Populous
Populous — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Populous on?
- Populous was released on Acorn Archimedes, PC-9800 Series, Sharp X68000, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Atari ST/STE, PC (Microsoft Windows), TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, Mac, DOS, Amiga, Sega Master System/Mark III.
- When did Populous release?
- Populous was first released on June 5, 1989.
About Populous
Populous is a real-time strategy game where the player takes the role of a deity influencing the development of civilizations. You shape terrain, guide followers, and use natural disasters like floods, volcanoes, and earthquakes to influence or eliminate opposing tribes. The game features an isometric perspective and includes 500 levels (worlds), each with different challenges. Originally developed by Bullfrog and designed by Peter Molyneux, it is considered one of the earliest examples of the god-game genre.
Summary via IGDB.
Populous on Wikipedia
Populous is a video game developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts for the Amiga in March 1989, then quickly the Atari ST and MS-DOS. Many conversions followed, including for the Genesis, Super NES, and PC Engine consoles. Populous is considered the first god game. With over four million copies sold, Populous is one of the best-selling PC games of all time.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- Acorn Archimedes, PC-9800 Series, Sharp X68000, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Atari ST/STE, PC (Microsoft Windows), TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, Mac, DOS, Amiga, Sega Master System/Mark III
- Developer
- Bullfrog Productions
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer
- Themes
- Fantasy, Sandbox
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 Master SystemDetails ↓ | 1991 | $7 | $11 | $22 | 4 reviews | Low (look-alike) |
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1990 | $15 | $24 | — | 91% | Low |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Master System version ($7).
Also released on: Acorn Archimedes · PC-9800 Series · Sharp X68000 · Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Atari ST/STE · PC (Microsoft Windows) · TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine · Mac · DOS · Amiga · Sega Master System/Mark III. 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 once a month
- Complete: about 2 times a month
- 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 2026-10-28.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $4.25 in Oct 2010, $4.99 five years ago, and $6.78 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2011 | $17.99 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $5.95 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $14.99 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $11.50 | $3.99 |
| Jan 2015 | $18.99 | $9.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $18.99 | $25 |
| Jan 2017 | $18.99 | $25 |
| Jan 2018 | $7.59 | $11.15 |
| Jan 2019 | $4.21 | $9.28 |
| Jan 2020 | $6.22 | $9.05 |
| Jan 2021 | $3.40 | $7.44 |
| Jan 2022 | $3.97 | $6.31 |
| Jan 2023 | $6.88 | $10.16 |
| Jan 2024 | $3.83 | $9.50 |
| Jan 2025 | $6.15 | $11.00 |
| Jan 2026 | $4.87 | $10.76 |
| Oct 2026 | $6.78 | $10.66 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number |
|---|---|---|
| Europe / PAL | October 1991 | 27014-50 |
- Region
- EU
- Released
- 1991
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Master System version
A surprisingly deep god game squeezed onto the Master System, and a cheap European cart.
Populous began as Bullfrog's Amiga game of 1989. The Master System version was developed by Code To Go and published by TecMagik, released in Europe in October 1991. Mean Machines previewed it in 1990 as casting the player as a god responsible for his followers.
Computer and Video Games was enthusiastic on release, praising the speed, the control method designed for the console, and the depth, and said it was heartening to see something other than flickery shoot-em-ups for the Master System.
What the press said at the time
| Sega Pro Issue 18 | April 1993 | 88% |
| Sega Pro Issue 20 | June 1993 | 88% |
| Sega Pro Issue 26 | December 1993 | 88% |
| Sega Pro Issue 43 | April 1995 | 80% |
“A game that you'll either love or hatě. This is very accurate to the originál, but about TEN times as big. If you're a fan, you’ll love this mind-bender.”
“A game that you’ll either love or hatě. This is very accurate to the originál, but about TEN times as big. If youYe a fan,you’ll love this mind-bender.”
“A game that you'll either love or hatě. This is very accurate to the originál, but about TEN times as big. If you’re a fan, yoďll love this mind-bender.”
“A stratégy game that you’ll either love or hatě, this is very accurate to the originál.”
Before you buy
Loose, this costs less than the typical European game, and the look-alike risk is low. A complete copy should include the manual.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $10 | $24 | — |
| Japanese release | $5 | $18 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once 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 $9.99 in Apr 2010, $12.23 five years ago, and $14.61 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2011 | $8.69 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $5.97 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $6.77 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $7.98 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2015 | $6.88 | $13.50 |
| Jan 2016 | $5.87 | $14.98 |
| Jan 2017 | $9.99 | $18.99 |
| Jan 2018 | $8.75 | $15.64 |
| Jan 2019 | $8.93 | $21 |
| Jan 2020 | $11.50 | $20 |
| Jan 2021 | $9.35 | $19.24 |
| Jan 2022 | $17.50 | $38 |
| Jan 2023 | $11.44 | $38 |
| Jan 2024 | $11.49 | $26 |
| Jan 2025 | $10.00 | $17.87 |
| Jan 2026 | $10.91 | $25 |
| Oct 2026 | $14.61 | $24 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | 1990 | — | 014633070163 |
| Europe / PAL | November 1990 | — | — |
| Japan | 9 August 1991 | G-4057 | 4974365540579 |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1990
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Genesis version
The god game on the Genesis, a good strategy cart that sits above the middle among US carts.
Populous is Bullfrog's god game, in which you play a deity leading your followers against the followers of a rival god through isometric landscapes. You shape the land and use divine powers to grow your people and wipe out the enemy before moving on to the next level. This is the Genesis version, published by Electronic Arts and Sega; it reached North America in 1990, Europe in November 1990 and Japan on 9 August 1991.
European magazines rated the Mega Drive version highly, and Mega ranked it among its best Mega Drive games of all time.
What the press said at the time
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 91% |
“Ever wanted to play God? Of course you have. And now here's your opportunity, courtesy of this stun ning Electronic Arts. With super graphics and 500 different levels, Populous is both highly original and amazingly addictive. Once you start playing, it's very difficult to stop. With a constant challenge on offer, Populous is a game which you will return to time and time again.”
Before you buy
Among US carts this one sits above the middle. The European cart usually costs less than the US one loose, and about the same complete. The Japanese cart usually costs a good deal less and has a different cartridge shape, so it needs an adapter or the removal of two plastic tabs in a Western console's slot. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
Populous screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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