio.
1994
Capitol Multimedia acquisitionM&ABackground
Animation Magic had expanded its studio operations and workforce while producing animation and games for CD-based software.
Action taken
Capitol Multimedia acquired Animation Magic in December 1994.
Aftermath
Animation Magic ceased to operate as an independent studio; assets and rights later associated with Capitol Multimedia were sold to Davidson & Associates in 1997.
Recent events
- 2020
Collaborative reanimation of Zelda cutscenes released[1]
Campaign
More than 200 animators collaborated on a project that reanimated 21 minutes of cutscenes from Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon.
- 2006
Animation Magic games become prominent YouTube poop source material[1]
Other
Around 2006, footage from Animation Magic titles, especially the two Philips CD-i Zelda games and I.M. Meen, became widely used in YouTube poop remix culture.
- 1997
Capitol Multimedia assets and rights sold to Davidson & Associates[1]
M&A
Assets and rights owned by Capitol Multimedia, including those connected with Animation Magic, were sold to Davidson & Associates in April 1997.
- 1994
Animation Magic acquired by Capitol Multimedia[1]
M&A
Capitol Multimedia acquired Animation Magic in December 1994, ending the studio's period as an independent company.
Sources2 sources
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