Road Rash
Road Rash — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Road Rash on?
- Road Rash was released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Atari ST/STE, Amiga, Sega Master System/Mark III.
- When did Road Rash release?
- Road Rash was first released on September 30, 1991.
About Road Rash
Road Rash is a high-octane motorcycle racing game where players become bikers competing in illegal races across the U.S.A. The game focuses on a series of races in California, which players must win to progress to more challenging competitions. Along the way, they engage in both unarmed and armed combat to outmaneuver other racers.
Summary via IGDB.
Road Rash on Wikipedia
Road Rash is a 1991 racing and vehicular combat video game developed and published by Electronic Arts (EA) for the Sega Genesis. It was subsequently ported to a variety of contemporary systems by differing companies. The game is centered around a series of motorcycle races throughout California that the player must win to advance to higher-difficulty races, while engaging in unarmed and armed combat to hinder the other racers.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Atari ST/STE, Amiga, Sega Master System/Mark III
- Developer
- Electronic Arts
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts Victor
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer
- 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 | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Master SystemDetails ↓ | 1994 | $27 | $59 | — | — | Low (look-alike) |
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1991 | $16 | $25 | $301 | 3 reviews | Low |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Genesis version ($16).
Also released on: Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Atari ST/STE · 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 once a month
- 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 $16.50 in Oct 2009, $41 five years ago, and $27 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $16.50 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $16.50 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $4.95 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $4.95 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $31 | $60 |
| Jan 2015 | $31 | $70 |
| Jan 2016 | $19.99 | $50 |
| Jan 2017 | $19.99 | $50 |
| Jan 2018 | $21 | $41 |
| Jan 2019 | $17.68 | $40 |
| Jan 2020 | $27 | $41 |
| Jan 2021 | $37 | $45 |
| Jan 2022 | $43 | $75 |
| Jan 2023 | $34 | $57 |
| Jan 2024 | $16.80 | $74 |
| Jan 2025 | $27 | $55 |
| Jan 2026 | $26 | $52 |
| Oct 2026 | $27 | $59 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number |
|---|---|---|
| Europe / PAL | 10 March 1994 | MK-29012-50 |
- Region
- EU
- Released
- 1994
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Master System version
A motorbike racer-brawler squeezed onto the Master System, a port that reviewers liked.
Road Rash is a motorcycle racing game in which you can also fight your rivals. It began on the Genesis in 1991. Gary Priest of Probe Software converted it to the Master System, with music adapted by Greg Michael, and U.S. Gold released it in Europe in March 1994. The Master System and Game Gear version received positive reviews.
Before you buy
This is a European cart, and it is priced above the middle of that group. Check that 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 | $10 | $23 | $93 |
| Japanese release | $24 | $98 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about 2 times 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 $2.49 in Oct 2007, $9.55 five years ago, and $15.55 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $3.37 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $3.89 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $3.00 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $2.94 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $4.68 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $4.97 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $9.22 | $10.97 |
| Jan 2015 | $8.99 | $16.14 |
| Jan 2016 | $6.99 | $12.93 |
| Jan 2017 | $10.50 | $15.00 |
| Jan 2018 | $11.66 | $16.99 |
| Jan 2019 | $9.99 | $17.72 |
| Jan 2020 | $9.97 | $19.95 |
| Jan 2021 | $10.34 | $18.66 |
| Jan 2022 | $12.98 | $19.59 |
| Jan 2023 | $13.61 | $27 |
| Jan 2024 | $12.99 | $28 |
| Jan 2025 | $9.46 | $25 |
| Jan 2026 | $14.78 | $25 |
| Oct 2026 | $15.55 | $25 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | September 1991 | — | 014633070200 |
| Europe / PAL | September 1991 | — | 5015839176005 |
| Japan | 20 November 1992 | EM20003 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1991
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Genesis version
The original Road Rash, a fast and violent motorcycle racer that is still an easy and affordable Genesis pick-up.
This is the original Road Rash: Electronic Arts developed it and released it in North America and Europe in September 1991, with Japan following on 20 November 1992 through Electronic Arts Victor. You race motorcycles along California roads and can fight rival riders with fists and weapons to slow them down.
The Genesis version was widely praised. MegaTech called it the best racer on the Mega Drive, and Computer and Video Games reviewers described it as a beat-em-up on motorbikes and as Super Hang-On with fists and clubs thrown in, while praising its convincing sense of speed. It was the ninth best-selling Genesis game in the United Kingdom in February 1992.
How it was made
Road Rash was one of the first games Electronic Arts conceived after it decided to develop games in-house. It started as an NES project, and it moved to the Genesis when the NES could not produce the road effect the team wanted. Programmers Dan Geisler and Carl Mey had been hired to create a banked-road effect for Mario Andretti Racing, and the game's 3D technology was adapted from the Genesis version of Blockout, which was in development at the same time.
Lead artist Arthur Koch joined after the project was well underway and had to train the other artists on Electronic Arts' tools and on working within the Genesis 64-color palette. Electronic Arts chose to promote the game at the 1990 Consumer Electronics Show as a show of support for the Genesis.
What the press said at the time
| MegaTech Issue 1 | December 1991 | MEGATECH RATING 92% |
| Mean Machines Games Guide | May 1992 | 92% |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 92% |
“A truly thrilling high-speed game which provides the most adrenalin-surging racing action yet seen on the Megadrive.”
“Lots of races, lots of bikes to ride, and plenty of thrills 'n' spills make Road Rash the best racer on the Megadrive”
“Road Rash is a fun game you can play right away. After you get the hang of it you're still challenged by the higher levels.”
“Lots of races, lots of bikes to fide, and plenty of thrills 'n' spills make Rc^d Rash the best racer on the Mega-drive!”
Worth knowing
- 802 miles of road. Programmer Dan Geisler claimed that the Genesis memory could have held 802 miles of unique roads, enough to map the entire California coast accurately.
Before you buy
Among US carts this sits above the middle. The European cart usually costs noticeably less loose, and a complete European copy usually costs about the same as the US one. The Japanese cart usually costs more, and a complete Japanese copy usually costs far more. A Japanese cartridge has a different shape and will not fit a Western console without an adapter or removing two plastic tabs in its slot. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
Road Rash screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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Latest news mentioning Road Rash
- EA bring back many classic games to Steam including Road Rash, Wing Commander, Ultima and moreSteam News · Nov 6
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- EA Releases 25 Classic PC Games on Steam, Including Road Rash, Wing Commander, Ultima, and Theme HospitalNoisy Pixel · Nov 5
- EA has released classic ‘restored’ games on PC, including Ultima and Road RashSteam News · Nov 5
- EA has released 25 classic ‘restored’ games on PC, including Ultima and Road RashVGC · Nov 5
- GOG Announces Road Rash Touch Up and a Publishing Arm for 'New Games With a Classic Soul'IGN · Nov 5