New Release (Game)

Pier Solar Collector’s Edition for the Sega Dreamcast

Posted by Sega Dude on November 24, 2015

Posted in: Collection New Additions, Community, New Release (Game). Tagged: collectors edition, dreamcast, kickstarter, pier solar hd, sega, strategy guide, watermelon. 9 Comments

It was the year 2012 when I pledged $125 UDS to the Kickstarter campaign for Pier Solar HD for the Sega Dreamcast.

Today, just about three years later my Pier Solar Collector’s Edition has arrived. My first thought was ‘Man, this thing is heavy’. Then after opening the shipping package my first impression was a pure and unbridled ‘Wow’.

The first point I want to make is that the quality of everything I’m about to show off is amazing. I have previously purchased Pier Solar for the Sega Genesis and it was then when I understood that the creators (Watermelon Team) value producing a very high quality product. And even now with my expectations set so high Watermelon Team managed to surprise me with this collectors edition.

Below is what came out of the package that I found on my door step. Right away I knew exactly what the jewel case was; my copy of Pier Solar HD for my Sega Dreamcast. Which is beautiful by the way. Packed with a professionally pressed Disc, cover insert, poster, stickers and a fat manual. The Jewel case has no room to spare.

But what are these other two significantly larger items?

Pier Solar? You’ve grown!

Regular Ed. Collectors and Guide.

Beneath the light brown Watermelon wrapping paper I found a very thick and sturdy white box with a flip top. In the cardboard box I found the Pier Solar Strategy Guide.

Some goodies.

PSHD Lots of goodies!

When opening the huge white Collectors Edition box I learned that my edition of Pier Solar HD is print number 595 of 999. I then found the Collector’s Edition disc of Pier Solar which looks the same as the regular edition you see in plastic in the first two images above. But there was still so much more room in this box.

There is more…

…much more.

Over the years Watermelon has dropped hints as to what we might find; including mention of figures. But beyond that I had no idea what to expect.

My very first collectible video Game Mug

PSHD Run Edessot! Run!!

Again, just like the game, the quality of the mug and figures is outstanding. To me the frog and the chicken feel like mascots for Watermelon Team. They are simple yet clever keep-sake’s that really capture the mood of Pier Solar. Of course the inclusion of Edessot one of the main characters is fantastic.

I find it amusing that the first thing that came to mind when I saw the mug was ‘Well, I don’t have the Tea Cup for Panorama Cotton but I’ve got the Pier Solar Mug!’ 😀

The game.

The manual.

Above you can see the contents of the Jewel case (which doesn’t include the figures). The Disc and the manual really stand out. They look really good.

Strategy guide.

Lots of images and text.

Pictures don’t do the Pier Solar Strategy Guide justice. This is a heavy hard cover book weighing in at 446 pages! I really could have used this sucker on my first play through of Pier Solar.

Very detailed.

World Map

And at the back of the book you’ll find a very nice world map of Pier Solar. And in the jewel case you’ll find an extremely gold Pier Solar poster.

Sooo Gold!

Quality is exploding from this collectors edition which has turned out to be so much more than I expected. When I pledged my money I wanted a copy of Pier Solar for my Sega Dreamcast and to support a company that is doing amazing things for Retro Video Gaming… in the end I feel like I made out like a bandit to have scored this ‘literal’ treasure box.

Thank you Watermelon Team!!

**Update**
July 2016. I have sold my Dreamcast Pier Solar collectors Edition. As nice as it is I wanted a bit of extra money for other games. I still have my Dreamcast Pier Solar regular edition and the Pier Solar Strategy Guide… and my Sega Mega Drive Pier Solar Posterity Edition and my Sega Genesis / Mega Drive regular edition. So I’m good for Pier Solar! …I also have it for PS4 but who’s counting? Not me! 😀

I sold this Collectors Edition with my Limited Edition of Gunlord (also for the Sega Dreamcast). I sold both together for $270 CAD. Pier Solar I had originally bought for $125 USD (on par with CAD at the time) and Gunlord LE for about 50 Euro. I certainly would not have sold it at a loss. It’s a great product and I do miss it already.

I’ve since replace my Dreamcast Gunlord with the regular jewel case edition.

Water Margin a Tale of Clouds and Wind

Posted by Sega Dude on August 24, 2015

Posted in: Community, Genesis (North America), Mega Drive (EURO), Mega Drive (Japanese), New Release (Game). Tagged: a tale of clouds and wind, genesis, mega drive, piko interactive, sega, shui hu feng yun zhuan, water margin. 8 Comments

The video game ‘Water Margin a Tale of Clouds and Wind’ was originally an unlicensed game for the Sega Mega Drive released in 1996, exclusively in Asian regions.

