Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star II — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Phantasy Star II on?
- Phantasy Star II was released on Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Xbox 360.
- When did Phantasy Star II release?
- Phantasy Star II was first released on March 21, 1989.
About Phantasy Star II
Gameplay is similar to the original Phantasy Star, the first game in the series. Its battle system is turn-based, allowing the player to choose commands for their party of up to four characters. Each of the eight characters has a different set of preferred weapons and armor, as well as techniques, suited to the character's job. The player must defeat enemies in the overworld and in dungeons to advance in the game. The game abandoned the first-person view that the first game used for dungeons and battles. Phantasy Star II instead uses a top-down perspective for exploration and a third-person view in battles.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Developer
- Sega R&D 2
- Publisher
- Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Fantasy, Science fiction
- Series
- Phantasy Star
Details via IGDB.
Reception
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 | $35 | $86 | $244 | 14 reviews | Low |
Also released on: Linux · Wii · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · PC (Microsoft Windows) · Mac · Xbox 360. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $47 | $125 | — |
| Japanese release | $11 | $35 | — |
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 week
- Complete: about 2 times 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 $7.00 in Jan 2008, $41 five years ago, and $35 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $7.00 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $6.99 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $6.74 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $8.49 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $6.67 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $13.02 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $14.99 | $30 |
| Jan 2015 | $16.99 | $39 |
| Jan 2016 | $19.99 | $29 |
| Jan 2017 | $24 | $50 |
| Jan 2018 | $20 | $40 |
| Jan 2019 | $24 | $45 |
| Jan 2020 | $24 | $47 |
| Jan 2021 | $25 | $82 |
| Jan 2022 | $47 | $95 |
| Jan 2023 | $39 | $100 |
| Jan 2024 | $25 | $68 |
| Jan 2025 | $35 | $92 |
| Jan 2026 | $31 | $94 |
| Oct 2026 | $35 | $86 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | March 1990 | — | 010086013016 |
| Europe / PAL | 1990 | — | — |
| Japan | 21 March 1989 | G-5501 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1990
- Authenticity
- Low
A landmark early Genesis role-playing game that is demanding, long and one of the pricier US carts.
Phantasy Star II was developed and published by Sega. It came out in Japan on 21 March 1989, in North America in March 1990 and in Europe in 1990. It takes place a thousand years after the first Phantasy Star, with Rolf, a government agent, and his friends investigating why Mother Brain, the protector of the planet Mota, has gone wrong.
Mean Machines Sega called it a massive menu-driven adventure with a big challenge, best suited to pure role-playing fans who like to use their brains, and said arcade fans would grow bored. GamePro noted that Sega included an extensive tip book with the cartridge.
What the press said at the time
| Mean Machines Games Guide | May 1992 | OVERALL 78% |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 78% |
| Sega Pro Issue 33 | June 1994 | 70% |
| ACE | 887/1000 | |
| Aktueller Software Markt | 56/60 | |
| Dragon | 5/5 | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7/10, 9/10, 8/10, 8/10 | |
| Joystick | 97% | |
| Player One | 95% | |
| Raze | 90% | |
| Video Games & Computer Entertainment | 9/10 | |
| Zero | 89% | |
| Mega | 88% | |
| Sega Power | 94% |
“Phantasy Star II is more suited to pure RPG fans who tike to use their brains rather than theif joysticks, Arcade fans will soon become bored due to the lack of imme* diate action,”
“There's certainly a big challenge in store in this massive menu-driven adventure, but to be honest, Phantasy Star II is more suited to pure RPG fans who like to use their brains rather than their joysticks, Arcade fans will soon become bored due to the lack of immediate action.”
“Great stuff, and at a new budget price an essential purchase for RPG fans.”
“First of the mammoth RPG series. Iťs fairly easy to get into which is encouraging. Old-hands may find it too easy, though.”
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Genesis version.
Before you buy
Among US carts it is one of the pricier ones. The European cart usually costs more than the US one, while the Japanese cart usually costs far less and has a different cartridge shape. The game saves to a battery inside the cartridge, so check that a save holds; a replaced battery is a normal repair and not a sign of a fake.
Phantasy Star II screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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