November2021
News Mega Drive Brawler Paprium Is Coming To Switch Following Kickstarter Success
And it's going to be a physical release, too
Remember Paprium? We covered the announcement of this Mega Drive / Genesis side-scrolling fighter a few years back. Created by the team behind Pier Solar, it was intended to push the 16-bit console to its absolute limits using special tech built into the cartridge. Plenty of people pledged their cash...
December2020
News Just When You Thought 2020 Couldn't Get Any Weirder, WaterMelon's Paprium Is Finally Finished
And now it wants you to buy its next game without even seeing it
Despite its rough edges, we're still fans of WaterMelon Games' faux-retro RPG Pier Solar here at Nintendo Life, having followed the development of the game from its release on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive all the way up to its eventual launch on the Wii
April2019
News Troubled Genesis Brawler Paprium Is Apparently Back On Track
Going into production soon
Remember Paprium? Developed by Watermelon — the studio behind the excellent Pier Solar — this side-scrolling fighter was supposed to launch on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive some time ago, funded by pre-orders pledged by the many fans desperate to see a new Streets of Rage-style brawl
November2018
News Paprium's Disastrous 'Launch Party' Leaves Backers Furious As Unfinished Prototype Is Shown Off
"I'm starting to think this situation is beyond repair"
The saga of Paprium – the next game from Pier Solar developer WaterMelon – rolls ever onwards. Earlier this year we spoke to one of the game's artists about the stop-st
March2017
News Pier Solar Studio Is Back With A Brand New Sega Mega Drive Beat 'Em Up, Paprium
Comes on an 80-MEG cart
WaterMelon, best known for its RPG Pier Solar, has just revealed its next project - a side-scrolling fighter for the Sega Mega Drive called Paprium. Development began quite some time ago, when the game was known simply as
October2014
News Pier Solar and the Great Architects Landing in North America on 23rd October
Actually, no it's not
Update: Publisher Watermelon has now confirmed that the Nintendo listing for 23rd October was inaccurate; as a positive it's stated on Facebook that a release date will be confirmed in the coming week. Original Article: After a series of delays, former Kickstarter campaign
June2014
News Pier Solar HD Delayed, Wii U Version Will Now Come With Built-In Achievements
Certification process throws up some issues
WaterMelon's rebooted 16-bit RPG Pier Solar and the Great Architects HD was due for release earlier this year, but the developer has now revealed that a last-minute snag in the certification process has resulted in a minor delay. Apparently it's Microsoft which is kicking up a stink — it rejected the...
March2014
Video This Pier Solar HD Teaser Trailer Will Make You Weep Tears Of 16-Bit Joy
HD update of WaterMelon's retro RPG is shaping up nicely
Pier Solar HD is one of those Wii U eShop titles that we simply can't wait to get our hands on, having already played and enjoyed the Mega Drive / Genesis original. Developer WaterMelon has now released a new teaser for the HD edition, which not only ties in with the game's arrival on Steam...
February2014
News Old School RPG Pier Solar Coming To Wii U In April, 3DS Version Could Happen
WaterMelon's future projects could come to modern consoles, too
Remember Pier Solar? We covered it quite some time ago, and also delivered the good news that the game was getting remastered for a HD release on the Wii U eShop. Things have gone a bit quiet on this front recently and the last we heard, the game was aiming
November2013
News Pier Solar HD Now Targeting Release in March 2014
Lengthy update outlines positive reaction to visuals at Indiecade
Pier Solar HD, an enhanced re-release of WaterMelon's Mega Drive / Genesis title released in 2010, is certainly on the radar of various members of the Nintendo Life team. It promises a rather traditional piece of RPG gaming, but will come with a HD sheen on the Wii U eShop. This HD...
October2013
Video Check Out WaterMelon's New SNES Title ProjectN
Going underground with the developers in Germany
Indie developer WaterMelon is perhaps most famous for its Mega Drive title Pier Solar, which is coming to the Wii U eShop next year. However, the small studio is also working on a brand-new SNES title, currently referred to as ProjectN. WaterMelon has been uploading some rather amusing — not to...
Video Compare 16-Bit With HD In This Pier Solar and the Great Architects Trailer
Set to shine in Q1 2014
Towards the end of last year indie developer WaterMelon ran a successful crowdsourcing campaign to bring its 2010 Sega Mega Drive (Genesis in the US) title Pier Solar and the Great Architects into high definition on a range of systems including Wii U. It's set to release into the eShop in the first quarter of 2014 and...
July2013
News WaterMelon Hiring Pixel Artists For New SNES and Mega Drive / Genesis Titles
What's old is new
WaterMelon is a name likely to be well-known among retro gamers that want that elusive thing; a retro game that's brand new. If that sounds peculiar, it perhaps shouldn't, as this is a company that seeks out and hires specialists in the field. Wii U owners will see the studio in action, eventually, with the crowdfunded HD remake of...
February2013
Developer Interview WaterMelon On Kickstarter, Nintendo And Bringing Pier Solar To The Wii U
"Working with Nintendo is much easier than one would think"
We reported last year that WaterMelon's 16-bit RPG Pier Solar would be gracing the Wii U in the near future, having secured funding for a HD remake via Kickstarter. The team is busy working on the HD version as we speak, so we thought it would be a good time to get in touch and talk about...
December2012
News Pier Solar HD Kickstarter Smashes Through Wii U Stretch Goal
Nintendo version now assured
You'll have to forgive us if we've been talking a lot about Pier Solar recently, but we're rather taken with WaterMelon's 16-bit RPG. Launched in 2010 on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, the game received a limited print run which has since become a collector's item. Keen to get the game into the hands of a wider audience,...
November2012
News Pier Solar Kickstarter Campaign Successful, Wii U Port Added As New Stretch Goal
$200,000 is the figure required
Indie developer WaterMelon, creators of the recent Pier Solar and the Great Architects for the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis in the US), recently launched a Kickstarter campaign with the aim being to create a HD edition for Xbox 360, PC, Mac and Dreamcast. The target was set at $139,000 and it didn’t take long for the...
Feature Hands-On With 16-bit RPG Pier Solar
We check out the Mega Drive epic which could be making its way to Wii U soon
WaterMelon's 16-bit RPG Pier Solar is proof that old gaming hardware can enjoy a fresh existence years or even decades after its original production lifespan. What began as a homebrew project in 2004 has turned into a indie gaming success story; Pier Solar has had multiple...
News Mega Drive RPG Classic Pier Solar Could Be Headed To Wii U
Kickstarter campaign for HD version at 50% after just 3 days
Back in 2010, indie developer WaterMelon created an all-new RPG for the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis to US readers) called Pier Solar and the Great Architects. An incredible achievement in itself, the game soon found a cult audience thanks to its gorgeous 2D visuals and gripping story line,...