Piko Interactive has recently translated the game into English and is currently selling Water Margin for $55 USD plus shipping. That’s complete with cartridge, case and manual. You even have the option of cart only for $40 but don’t do that 😛
I have already ordered a copy for myself and hopefully the the quality will rival the caliber of a Super Fighter Team or Water Melon release.

I first discovered Water Margin by it’s original name ‘Shui Hu Feng Yun Zhuan’ about two years ago when I bought a loose cart for $15 USD. At the time I had no idea what to expect from the game and when I started playing I was really surprised by how good it is. The gameplay feels very much like Golden Axe except the theme is set in feudal China. There are even three selectable characters and it’s also a two player game. The combat and magic system are a bit more simplistic than something more polished like Golden Axe (or other licensed Sega Beat’em Ups) but the game is worth playing. And despite feeling a bit repetitive it’s a good length and it will provide a good challenge.

Below is my first time playing through level one.

If you enjoy the Beat’em-Up genre I really do recommend this game. Complete with awesome amateurish artwork that really fits the era of gaming it came from 🙂 I could not ask for more!

Cover Art for the new 2015 release of Water Margin a Tale of Clouds and Wind.

Oh Mummy Genesis by 1985 Alternativo

Posted by Sega Dude on May 23, 2015

Posted in: Collection New Additions, Mega Drive (EURO), New Release (Game). Tagged: 1985 Alternativo, oh mummy genesis. 6 Comments

When ‘Oh Mummy Genesis’ was first re-released by 1985 Alternativo in 2012 for the Sega Mega Drive I missed out because I failed at ordering it from their Spanish only site. At that time it would have cost me almost $50 CAD for the game.

More recently I managed to buy it off of ebay for a little under $70 CAD (all in). Being several years after the release I think this price is about as good as I could have done. Typically games similar to this become very expensive on the second hand market.

Despite the case and cartridge being made from very cheap and soft plastic the whole package looks pretty good. The Oh Mummy Genesis case is more similar to what comes with Super Fighter Team games like Legend of Wukong and Star Odyssey than to classic Genesis cases but the Super Fighter Team cases are still much better quality.

And what of the actual game Oh Mummy Genesis? It’s a remake of a very old computer game called ‘Oh Mummy’ for the Amstrad CPC. The game is very simplistic. With the exception of the bonus stages (and pausing the game) you don’t need to use any buttons. You simply navigate your archeologist around the map similar to Pac-Man. The goal in Oh Mummy Genesis is to trace a path around the tombs on the map and find the key that will unlock the next map. The more of the map you uncover the more treasure and points you’ll earn.
In addition to Mummy’s chasing you around the board there are lots of items, environments and other enemy’s that do a great job augmenting the gameplay and help keep everything fresh and interesting.

Oh Mummy Genesis!

Oh Mummy Genesis Gameplay

If you’ve ever seen the original Oh Mummy you’ll know that Oh Mummy Genesis has had a serious graphics overhaul. Both the graphics and sounds are very nice and feel appropriate on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. The game is fun and addictive.

Is it worth $70 CAD (~$57 USD)? Not really. When I think of what you get from more popular Genesis games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Thunder Force III, Ghouls’n Ghost, Streets of Rage, etc it’s hard for this very old style of game to compete. Personally I feel you’re going to have to be a collector as much as a gamer to make this one worth the money. However, it is a fun game and I do like it.

Tiny ProjectY Update – Look out for HEIN!!

Posted by Sega Dude on September 7, 2014

Posted in: Community, New Release (Game). Tagged: projecty, watermelon, watermelon team. 2 Comments

ProjectY is the code name of the Beat’em Up video game currently being created by Watermelon Team for play on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive.

There haven’t been many recent updates for ProjectY and this post ain’t much of an update but it is proof of life!

I recently received an email from Watermelon and in this email they included the following tiny glimpses into the upcoming ProjectY.

The screenshots below shows a few still frames of animation for one of the baddies for ProjectY. The pixel art is excellent. In fact it’s beyond excellent. I feel very confident about the quality of this game and I’m very excited to get my hands on it!

Wha… What’s he going to do with that I-Beam?…

The intent of Watermelon’s email was to verify details of early investors to ensure that a cool little treat would be correctly included in the game.

As early investors Watermelon Team is doing two things as a ‘thank you’.
One: early investors will get their name in the Credits of the game.
Two: as if that wasn’t sweet enough, early investors also get to name a bad guy from this beat’em up!

I would have loved to name my bad guy SEGADUDE but for (I assume) technical reasons the name length of bad guys in the game is limited to six characters. SEGADU just doesn’t have the same impatct so I went with HEIN (Another nickname of mine).

Showing Investors which characters are valid for naming a bad guy.

