When did Flicky release?

Flicky was first released on December 31, 1984.

Flicky

Dec 31, 1984PlatformArcadeArcadeSega Mega Drive/GenesisSG-1000FM-7MSX

Flicky — frequently asked questions

What platforms is Flicky on?: Flicky was released on Arcade, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, SG-1000, FM-7, MSX, PC-8801, Sharp X1, Mobile.
When did Flicky release?: Flicky was first released on December 31, 1984.

About Flicky

Flicky is an arcade game made by Sega. First released in arcades in 1984, Flicky was also released at the time for the SG-1000, and then ported to the MSX and Japanese computers Sharp X1, Fujitsu FM-7 and NEC PC-8801. It was later ported to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1991. Flicky was designed by Yoji Ishii, who was with Sonic Team until August 1999, when he formed Artoon, his own company.

Summary via IGDB.

Game details

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

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

56/100

from 16 ratings

Every version compared

Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release

Platform	Year	Loose	Complete	Sealed	Period reviews	Fake risk
Sega Genesis	1991	$26	$62	—	2 reviews	Low

Also released on: Arcade · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · SG-1000 · FM-7 · MSX · PC-8801 · Sharp X1 · Mobile. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.

Collector value & authenticity

Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29

Loose

$26

Complete

$62

Sealed

—

Other releases and variants

Release	Loose	Complete	Sealed
European (PAL) release	$20	$67	—

How often it sells

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

Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.

Price over time

Loose
Complete

A loose copy sold for about $2.25 in Jan 2009, $22 five years ago, and $26 as of Oct 2026.

Show as table

Month	Loose	Complete
Jan 2009	$2.25	—
Jan 2010	$4.85	—
Jan 2011	$6.49	—
Jan 2012	$9.92	—
Jan 2013	$11.11	—
Jan 2014	$7.12	$15.45
Jan 2015	$10.93	$17.99
Jan 2016	$8.27	$17.49
Jan 2017	$17.99	$38
Jan 2018	$12.71	$34
Jan 2019	$14.49	$28
Jan 2020	$12.49	$34
Jan 2021	$17.06	$47
Jan 2022	$24	$61
Jan 2023	$23	$65
Jan 2024	$25	$65
Jan 2025	$25	$50
Jan 2026	$25	$60
Oct 2026	$26	$62

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

Release record

Territory	Date	Barcode
North America	1991	010086010220
Europe / PAL	1991	—
Japan	January 1991	—

Source: Product numbers: MAME's Mega Drive software list and the No-Intro serial records in the libretro database, published where both agree on the same cartridge dump, or from the libretro records alone where MAME lists no number for that dump. Board and ROM numbers: MAME's software list

Region: NA+EU+JP
Released: 1991
Authenticity: Low

Modern re-releases, such as Sega Ages, the Genesis Mini and Nintendo Switch Online, are not tracked hereLow counterfeit risk

Sega Genesis prices, all games & how to spot a fake

A bird-rescue arcade port that looks plain and plays addictively, and a cart that sits above the middle among US carts.

Flicky is Sega's arcade game of 1984, and the Genesis cart is a port of it. You steer a blue bird called Flicky and must lead the small chirps in each round to the exit while cats and lizards try to scatter them. The Genesis cart came out in Japan in January 1991 and in North America and Europe in 1991.

Mean Machines said in October 1991 that it looked and sounded about the worst on the Mega Drive, but that one game was enough to hook the reviewer, and it rated it one of the most playable games of the year.

What the press said at the time

Mean Machines Sega Issue 3	December 1992	88%
Sega Pro Issue 18	April 1993	37%

“Most Megadrive games these days are completed in one sitting, but Flicky’s different, and provides a truly long-lasting challenge. Buy it!”
— Mean Machines, October 1991

“This conversion of the ancient coin-op looks crap, sounds crap and plays... brilliantly! It's very simplis tic, but for some reason the action is incredibly enjoyable and addictive. Check it out!”
— Mean Machines Sega, December 1992

“The graphics are appalling, with some tiny sprites, simple backgrounds and the qameplay is monotonous.”
— Sega Pro, April 1993

“Buy this, take it home, slap it in your Mega Drive, press start, take a look at the game and you’ll feel you’ve been ripped off. Play it for five minutes, and you’ll change your mind.”
— Mega, July 1993

How the Sega Genesis version differs

The Genesis version came out in North America and Europe in 1991.

Mean Machines admitted the Mega Drive game looks and sounds terrible but became hooked on its gameplay.

Sega Pro was far harsher, calling the Mega Drive game's graphics appalling and its gameplay monotonous.

Also on other platforms

Arcade · SG-1000 · FM-7 · MSX · PC-8801 · Sharp X1 · Mobile

Arcade

Sega

SG-1000. Flicky was first ported to the SG-1000 in Japan, and then to other Japanese home consoles.
Arcade. Flicky was developed by Sega over about a year, led by designer Yoji Ishii with artist Yoshiki Kawasaki, and licensed to Bally Midway in the United States.

Before you buy

Among US carts it sits above the middle. The European cart usually costs less than the US one loose and about the same complete. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.