Pier Solar HD

SEGA News Bits: First impressions of the indie SEGA Dreamcast game Pier Solar

by

2015 sure has been a great year for indie SEGA Dreamcast games! We’ve seen shmups, odd puzzlers, vikings, and now we’re seeing an RPG by the name of Pier Solar and the Great Architects. While Pier Solar released way back in 2010 to the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive, the recent Dreamcast port features improved graphics, new scenarios, and special extras that take advantage of the Dreamcast’s unique capabilities (VMU mini-games!). As seen in my recent unboxing, the game’s packaging is beautiful. Now, in this latest episode of SEGA News Bits, I talk with George about my first impressions of the game.

If you like what you see, make sure to subscribe to us on YouTube and never miss a video.

6 Comments

Unboxing: Pier Solar Japanese packaging for the SEGA Dreamcast

by

The long awaited Dreamcast release of Pier Solar has started to arrive in mailboxes, and I was so impressed with the packaging that I knew it had to get the unboxing video treatment. This isn’t the first SEGA console the game has released to, back in 2010 the game hit the Mega Drive/Genesis and I shared an unboxing of the reprint edition. The Dreamcast version I present to you today is a first edition in the Japanese style packaging, other versions include US and PAL, but seeing as how most indie Dreamcast releases emulate the Japanese packaging, I went with this style and don’t regret it in the slightest. A lot of effort went into this release, and it really makes modern game unboxings look like crap by comparison. Seriously, who wants to see somebody opening a Wii U game where all you get is a disc and a slip of paper telling you to read the digital manual.

You can buy Pier Solar on several platforms. The Dreamcast and Mega Drive/Genesis versions are sold out at the moment, but more may be available in the future. Check out the official site for more details. Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel.

4 Comments

Indie Dreamcast game Pier Solar now shipping!

by

PierSolarHD

Pier Solar and the Great Architects is a game that has been a long time coming. Developed and published by Watermelon Games with work starting as far back as 2004, Pier Solar originally released to the Genesis/Mega Drive back in 2010. Since then, the team held a successful Kickstarter which lead to an HD remake of the game for a slew of modern handhelds and consoles, but SEGA fans were most interested in the proposed Dreamcast release. While modern platforms have since seen release of the game, Dreamcast fans had to wait a bit longer. Today, it seems that wait is over as backers from both the Kickstarter and Watermelon Games website have received notifications that the game is now shipping!

I’ll admit, after being disappointed by other indie developers I was hesitant to put my money towards the release until solid proof that it was going to release by the end of the year (the initial expected release was way back in December 2013). Luckily I was able to pre-order the game earlier this month, just days before they cut pre-orders off. Since then, the game has been relisted on the Watermelon store with a price increase of $6 (from the initial $50) and a “SOON AVAILABLE” notification of November 11th. So if you had a pre-order, be excited because the game is coming! And if you don’t, there should be additional copies available soon.

4 Comments

Pier Solar out today on Wii U, coming to Xbox One on the 21st

by

10354077_781860221881657_5192823631522271172_n

Pier Solar and the Great Architects HD comes out on the Wii U today, so if your reading this go on the e-shop and grab yourself a copy.

As for Xbox One owners, you guys can now expect to play the game on November 21st, which has been approved by the boys over at Watermelon Games. That would mean that the only versions we are waiting on are the Dreamcast and Playstation Vita (unless I missed a platform?).

The game is already out on Playstation 4, Playstation 3, Steam, Ouya and (as of today)  Wii U. What console are you planning to pick this up on?

2 Comments

Pier Solar HD coming out this week on PS4, PS3, PC and Ouya

by

pshd_ks1280set_2
The HD remake of Pier Solar and the Great Architects, the 2010 SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive RPG, is finally set to release on September 30th on the PS4, PS3, Ouya and PC via Steam.

Sounds awesome but what about us that pre-ordered the Xbox One, Wii U and even the physical Dreamcast version? Publisher Watermelon Games said they will be announcing release dates on those platforms later this month.

Who will be picking up the game on these platforms?

