Despite being very eager for the release of Pier Solar HD it’s often hard to stay connected when games are announced and then they’re in development for a very long period of time.
I lost track for a little while and then I stumbled on the official trailer. And I feel it’s looking great. Despite being a very retro style video game I know Pier Solar will be right at home on modern consoles. And the good news is it looks like it’s going to be released on just about everything! 😛
-> PC, MAC, Linux, Wii U, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Dreamcast and Ouya.
From watching WaterMelon Team video diaries and reading their own posts I know they are very eager to announce an official release date but are holding off in an effort to ensure they can hit it once announced. I know they will deliver and I don’t mind waiting.
I’ve already pre-ordered Pier Solar HD for my Dreamcast (via kickstarter) and I’m sure I’ll buy it again for my PS4.
Having already played it for the Sega Genesis I can say first hand this is a quality game. If you’re into JRPG’s have close look. This could be one for you 🙂
In fact, I recommend keeping an eye on WaterMelon Team the developers of Pier Solar. They have some amazing stuff in the works. Specially if you’re a retro gamer.
WaterMelon Team Shop
Retro Megabit 
I’d almost forgotten about this as well, but it’s coming out on the Wii U and I think that’s awesome. I’ll buy this as soon as it drops on the eShop. Thanks for reminding me this was arriving!
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No problem! 🙂 With any luck we wont have to wait much longer for a release date.
I haven’t actually beaten Pier Solar yet but after writing this post I popped it in and continued. The game can be a bit tough at times. Leveling is very slow! And XP grinding use to be my secret weapon for beating JRPG’s! Pier Solar is forcing me to push on sooner than I’d normally like to.
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Oh, you should try Rainbow Moon on the Vita or PS3. Grinding is the ONLY way to progress unless you buy character upgrade pearls for each party member. EVEN with those, you still need to level up everyone individually because new members join at low levels and don’t gain XP unless they’re in your active party. Eeek. And yeah, I need to finish PS one day. I got to a point where I got stuck because I moved into an area where the difficulty LEAPED into “yikes” territory and each battle is a tough one. I’ve thought about restarting a few times, but we’ll see…
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You recommended Rainbow Moon to me once before and I almost picked it up when it was on sale. I was tempted. Is it a game that does micro transactions? If it is I’ll skip it. I don’t want to face that kind of grinding. It’s too punishing!
For far in Pier Solar I find that hitting that next level is usually enough to get you through the area you’re on. I’d hate to have to grind for 2-4 levels in that game. They come really slowly!
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Oh, you don’t need to buy anything in the game if you don’t want to. That said, if it’s on sale again I’d say at least try the free demo out before and keep the save file as it transfers over when you buy the game. I think it was 6.99 (which is a great sale price) and the DLC was dirt cheap (something like 14 cents up to about $2) if you have an active PS Plus account. The DLC is either coins to buy stuff, Rainbow Pearls for gaining skills quicker (both in varying amounts), a few starter packs of coins and pearls together, specific gear for each character (rings or amulets plus pearls). All optional, but handy if one is having trouble.
It’s definitely NOT a “pay to win” deal, as even if you bought ALL the content, it doesn’t make the game winnable out of the gate. You can;t use those pearls at all unless you gain levels and find the skill trainer (there are a few in each area),There’s a level cap of 500 (!), certain areas have enemies that are higher than that wandering around in some dungoens (you can’t fight them until you get an item that lets you bypass magic gates) and there’s even a trophy for playing for a set amount of time. So it’s a mix of old and new.
There’s a sequel in the works (Rainbow Skies), but I’m not sure when it’ll come out. I’d gather there will be a combo pack of both games at some point, but we’ll see. There are two or three other older-school RPGs on the Vita. Dragon Fantasy I & II ($19.99 if you buy both), End of Serenity ($14.99) and Mystic Chronicles ($14.99), all of which are cool. EoS and MC have optional paid content, but in the case of the first game, it’s NOT needed at all because the game is SO easy that you rarely feel threatened until the endgame. That and you can get those EoS points by fishing in a super-easy mini-game that can be repeated endlessly.
Mystic Chronicles doesn’t require buying in at all either, but it’s a much more difficult game and long, too. I think I put about 90 hours into it before the “ending” (which leads to a post-game that’s maybe another 10-20 hours or so if you want to level up and properly prepare for the harder boss you’ll face off against)
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OK, I’ll keep an eye on Rainbow Moon! And I’ve been waiting for a sale for Fantasy I & II. I’ll get that when the price is cut. If I needed something to play I’d get it right away but I have lots in the queue so I’ll wait 🙂
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