Insector X
Insector X — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Insector X on?
- Insector X was released on Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Arcade, Famicom.
- When did Insector X release?
- Insector X was first released on September 7, 1990.
About Insector X
Insector X is a horizontally scrolling shooter. The Genesis version has a number of differences: "realistic" sprite work (compared to the "cute" style of the original), brand new music, a reworking of the secondary weapon system, the removal of the autofire powerup, and new stage sections, among other things. Hot-B's original design for the game was better realized on the Genesis, as Taito requested a more comical style of game for the original release.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Developer
- HOT-B
- Publisher
- HOT-B
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1990 | $25 | $66 | — | 2 reviews | Low |
Also released on: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Arcade · Famicom. 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 | $35 | $115 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about 2 times a month
- Complete: about once a week
- 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 $1.99 in Oct 2008, $26 five years ago, and $25 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2009 | $1.99 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $2.99 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $2.49 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $3.30 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $8.95 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $9.95 | $14.00 |
| Jan 2015 | $9.95 | $10.00 |
| Jan 2016 | $11.52 | $27 |
| Jan 2017 | $15.36 | $35 |
| Jan 2018 | $16.20 | $32 |
| Jan 2019 | $15.58 | $45 |
| Jan 2020 | $17.38 | $42 |
| Jan 2021 | $19.75 | $47 |
| Jan 2022 | $25 | $60 |
| Jan 2023 | $26 | $72 |
| Jan 2024 | $23 | $60 |
| Jan 2025 | $17.99 | $60 |
| Jan 2026 | $22 | $50 |
| Oct 2026 | $25 | $66 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | October 1990 | 47036 | 721337100019 |
| Japan | 7 September 1990 | — | 4967948000324 |
- Region
- JP+NA
- Released
- 1990
- Authenticity
- Low
A horizontal shooter with a better, more serious Mega Drive redesign than the arcade original, and a moderately priced cart.
Insector X is a horizontally scrolling shooter from Hot-B, released in arcades by Taito in 1989 and brought to the Mega Drive in Japan on 7 September 1990 and to North America in October 1990. The Mega Drive game is a reworked version rather than a straight port.
It uses realistic sprite work instead of the arcade game's cute style, has new music and a reworked secondary weapon system, drops the autofire powerup and adds new stage sections. Hot-B's original design was better realized here, because Taito had asked for a more comical style for the arcade release.
What the press said at the time
| Mean Machines Games Guide | May 1992 | OVERALL 74% |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 74% |
“There are plenty of befler shoot 'em ups than this, and punters are advised to check out Heilfire and Thundertofce 111 before making a purchasing decision.”
“The game is fun at first - and the slick graphics and decent sound certainly add a little to the excitement - but none of the power-up weapons are particularly exciting, and the action has very little in the way of original features. There are plenty of better shoot 'em ups than this, and punters are advised to check out Hellfire and Thunderforce III before making a purchasing decision.”
“Quite good fun though, and worth investigation. … Novel and entertaining variation of the shoot-’em-up theme.”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
The Mega Drive version is reworked from the arcade game, with realistic sprites, new music, a reworked secondary weapon system, no autofire powerup and new stage sections.
MegaTech scored it 74%, praising graphics and sound but saying the action offers little original and better shoot-'em-ups exist.
Video Games & Computer Entertainment called it one of the most challenging shoot-'em-ups for the Genesis, though lacking originality.
Also on other platforms
Arcade · Famicom
| Arcade | Hot-B |
- Famicom. Hot-B converted the game to the Famicom for Taito with minor changes.
- Arcade. The arcade original has a cute style that Taito requested, and its hero is named Yanmer rather than Kai.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits above the middle. The Japanese cart usually costs more than the US one and has a different cartridge shape that does not fit a Western console without an adapter or removing two plastic tabs in its slot.
Insector X screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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