2 Comments

SEGA Dreamcast’s 15th Anniversary – the Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Classic Console

by

dc15
It’s hard to think that the Dreamcast turned 15 years old today. For many of the writers here at SEGAbits, the Dreamcast holds a special place in our hearts, and even though the console was active in retail for less than 2 years, it amounted itself an incredible amount of great games. Let’s look back at the history of the iconic console, its death, rebirth, and its future…

Continue Reading ➜

4 Comments

Pier Solar HD gets delayed again due to failing Microsoft’s certification process

by

large (1)
Its hard to believe that games actually go through a certification process before you buy said product. I want to know who approved games like Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, but that isn’t what we are here to talk about. It seems Pier Solar HD has hit another bump in the road when they missed their certification from Microsoft.

“Microsoft already evaluated Pier Solar as well but we failed some internal requirements on the certification and we’re correcting them for the next submission. This also impacts Wii U and PlayStation(s) submissions since we want to send it as clean as possible so that we don’t get another failed certification. Luckily, the process doesn’t take as long as we thought, so the perspectives to getting a release date gets better. As soon as we’re certified on all platforms we’ll announce the date and put it on the street.”

Solar Pier HD is headed to Linux, Mac, Windows,  Ouya, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Wii U, and of course the Dreamcast. It seems only consoles will be affected by the delay.

1 Comment

Swingin’ Report Show #57: Interview with WaterMelon Video Games President Tulio Gonçalves

by

SEGA Genesis month is in full swing, and Barry and George bring you our first podcast of the month which proudly features our special guest Tulio Gonçalves, president of WaterMelon Video Games! You may recognize WaterMelon as the developer of the phenomenal Genesis/Mega Drive RPG Pier Solar, released in 2010. Coming later this year is an enhanced and expanded HD release of Pier Solar, set for several platforms including Android, Linux, Mac, Ouya, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One, Wii U, and SEGA Dreamcast!

Tulio discusses WaterMelon’s early years, the creation of Pier Solar for the Genesis/Mega Drive, the upcoming Dreamcast version, and what we can expect in the future from the company. It’s a great discussion, so check it out! Also, we reveal the four winners of the SEGA and Tommo Mobile iPhone case giveaway.

Make sure to help WaterMelon to bring the game to PC by voting “YES” on their Steam Greenlight page!

[Download] [RSS] [iTunes] [Archive]

See the winning photos from the SEGA Tommo Mobile iPhone case contest after the break!

Continue Reading ➜

8 Comments

New Pier Solar HD trailer arrives – the adventure is coming soon!

by

A new teaser trailer for the upcoming Pier Solar HD was recently released by Watermelon Games. The game, which is an HD remake of the 2010 SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive indie RPG, is expected to hit Wii U, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Sega Dreamcast, Ouya, PC (Windows, Mac, Linux) and Android next month. The game is looking gorgeous, with a new widescreen presentation and updated art. Stay tuned to the trailer until the very end to see the Dreamcast logo among the supported platforms, there’s something special about seeing a SEGA console listed among Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft again.

The game is slated to release next month. In the meantime, stay tuned to the upcoming SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show podcast in which our special guest is Watermelon Games president Tulio Adriano Cardoso Gonçalves! Have any questions for Tulio? Leave them in the comments section below.

4 Comments

SEGA Genesis RPG Pier Solar HD coming to the Nintendo 3DS? [Update: Game delayed to April]

by

pshd_ks1280set_0
 
We already know the guys behind the remake of the SEGA Genesis RPG from 2010, Pier Solar, want to bring the title to many platforms including the Dreamcast and the Wii U this Spring. According to the developer Watermelon, they could end up putting it on the Nintendo 3DS as well.

“On Wii U, we’re definitely putting the second screen to good use, a feature that will be exclusive of that platform. Well, maybe not for long if we end up making it to the 3DS, but that’s for later.” – Watermelon Presiden Tulio Goncalves

Pier Solar HD is also coming out for PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Android, Ouya and lastly the SEGA Dreamcast. Yeah, its going to be hard to miss!

It should also be noted that a recent tweet from the team confirmed that the game has been delayed from a March release to April.

1 Comment