The screenshot above was used to show investors what characters they can use in the six character name they pick to be applied to a bad guy in the game.
But beyond this we get a small glimpse into the game. There’s not enough to really be sure what we’re looking at but again the pixel art is really well done. The image has depth and shading as well as some elements looking worn or used; like the dirt and marks on the platform and the grease coming from the small vent on the bottom right.
What are we looking at in the picture? My guess is this is some kind of platform. Maybe a moving elevator or tram. “MIND THE GAP !!!” written on the very bottom is a good clue to suggest something like that.

No investor actually chooses which character gets their chosen name. Watermelon explained that the names will be applied randomly and these investor names will only been shown in game if you enable the feature before playing.

Not really sure what this is…

The screen shot above is much more of a mystery… Clearly it’s a rough draft of something. I can see the Japanese Mega Drive logo as well as Watermelon’s logo. And what looks like graffiti in a few places. All of the elements appear to be in some kind of image editor.
My guess? These are early drafts of elements to be put into the game or on the packaging or maybe stickers or something to be packaged in the game box.

So someday when we’re finally playing ProjectY and you see HEIN com’in at ya with a beat stick, chain, nun-chucks, or even an I-Beam make sure you give him heck!! 😀

Beggar Prince from Super Fighter Team is back!

Posted by Sega Dude on August 8, 2014

Posted in: Community, New Release (Game). Tagged: beggar prince, reprint, super fighter team. 2 Comments

A long time ago after missing out on the first and second run of the excellent looking RPG Beggar Prince for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive I emailed Super Fighter Team and expressed interest in the game. And I think a lot of you must have done the same.

And good on us for doing so 😀 Just today I got a notice from Super Fighter Team that they are again selling Beggar Prince.

I did not hesitate. I’ve already ordered two copies from beggarprince.com. One for myself and one to trade. I would really love to get my hands on a copy of the Genesis version of Pier Solar Posterity Edition and in an effort to make this happen I’ve been buying doubles of newly released games like this in the hopes that someday I’ll be able to seduce someone into a trade.

For me this news came right on the heels of the announcement of the Genesis game ‘It Came from the Desert‘. These are very exciting times. If this pace keeps up can we still call the Sega Genesis a retro system? 😛

It’s my hope that the retail sleeve will look as good as this.

I’ve previously purchased Legend of Wukong, Star Odyssey and Nightmare Busters from Super Fighter Team and I can say first hand they produce quality games matched with retail packing that will make any retro fan/collector very happy.

Both Legend of Wukong and Star Odyssey are currently in my collection and Nightmare Busters has only just shipped and I’m very excited to receive it.

I don’t know if we’ll ever get another shot at Beggar Prince so if you’re at all interested now is the time.

Beggar Prince looks like a very good classic JRPG!

Thank you Super Fighter Team!

It came from the Desert and it’s heading to the Genesis!

Posted by Sega Dude on August 6, 2014

Posted in: Community, New Release (Game). Tagged: cinemaware, genesis, it came from the desert, mega drive, pre order, sega. 10 Comments

It’s such a welcome treat when a new or previously unpublished games gets put on a cartridge and released for retro consoles.
Just recently while browsing Sega-16.com I found out about a game called ‘It came from the Desert’ which was once slated for release on the Genesis/Mega Drive but was subsequently canceled. And now 24 years later it’s threatening to arrive!

We’ve had this treatment before with the Genesis and it’s very exciting every time.

Retail Release coming soon.

I rushed over to cinemaware.com to purchase a copy. …but they’re not ready yet to take pre-orders. The good news is (if you caught this post recently) we’re all in time to get a copy. From the link above you can sign-up to be notified when Cinemaware is ready to take your pre-order.
The release date is set for the 2014 Holiday season; which is not that far off. In fact it’s close enough that I’m surprised that they’re not taking pre-orders now. Fingers crossed that they can hit their release date!

Looks very promising!

For me personally I was extra excited about this release when I found out that Watermelon will be involved. I don’t have many details about the extent of their involvement but I believe they are helping with the physical packaging of ‘It came from the Desert’. Through my experience with Pier Solar I know that Watermelon puts a lot of effort into making a quality product and I’m hoping this will extend to Cinemaware’s effort.

Below are some cool details about the Genesis version that we might finally get our hands on:

Source Wikipedia

“A Sega Genesis/Mega Drive version was to be released in 1990, but was canceled. It is an overhead shooter with the main protagonist running around on foot, although it features more free roaming gameplay than traditional scrolling shooters. Among the differences in play mechanics, the Sega version allowed the player to create powerups that were fashioned by collecting machinery pieces and joining them together in different combinations. The storyline also differs from the game, instead casting the player not as the scientist from the original but as a teenage pest control worker known as Buzz who makes a variety of improvisational weapons with various materials combined with his pest control equipment.

Although the Sega version was never actually offered for sale, it was distributed as a ROM image (for use with console emulators) from the Cinemaware website after the turn of the 21st century. Despite the similarity of camera perspective, the Sega version did not appear to reuse any of the graphical elements created for use in the computer-based versions.”