When did Quartet release?

Quartet was first released on December 31, 1986.

Quartet

Dec 31, 1986ShooterPlatformArcadeArcadeCommodore C64/128/MAXZX SpectrumAmstrad CPCSega Master System/Mark III

Quartet — frequently asked questions

What platforms is Quartet on?: Quartet was released on Arcade, Commodore C64/128/MAX, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Sega Master System/Mark III.
When did Quartet release?: Quartet was first released on December 31, 1986.

About Quartet

A platform shoot-em-up hybrid from Sega for one to four players, selected from either Joe (yellow), Mary (red), Lee (blue) and Edgar (green). The action takes place over a number of sideways scrolling levels, the bulk of which consist of straightforward platform action. On some levels, however, there are jet packs for the players to collect, and the gameplay's emphasis switched to that of a standard, sideways scrolling shoot-em-up. The object of the game is to destroy an army of robots that have taken over an Earth colony satellite station. Each level has a boss character that must be destroyed. Upon its death it releases a door key that must be used to exit the level. Weapon and character power-ups can be collected to aid players in their task. Due to its potential for four-player shoot-em-up gameplay, Quartet's gameplay feels vaguely similar to (though by no means as accomplished as) Atari's 1985 classic, "Gauntlet".

Summary via IGDB.

Quartet on Wikipedia

Quartet is a run and gun video game released by Sega for arcades in 1986. Quartet allows one to four players to guide a set of characters through a base taken over by an army of robots. Players control either Joe (yellow), Mary (red), Lee (blue), or Edgar (green) across 32 side-scrolling levels. The object of the game is to advance through the level, fighting opponents which come out of portals in the walls, and eventually defeat a boss that carries the door key used to open the "exit door".

Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).

Game details

Developer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Game modes: Single player, Multiplayer
Themes: Action, Science fiction

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

50/100

from 5 ratings

Every version compared

Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release

Platform	Year	Loose	Complete	Sealed	Fake risk
Sega Master System	1987	$13	$30	—	Low (look-alike)

Also released on: Arcade · Commodore C64/128/MAX · ZX Spectrum · Amstrad CPC · Sega Master System/Mark III. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.

Collector value & authenticity

Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28

Loose

$13

Complete

$30

Sealed

—

Other releases and variants

Release	Loose	Complete	Sealed
European (PAL) release	$21	$56	—
Japanese release (Double Target)	$40	$90	—

How often it sells

Loose: about once a month
Complete: about once a week
Sealed: about once 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 $7.33 in Jul 2009, $19.95 five years ago, and $13.48 as of Oct 2026.

Show as table

Month	Loose	Complete
Jan 2010	$8.87	—
Jan 2011	$4.95	—
Jan 2012	$8.00	—
Jan 2013	$7.50	—
Jan 2014	$6.72	$12.00
Jan 2015	$9.99	$16.92
Jan 2016	$8.00	$15.75
Jan 2017	$16.94	$24
Jan 2018	$10.49	$18.12
Jan 2019	$12.86	$23
Jan 2020	$13.29	$22
Jan 2021	$19.22	$26
Jan 2022	$24	$40
Jan 2023	$19.34	$32
Jan 2024	$16.14	$36
Jan 2025	$20	$40
Jan 2026	$14.99	$31
Oct 2026	$13.48	$30

Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.

Release record

Territory	Date	Product number
North America	April 1987	—
Europe / PAL	1987	—
Japan	18 January 1987	G-1314

Source: Product numbers: MAME's Master System software list and the No-Intro serial records in the libretro database, published only where both agree on the same cartridge dump; Japanese numbers also checked against Sega Japan's software list. Board and ROM numbers: MAME's software list

Region: NA+EU+JP
Released: 1987
Authenticity: Low

Modern re-releases, such as Sega Ages and Virtual Console, are not tracked hereLow look-alike risk

Sega Master System prices, all games & how to spot a fake

A plain Sega shooter conversion that Mean Machines found repetitive, and an inexpensive cart.

Quartet is Sega's 1986 arcade game for one to four players, in which a set of characters fight through a base taken over by robots. The Master System version, also from Sega, came out in Japan on 18 January 1987 as Double Target: Cynthia no Nemuri, in North America in April 1987 and in Europe in 1987.

Mean Machines Sega, in a 1992 round-up, found bland graphics and sound and a complete lack of variety between levels.

How it was made

Developed and published by Sega.

What the press said at the time

“Overall, however, we don't feel that QUARTET offers the staying power or repeat playability of a really great game.”
— Computer Entertainer, May 1987

Also on other platforms

Arcade · Amstrad CPC · Commodore 64 · ZX Spectrum

Arcade

Sun Electronics (publisher)

Arcade. The arcade game was a dedicated four-player cabinet similar to Atari Games' Gauntlet.

Before you buy

Three releases exist. The US cart is below the middle on price. The European cart costs more loose and complete, and the Japanese Double Target costs much more. The Japanese cart is a different, smaller shape that does not fit a Western console without an adapter. The look-alike risk is low. Check that the manual is present if you want a complete copy.