Mercs
Mercs — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Mercs on?
- Mercs was released on Arcade, Commodore C64/128/MAX, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Sega Master System/Mark III, Atari ST/STE.
- When did Mercs release?
- Mercs was first released on December 31, 1990.
About Mercs
The players are members of a covert counter-terrorist team of mercenaries known as the "Wolf Force". The aim of the game was to rescue the former President from rebels in the fictional African country of Zutula, which bears resemblance to the apartheid regime in South Africa. The game has six main levels, plus the final level where your mission is to rescue the former U.S. president from the Hercules Transport. The game's arsenal include real-world machine guns, shot guns, flame throwers, and grenade launchers. Several missions even have pilotable vehicles available.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Arcade, Commodore C64/128/MAX, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Sega Master System/Mark III, Atari ST/STE
- Publisher
- U.S. Gold
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Themes
- Action
Details via IGDB.
Reception
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 Master SystemDetails ↓ | 1992 | $14 | $33 | $39 | OVERALL 81% | Tiertex | Low (look-alike) |
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1991 | $24 | $45 | $146 | 7 reviews | — | Low |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Master System version ($14).
Also released on: Arcade · Commodore C64/128/MAX · Wii · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Amiga · Amstrad CPC · Sega Master System/Mark III · Atari ST/STE. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Prices are per version and are not interchangeable, and neither are the reviews: conversions in this era were often built by a different studio than the original, so a score earned on one machine says nothing about how another plays.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28
How often it sells
- Loose: about 6 times a year
- Complete: about once a month
- Sealed: about 4 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-28.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $9.95 in Oct 2011, $10.14 five years ago, and $14.41 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2012 | $6.95 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $6.95 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $16.48 | $25 |
| Jan 2015 | $3.00 | $10.00 |
| Jan 2016 | $33 | $20 |
| Jan 2017 | $50 | $30 |
| Jan 2018 | $11.86 | $16.71 |
| Jan 2019 | $8.81 | $17.01 |
| Jan 2020 | $10.48 | $13.76 |
| Jan 2021 | $9.49 | $21 |
| Jan 2022 | $15.92 | $17.05 |
| Jan 2023 | $16.56 | $23 |
| Jan 2024 | $15.55 | $27 |
| Jan 2025 | $10.10 | $26 |
| Jan 2026 | $11.71 | $29 |
| Oct 2026 | $14.41 | $33 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Known board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe / PAL | January 1992 | 9007 | 171-5559-01D · 315-5235 |
- Region
- EU
- Released
- 1992
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Master System version
A competent Tiertex conversion of Capcom's arcade shooter, but a very easy one.
Mercs is a 1990 Capcom arcade run-and-gun and a sequel to Commando. The Master System version was handled by Tiertex and released by Sega in Europe in January 1992.
Mean Machines Sega called it violent, good-looking and highly playable, but also very easy, saying it should take no more than two goes to finish, so it only suits you if you will keep coming back after completing it.
What the press said at the time
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | OVERALL 81% |
“It really is old hat and not a patch on the frenetic action of the MD game. It amazes me Sega have the audacity to release it at such an exorbitant price.”
“That last bastion of death, the coin-op Mercs makes its appearance on the Master System … it's got good graphics, it's highly playable”
“That last bastion of death, the coin-op Mercs makes its appearance on the Master System. It's violent, it's got good graphics, it's highly playable and it's also very easy. If you think you'll keep coming back to this game even when you've completed it (which should only take two goes at most), check it out.”
Also on other platforms
Arcade · Amiga · Genesis · Amstrad CPC · Commodore 64 · Atari ST
| Sega Master System | Tiertex |
| Amiga | Tiertex |
- Amiga. The Amiga port was released by U.S. Gold in 1991, alongside Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum ports.
Before you buy
The European cart is the one to buy. Loose, it costs about the median for European-only carts, and the look-alike risk is low. Check the manual is there if you want a complete copy.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $13 | $32 | $130 |
| Japanese release (Senjou no Ookami II) | $25 | $103 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- Complete: about once a week
- 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 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $5.87 in Apr 2008, $18.28 five years ago, and $24 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2009 | $2.82 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $4.44 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $4.10 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $4.49 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $4.87 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $6.95 | $11.00 |
| Jan 2015 | $8.99 | $18.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $9.93 | $19.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $14.99 | $25 |
| Jan 2018 | $13.00 | $29 |
| Jan 2019 | $14.25 | $28 |
| Jan 2020 | $9.99 | $28 |
| Jan 2021 | $15.96 | $36 |
| Jan 2022 | $19.97 | $39 |
| Jan 2023 | $19.00 | $51 |
| Jan 2024 | $18.82 | $40 |
| Jan 2025 | $16.99 | $39 |
| Jan 2026 | $15.00 | $40 |
| Oct 2026 | $24 | $45 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America | October 1991 | 010086011197 |
| Europe / PAL | December 1991 | — |
| Japan | 27 September 1991 | 4974365540517 |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1991
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Genesis version
A solid overhead run-and-gun with two games on one cartridge, held back by being one-player only.
Sega made the Genesis version of Mercs, adapting Capcom's arcade game. The cartridge holds an Arcade Mode with the arcade plot and stages, and an Original Mode with a new plot and all-new stages. Unlike the arcade game it supports only one player, which MegaTech called its only weakness.
Mean Machines Sega praised it as an excellent up-the-screen shooter, calling the Original Mode a completely new game with seven new levels. It reached North America in October 1991 and Europe in December 1991, and in Japan on 27 September 1991 as Senjo no Okami II.
What the press said at the time
| Game Informer Issue 2 | November-December 1991 | Overall 9 (Andy), 9.5 (Marianne), 8 (Ed) |
| MegaTech February 1992 | February 1992 | 90% |
| Mean Machines Games Guide | May 1992 | OVERALL 88% |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 88% |
| MegaTech Issue 18 | June 1993 | OVERALL 90% |
| MegaTech Issue 26 | February 1994 | 90% |
| MegaTech Issue 27 | March 1994 | 90% |
“I could play this type of game quite awhile without getting bored. It's addictive if you're into shooter games.”
“Mercs won't go down as the biggest and baddest blow 'em-up adventure of them all, though it's good to the last annihilation for sure.”
“But if you're ready for just one more, Mercs will keep you blasting and grinning.”
“The best Commando clone around, Mercs is a challengin conversion of the coin-op an sports great graphics, sound and enjoyable and challenging gameplay.”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
Unlike the three-player arcade game, the Genesis version is single-player only, which MegaTech magazine considered its only weakness.
Also on other platforms
Master System · Arcade · Amiga · Amstrad CPC · Commodore 64 · Atari ST
| Amiga | Tiertex |
| Atari ST | Tiertex |
| Commodore 64 | Tiertex |
| Sega Master System | Tiertex |
- Arcade. The arcade game supported up to three simultaneous players, color-coded as blue, red and yellow.
Worth knowing
- UK chart topper. In the United Kingdom it was the top-selling Mega Drive game in October 1991.
Before you buy
Among US carts this sits above the median. The European cart usually costs noticeably less, loose and complete. The Japanese Mega Drive cart costs about the same loose but usually much more complete, and its cartridge has a different shape. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
Mercs screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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