Gemfire
Gemfire — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Gemfire on?
- Gemfire was released on PC-9800 Series, Sharp X68000, PC-8800 Series, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, DOS, FM Towns, Family Computer, Nintendo Entertainment System, MSX, Super Famicom, PC-88, PC-98, PC (Microsoft Windows).
- When did Gemfire release?
- Gemfire was first released on February 1, 1991.
About Gemfire
Gemfire is a marvelous war strategy from KOEI game collection. The game offers the advanced military strategy and even multiplayer support, but only at the shared screen. The story of the game starts as follows: Once upon a time, Ishmeria was a haven for elves, fairies and other creatures of lore. Yet one day an evil wizard wielded the powers of a Fire Dragon to destroy the peace. A legendary Pastha and 6 magicians fought the wizard and trapped the Dragon. But, the wizard cast a fateful curse, turning the magicians and Dragon into cold gems, which were placed upon the crown: The Gemfire. Gemfire's powers preserved peace in Ishmeria, until King Eselred abused the magic for his greed. Then one day, the Pastha came to Princess Robyn to plea for her help. That very night she stole the crown and hurled the gems into the midnight sky! But before she could destroy the Dragon's ruby, King Eselred caught Robyn and seized the crown! In search of virtuous leaders, the magicians flew to the far corners of Ishmeria. Still,to this day, they struggle against Eselred's wrath. The key to saving Ishmeria is in the hands of one ruler, the ruler who will reunite the magic of Gemfire...
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- PC-9800 Series, Sharp X68000, PC-8800 Series, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, DOS, FM Towns, Family Computer, Nintendo Entertainment System, MSX, Super Famicom, PC-88, PC-98, PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Developer
- Koei
- Publisher
- Koei
- Themes
- Fantasy
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Built by | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1992 | $30 | $87 | $313 | 2 reviews | Koei | Low |
Also released on: PC-9800 Series · Sharp X68000 · PC-8800 Series · Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · DOS · FM Towns · Family Computer · Nintendo Entertainment System · MSX · Super Famicom · PC-88 · PC-98 · PC (Microsoft Windows). We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese release (Royal Blood) | $22 | $80 | — |
What it needs to play
- Some modesSave battery (inside the cartridge) — saves to memory kept alive by a battery inside the cartridge; if that battery has died, saves are lost (MAME cartridge records).
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about 2 times a month
- Sealed: about 2 times 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 $35 in Oct 2007, $31 five years ago, and $30 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $10.99 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $14.80 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $13.95 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $9.99 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $11.20 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $13.50 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $14.99 | $32 |
| Jan 2015 | $22 | $37 |
| Jan 2016 | $24 | $32 |
| Jan 2017 | $29 | $53 |
| Jan 2018 | $22 | $46 |
| Jan 2019 | $19.99 | $36 |
| Jan 2020 | $22 | $43 |
| Jan 2021 | $25 | $40 |
| Jan 2022 | $34 | $71 |
| Jan 2023 | $38 | $66 |
| Jan 2024 | $36 | $63 |
| Jan 2025 | $25 | $72 |
| Jan 2026 | $32 | $103 |
| Oct 2026 | $30 | $87 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | November 1992 | — | 040198000468 |
| Japan | 25 June 1992 | T-76063 | — |
- Region
- JP+NA
- Released
- 1992
- Authenticity
- Low
A Koei strategy game about uniting an island that began on the NES, and a pricier US cart than most.
Gemfire is a role-playing strategy game from Koei, and the Genesis cartridge is a port of a game that started on the NES. You unify a fictional island by force, using archers, infantry and dragons to take the castles that control each territory. It came out in Japan on 25 June 1992 as Royal Blood and in North America in November 1992.
Electronic Games described it as an Arthurian-styled strategy adventure game when the Genesis release was announced.
What the press said at the time
| Famitsu | 25/40 | |
| Playtime | 77/100 |
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Genesis version.
How the Sega Genesis version differs
Gemfire began on the NES and was later ported to the Super NES, Genesis, MS-DOS and Windows.
Electronic Games reported in November 1992 that Gemfire, a strategy adventure, was one of several Koei games set to follow Romance of the Three Kingdoms II on the Genesis.
Also on other platforms
NES · Super NES · PC-88 · PC-98 · MSX · X68000 · FM Towns · MS-DOS · Windows
| NES | Koei |
How the other versions reviewed
| NES | Famitsu | 24/40 |
| Super NES | Famitsu | 23/40 |
| MS-DOS | PC Player | 65/100 |
| NES | Questicle.net | D |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits above the middle. The Japanese loose cart usually costs less than the US one, while a complete Japanese copy costs about the same, and it has a different cartridge shape and the Royal Blood title. The cartridge saves to a battery inside it, so test that a save holds; a replaced battery is a normal repair and not a sign of a fake. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
Gemfire screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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