When did Action Fighter release?

Action Fighter was first released on August 17, 1986.

Action Fighter

Aug 17, 1986ShooterRacingArcadeArcadeCommodore C64/128/MAXZX SpectrumLegacy ComputerAtari ST/STE

Action Fighter — frequently asked questions

What platforms is Action Fighter on?: Action Fighter was released on Arcade, Commodore C64/128/MAX, ZX Spectrum, Legacy Computer, Atari ST/STE, DOS, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Sega Master System/Mark III.
When did Action Fighter release?: Action Fighter was first released on August 17, 1986.

About Action Fighter

Take to the streets or take to the skies. Because Action Fighter is the incredible, transformable combat vehicle. You start out on a customized cycle. Built with enough speed and power to jump over water and overtake enemies. Then, by finding the right parts along the way, you'll change your cycle into a supercharged, state-of-the-art sports car. Next, add two turbojets to make your car airborne. And take to the skies. Down hyped-up helicopters and jet spaceships from above. And no matter which vehicle you're manning- or who you're after- get ready to stand by for action!

Summary via IGDB.

Game details

Developer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Game modes: Single player, Multiplayer
Themes: Action, Science fiction

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

96/100

from 17 ratings

Every version compared

Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release

Platform	Year	Loose	Complete	Sealed	Period reviews	Fake risk
Sega Master System	1986	$12	$21	$45	13 reviews	Low (look-alike)

Also released on: Arcade · Commodore C64/128/MAX · ZX Spectrum · Legacy Computer · Atari ST/STE · DOS · Amiga · Amstrad CPC · Sega Master System/Mark III. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.

Collector value & authenticity

Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28

Loose

$12

Complete

$21

Sealed

$45

few sales

Other releases and variants

Release	Loose	Complete	Sealed
European (PAL) release	$6	$13	—
Japanese release	$5	$87	—

How often it sells

Loose: about once a month
Complete: about 2 times a month
Sealed: about once a year

Prices marked “few sales” rest on about one recorded sale a year, so treat them as a rough guide: the next copy could sell well above or below. Expect to wait for one to come up.

Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-28.

Price over time

Loose
Complete

A loose copy sold for about $2.34 in Jul 2009, $10.00 five years ago, and $11.99 as of Oct 2026.

Show as table

Month	Loose	Complete
Jan 2010	$1.99	—
Jan 2011	$1.49	—
Jan 2012	$2.47	—
Jan 2013	$2.44	—
Jan 2014	$3.99	$7.00
Jan 2015	$4.99	$12.29
Jan 2016	$4.80	$11.99
Jan 2017	$7.78	$10.19
Jan 2018	$6.96	$11.00
Jan 2019	$6.98	$14.24
Jan 2020	$8.03	$13.47
Jan 2021	$10.00	$12.61
Jan 2022	$13.49	$17.24
Jan 2023	$10.00	$17.89
Jan 2024	$7.49	$19.97
Jan 2025	$13.00	$21
Jan 2026	$7.20	$17.04
Oct 2026	$11.99	$21

Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.

Release record

Territory	Date
North America	November 1986
Europe / PAL	August 1987
Japan	17 August 1986

Source: Product numbers: MAME's Master System software list and the No-Intro serial records in the libretro database, published only where both agree on the same cartridge dump; Japanese numbers also checked against Sega Japan's software list. Board and ROM numbers: MAME's software list

Region: NA+EU+JP
Released: 1986
Authenticity: Low

Modern re-releases, such as Sega Ages and Virtual Console, are not tracked hereLow look-alike risk

Sega Master System prices, all games & how to spot a fake

A dated but cheerful vehicle-hopping shooter that is cheap to own in any region.

Action Fighter is a vehicular combat game developed and published by Sega. You begin on a superbike and later drive a sports car, a jet fitted with wings, a jetski, a helicopter and a Formula One car, all of them armed against enemy vehicles and gun emplacements. The helicopter stages play as vertical scrollers.

Mean Machines Sega, reviewing it in its Master System games guide, called it a conversion of Sega's ancient vertically scrolling shoot 'em up. The magazine admitted it looked dated but found the simple gameplay still addictive, with colorful graphics and bouncy tunes to match.

What the press said at the time

Mean Machines Games Guide	May 1992	OVERALL 84%
Mean Machines Sega Issue 3	December 1992	OVERALL 84%
Sega Pro Issue 20	June 1993	51%
Sega Pro Issue 21	July 1993	51%
Sega Pro Issue 22	August 1993	51%
Sega Pro Issue 23	September 1993	51%
Sega Pro Issue 24	October 1993	51%
Sega Pro Issue 25	November 1993	51%
Sega Pro Issue 26	December 1993	51%
Sega Pro Issue 28	February 1994	51%
Sega Pro Issue 36	September 1994	51%
Sega Pro Issue 43	April 1995	48%
Sega Pro Issue 44	May 1995	48%

“Whilst looking a bit dated, Action Fighter's simple gameplay is still quite addictive, and the colourful graphics and bouncy tunes accompany it well”
— Mean Machines, May 1992

“Take to the roads and skies in your transforming motorcyde/'plane in Action Fighter - a conversion of Sega's ancient vertically scrolling shoot 'em up. Whilst looking a bit dated, Action Fighter's simple gameplay is still quite addictive, and the colourful graphics and bouncy tunes accompany it well.”
— Mean Machines Sega, December 1992

“Dodging, shooting or bumping into the vehicles soon gets very repetitive, even with a few surprise elements. Not enough overall content, though.”
— Sega Pro, June 1993

“Dodging, shooting or bumping into the vehicles soon gets very repetitive, even with a few surprise elements. Not enough overall content, though.”
— Sega Pro, July 1993

In the sales charts

In 3 sales charts, March 1993 to June 1993; highest position #4.

Show all 3 placings

#4 in the Master System chart — Sega Force, Issue 15, March 1993
#6 in the Virgin Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 18, April 1993
#8 in the HMV Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 20, June 1993

Sales charts as printed in the magazines of the time.

Also on other platforms

Arcade · Amiga · Amstrad CPC · Atari ST · Commodore 64 · ZX Spectrum · MS-DOS

Arcade. Game Machine ranked the arcade version the 12th most successful table arcade unit of October 1986.
Arcade. In 2022 the arcade version was included in the Sega Astro City Mini V, a vertically oriented variant of the Sega Astro City mini console.

Before you buy

There are three regional carts: the Japanese release came first, in August 1986, followed by the North American one in November 1986 and the European one in August 1987. The European cart costs noticeably less than the US one both loose and complete. The Japanese cart is cheaper loose, but a complete Japanese copy costs several times the US price, and it is a different, smaller shape that does not fit a Western console without an adapter. The US loose cart sits below the middle of its group, so there is little reason to overpay. Check that the manual is there, since it is the part most often missing from a complete copy.