If you thought the recent release of 8-bit game Mega Man 9 was a bit bonkers, how about a brand new Megadrive game - on a proper cartridge and everything?
You may have heard of Pier Solar before, an all-new RPG being developed specifically for Megadrive in celebration of the console's 20th anniversary, soon to be released in cartridge form in an original-shape Megadrive box, manual, and the works.
Your Megadrive probably went in a jumble sale (or the bin) years ago, but Water Melon Development, the team of crazies behind the project, says 360 owners could get their chance to play the new RPG if things go to plan.
"The door is open for a re-release or perhaps a remake on the current generation of consoles, when the Mega Drive/Mega CD version is finished," it told CVG.
"We've been looking at XBLA since Microsoft opened up to XNA games and it's a definite possibility in the future. At present though, we're looking forward to the completion and release of the Mega Drive version, so that we can then start planning for new games. A next-gen port of Pier Solar (or maybe even its sequel) is definitely on the list of things to do."
The game was originally planned for a December 24 release, but has been delayed to an unspecified 2009 release. You can, however, pre-order it for $35 (£25) on the official site.
Screens and first shots of the packet and manual can be seen to the right.
Agreed. This is beyond barmy. They would have been better off making it for XBLA in the first place, and advertising it as an MD game, like Mega Man 9 was touted as a new NES game, except Capcom weren't insane and so didn't actually put out a real cartridge and such.
Hi AJDarkstar and Dajmin, I'm PR for Pier Solar and to be honest the costs of the cartridge, box, postage and packaging are covered in the price, we break even.
The MD release is not intended to be profitable it's simply a title for Mega Drive / Genesis fans by Mega Drive / Genesis fans.
Have a closer read of the website and you'll see what I mean!
Actually would seriously consider getting a Mega Drive off Ebay and buying this. Wouldn't cost much more than a full price PS3 game. It's been a long, long time since I played the Mega Drive.
Where's the love? More power to them people I say. I don't own a Megadrive anymore sadly but there should be more things like this. To break even doing a project on this scale just shows the level of passion, appreciation and gooey eyed love these guys have for the defunct format. Nice work!
I think this is awesome news I still don't have a MegaDrive (yet) but this definetly gives me a good reason to try and get one asap.
I know XBLA is great and all (and people will probably think me insane) but I really think this should be done more often. I still haven't got Mega Man 9 (yet) but had it of done the same as this I probably would of bought it on day one.
Go Water Melon & Capcom!
Just hope there'll be a PAL version or it'll at least region-free...
Edit: Definetly gotta thank Nintendo for this as I wouldn't be surprised if VC has had an influence
I still have my Megadrive from 1991 and it still works perfectly fine but I won't buy this purely because it's not the type of game that I liked for the console. £25 is completely unreasonable, I mean the games cost around £60 back in the day or something of that amount.
I still have my Megadrive from 1991 and it still works perfectly fine but I won't buy this purely because it's not the type of game that I liked for the console. £25 isn't completely unreasonable, I mean the games cost around £60 back in the day or something of that amount.
I'd say £25 for a custom 64MBit cartridge with additional Data\Audio CD that makes use of the Mega CD / Sega CD's Audio abilities was fairly reasonable...
Hi AJDarkstar and Dajmin, I'm PR for Pier Solar and to be honest the costs of the cartridge, box, postage and packaging are covered in the price, we break even.
The MD release is not intended to be profitable it's simply a title for Mega Drive / Genesis fans by Mega Drive / Genesis fans.
Have a closer read of the website and you'll see what I mean!
Cheers, Matt
I still got me megadrive and tempted! I love people who do things like that and the megadrive had some lovely boxes To the other two guys, there have already been some megadrive games released in last year or two on cartridges.
there have already been some megadrive games released in last year or two on cartridges.
There has? How come no-one's mentioned anything then?
For one I wish companies still made games for the GameCube though. Not that the Wii is bad or anything but there are so many games which could of been 10x better if they didn't have the tacky motion controls. In other words I'm hoping more companies will follow SSBBs suite
couldnt they have zoomed the screenshots of the game to double size or something? i know the mega drive had a tiny res but for viewing online they could have at least made it bigger. my phone screens bigger than those screens. before anyone moans that its the proper res, i realise that, but when played on a tv its not the size of a postage stamp
I guess when you're talking about such a niche market you can afford to just build the cartridges as the orders come in - it's not like you're suddenly going to be swamped by 100,000 pre-orders or anything.
Other than being a good publicity move, I'm not sure it's a great idea. At least MegaDrive games shipped in DVD-sized boxes, so the postage should be about the same.
@matthew The company isn't looking for testers or music is it?
I'm going to buy a copy of the actual Pier Solar cartridge anyhow whenever they get it finished. I still have my Mega Drive hooked up, dedicated TV and all. Greatest console ever.
@WHERESMYMONKEY - I know that Jap games wouldn't play on a UK machine (it might be the other way around???) UNLESS you opened it up and removed the plastic cartidge lock. They'd play fine then.
@WHERESMYMONKEY, @Clifton: USA and Japanese games run at 60hz, while European games runs at 50hz. The US based games will fit into the cartridge slot of the European model and will either run slowly or not at all. This rule isn't always the case but is the majority of the time.
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I still don't have a MegaDrive (yet) but this definetly gives me a good reason to try and get one asap.
To the other two guys, there have already been some megadrive games released in last year or two on cartridges.
How come no-one's mentioned anything then?
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