PlatinumGames and Hamster Corporation have announced the release date of retro-inspired arcade shoot ’em up Sol Cresta has been delayed.
Sol Cresta is coming soon to Windows PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.
As previously reported, PlatinumGames had previously set up a teaser website in 2020 for four major announcements. Their fourth of what would be five announcements was an April Fool’s joke, a fake teaser for a Sol Cresta arcade machine. This would be a sequel to the 1980 arcade game Moon Cresta, and 1985’s Terra Cresta.
One year on, PlatinumGames officially announced Sol Cresta. As in Moon Cresta, players can collect other ships to dock and improve their own with more fire-power. Taking cues from Terra Cresta, players can have each ship enter special formations, or form a mighty burning phoenix. The game will also be the first part of PlatinumGames’ “Neo-Classic Arcade Series.”
The game was previously announced to launch December 9th. As explained in “Hideki Kamiya’s Very Sorry Stream” however, there were “some schedule and quality issues that we want to focus on and make sure that everything is right.” A release date was not announced at this time, but a release date would be announced in early 2022.
Nonetheless, the stream bought more gameplay. You can find it below (at 26:42, 37:36), along with display options (at 45:46) with scanlines and vertical screen modes.
You can find the rundown (via PlatinumGames) below.
DOCK, SPLIT, and FORM UP!
Pilot three ships and free the solar system from the clutches of evil in this free-form shooting game!PlatinumGames’ NEO-CLASSIC ARCADE series carries on the spirit and fun of classic gaming using modern technology, and the first project in this endeavor is Sol Cresta. Sol Cresta takes the docking and formation strategies of classic shooting games Moon Cresta and Terra Cresta and elevates them with the “free-form docking” system. The flagship Yamato, composed of the ships Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susano can utilize various attacks depending on how the three ships are aligned. Docking, splitting, and reforming the ships as needed is the key to defeating the invading armies of Mandler.
Free-Form Docking
The fully-armed Yamato is composed of three ships. You’ll scramble with only one ship at first, but pick up the right item to summon your wingmen, and dock with them to power up! Dock and split to change your attack properties and use different formations to access an amazing arsenal.Classic 80s-Style Excitement
Sol Cresta’s music is provided by legendary chiptune composer Yuzo Koshiro, and the game pays homage to the sound and visuals of the earlier Cresta series, bringing back that arcade fever while taking it beyond mere nostalgia.
