The retro gaming scene is thriving, with developers releasing hundreds of games designed to cater to nostalgic players, as well as to modern gamers who are fans of vintage design elements. Everything from pixel art sprites to PS One-era polygon graphics, from side-scrolling platformers to retro FPS games, can be found by those in the mood for an old-school experience.
But one group of hardcore retro developers is going a step further by releasing games that can only be played on archaic hardware. Indie studio WaterMelon’s recent release Paprium is a great example of the power of crowdfunding, and of how developers are ensuring there is still life in the original SEGA Genesis. To play the homebrew beat-em-up, gamers will need to dust off their old console, and get their hands on a real, physical game cartridge.
The Brief History of Paprium’s Troubled Development
Paprium is a side-scrolling brawler released in 2020 and inspired by classics like Streets Of Rage, which was itself resurrected in the same year with long-awaited and acclaimed sequel Streets Of Rage 4, recently updated with the Mr. X Nightmare DLC. Paprium was first announced back in 2012 by developer WaterMelon as part of a crowd-funding pitch, and development of the game – then known only as “Project Y” – started in around 2013. The subsequent long delay and lack of communication with backers led to many believing the game was vaporware, and would never be released.
However, the trailer that surfaced in 2017 (which can be seen above) helped to quell these rumors, making a big impact with its bizarre content, bold art style and memorable slogan “Rule, Be Ruled, Or Die!” Despite further delays and setbacks, the game eventually released in 2020, including a limited “Investor’s” Edition containing a pink cartridge, a map of the game, a handwritten note from the creator, and even a promotional leather thong. The studio also released its own arcade stick to accompany the release, called the Grand Stick III, which featured light-up buttons and a built-in speaker.
The game itself received praise for its gameplay and innovative use of RPG elements and branching paths, as well as the novel use of hardware built into the Paprium cartridge itself, designed to enhance the performance of the Genesis console. However, ongoing financial troubles at the studio mean that acquiring a copy might now prove difficult.
Other New Releases for the SEGA Genesis
Thankfully Paprium is far from the only game to revisit antiquated gaming hardware, and there is an array of great video game consoles that have seen unlikely new releases this century. The classic SEGA system has proven particularly popular with retro developers, with physical cartridge games such as Tanglewood receiving positive reviews as well as being ported to the PC and Nintendo Switch. WaterMelon’s previous release Pier Solar was also commended for its art direction, and for pushing the technical boundaries of the Genesis with its unprecedented 64 megabit cartridge.
With the recent release of the SEGA Genesis Mini and the availability of retro games collections on modern consoles, there are a host of ways for fans of the beloved console to play its classic games. But the appetite of some developers and fans to go a step further is fueling the creation of new games that are only playable on the original, 30-year-old technology. If Paprium is an indicator of what retro gamers can expect, there are many more impressive, enjoyable and downright weird releases yet to come for these venerable machines.
Paprium is available now for the SEGA Genesis.