I feel like I’ve been very lucky when it comes to the Watermelon Team (Creators of the video game Pier Solar) thanks to Luis Martins. Luis has been doing amazing concept artwork for Watermelon Team’s upcoming Sega Genesis / Mega Drive game code named Project Y. And whenever something cool happens Luis always sends me a messages.
Very recently Luis sent me a link titled Leaked Images of Project Y. Even though there are only two screen shots I was really amazed. Check them out below:
Project Y Work In Progress Screen Shot One
**Update**
After publishing this post I got a message from Luis Martins who told me that the artwork and backgrounds you’re looking at here are from the actual Project Y video game and are 100% Watermelon Team.
Luis Martins: “Yes it is legit, all the artwork is from the actual game even the backgrounds.”
He did want me to also say that this is very much a work in progress and things may change or look different in the final game. So you can disregard my speculation as you read it below.
I don’t believe everything you see here is created by Watermelon Team (maybe?). From the videos below you’ll see that during development Watermelon team will use sprites (characters) and possibly other elements from other games in order to see what the Genesis / Mega Drive can do.
Project Y Work In Progress Screen Shot Two
I’m sure this method really helps move along game development. I imagine this enables the coders to work on the gameplay mechanics while the pixel artists work on the unique characters for the game. I do hope the background environment from the first screen shot has been created by Watermelon Team. It’s looks really excellent! I wanna go to the Blue Bar!
The fact that I entirely trust Luis Martins as a reliable source for Project Y and because you can see these same screen shots on Watermelon Teams Magical Game Factory forums and no Watermelon Team member has jumped in to say they are fake I really do believe this is a real first glimpse into Project Y. And it’s very exciting!
In the video below Fonzie from the Watermelon Team shows how he’s working on getting many large sprites on the screen at the same time while keeping the Mega Drive / Genesis CPU usage low. Leaving lots of horse power left for the rest of the game.
Did you hear that?! Fonzie hints at having 16 characters on the screen at one time. If in the end Watermelon Team gets anywhere near that it will be unbelievable.
Fonzie might have also suggested that they are trying to make the best RPG Beat’em Up ever 🙂 Outstanding.
If you still play your Mega Drive / Genesis watch for this one and buy it as soon as you can.
Project Y is going to be all up in your face!
And just for fun have a look at Watermelon Teams Mega Drive 25th Anniversary Celebration:
Retro Megabit 
You certainly did your research on this one. The idea of an RPG beat em up sounds intriguing. I’ve never really been a huge fan of the double dragon series (golden axe was a lot better), but to be able to build up your character sounds like fun!
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Did you ever play Streets of Rage (1,2 or 3) for the Genesis? They are really good and very similar to Golden Axe except the setting was modern day.
Yeah, I also like the idea of an RPG beat’em up. I have no idea what Watermelon Team is going to put into this game but leveling up your Character does sound like a great feature.
Hopefully we’ll get more news soon!
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I’m not sure how to manage an update to a particular post. I’ve added the following in the body of the post above but no one will get a notice about a change. So if anyone has checked to be notified of new comments you’ll see this:
**Update**
After publishing this post I got a message from Luis Martins who told me that the artwork and backgrounds you’re looking at here are from the actual Project Y video game and are 100% Watermelon Team.
Luis Martins: “Yes it is legit, all the artwork is from the actual game even the backgrounds.”
He did want me to also say that this is very much a work in progress and things may change or look different in the final game. So you can disregard my speculation as you read it below.
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Meh I do not really care anymore about anything SEGA related. They sent an seize and desist letter to “Bombergames” ( which created an top down remake of SOR HD for the PC that is free ). So I don’t really care anymore about this stuff reguarding SEGA rubbish. I love 8-bit consoles but I feel robbed nowadays. I am looking forward to this stuff but i feel robbed still.
I am also getting real tired of the extra, pale, and extra whitey graphics of Watermelon team artwork. ( I do not mean to be rude braa ) Like the artwork on the cover of this website and the games itself. I mean seriously people are white but make them colorfull for crying in the mud. I am tired of seeing the same shade of grey, or whatever on peoples skins.
Even the original Airbrushed works, have more energy. Your artwork ( the High end, obviously computer colored teh living day lights out of, obviously lacks the energy of actual 8-bit games and so forth. Even the god forsaken Dreamcast ( mainly Japanese ) have more happier graphics.
While times are messed up now, with nobody fighting privacy, or nobody caring about the actual internet we grewed up and lived with at all. All the fake-bs about the Orient and lies from the media and government which is depressing and all.
I know the population is aging and becoming more reckless and easier to control due to lack of children and young adults but the artwork should be more happier and uplifting. I guess all things die right? Including happiness.
Did you know that Roman statues were all colored and in time the paint just peeled off and left the statues looking the way they do??/ That is how it feels looking at these artworks. Graphical yes but lacking in energy that made great game artwork alive.
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Hi RegalSin,
I’m surprised to hear you comments. The Project Y screen shots above look very colorful to me. For a Genesis game I think there is an amazing amount of detail and a broad color pallet. I think it’s looking amazing 🙂
It is a shame that Sega wasn’t more willing to embrace Bombergames remake of Streets of Rage.
http://www.bombergames.net/sorr_project/
Similar to how Capcom made the fan-made game Street Fighter X Mega Man an official game.
http://www.capcom-unity.com/mega_man
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