Shining in the Darkness
Shining in the Darkness — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Shining in the Darkness on?
- Shining in the Darkness was released on Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac.
- When did Shining in the Darkness release?
- Shining in the Darkness was first released on March 29, 1991.
About Shining in the Darkness
Dark Sol has vowed to reign over the enchanted Kingdom of Thornwood, and only you can stop him. Find the powerful Arms of Light and battle the deadly beasts that keep your people desperate and starving in this epic journey for peace. Roaming the dark Labyrinth, you'll seek out enemies and collect weapons, all of which will help you pass the test of the Ancients and become a shining knight. Get into the adventure with a stunning 3-D perspective, amazing cinematic views and fast-paced scrolling. You'll move from battle to battle, solving puzzles and discovering secret items in this engrossing struggle between good and evil.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
- Developer
- Climax Entertainment
- Publisher
- Tec Toy
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Fantasy
- Series
- Shining Force
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 | 1991 | $18 | $44 | $635 | 7 reviews | Low |
Also released on: Linux · Wii · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · PC (Microsoft Windows) · Mac. 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 | $30 | $78 | — |
| Japanese release | $7 | $22 | — |
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 3 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 $4.98 in Oct 2007, $24 five years ago, and $17.50 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $4.95 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $4.95 | — |
| Jan 2010 | — | — |
| Jan 2011 | — | — |
| Jan 2012 | — | — |
| Jan 2013 | — | — |
| Jan 2014 | — | — |
| Jan 2015 | — | — |
| Jan 2016 | — | — |
| Jan 2017 | $12.87 | $25 |
| Jan 2018 | $13.17 | $27 |
| Jan 2019 | $13.99 | $25 |
| Jan 2020 | $14.29 | $24 |
| Jan 2021 | $15.87 | $31 |
| Jan 2022 | $29 | $48 |
| Jan 2023 | $23 | $55 |
| Jan 2024 | $21 | $45 |
| Jan 2025 | $18.25 | $40 |
| Jan 2026 | $21 | $46 |
| Oct 2026 | $17.50 | $44 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | October 1991 | — | 010086013108 |
| Europe / PAL | 11 November 1991 | — | — |
| Japan | 29 March 1991 | G-5506 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1991
- Authenticity
- Low
The first Shining game and a good dungeon crawler, with a US cart priced above the median.
Climax Entertainment developed this first-person role-playing game, the first in the Shining series, and Sega published it. It reached Japan on 29 March 1991, North America in October 1991 and Europe on 11 November 1991. By late 1991 over 300,000 copies had sold.
Mean Machines called its front end more than impressive, with large, detailed sprites, though it later called the game nice-looking but rather dull-playing next to its sequel Shining Force.
What the press said at the time
| Mean Machines Issue 14 | November 1991 | 69% |
| Mean Machines Games Guide | May 1992 | OVERALL 72% |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 72% |
| Dragon | 4/5 | |
| Famitsu | 8/10, 9/10, 8/10, 6/10 | |
| Sega Force | 90% | |
| Sega Pro | 93% |
“The exploration part is quite fun, but the combat system, however pretty the monsters, makes the going slow and detracts a lot of excitement from the game.”
“Shining in the Darkness has set the level by which all future adventure games will be judged.”
“But Shining in the Darkness may just have what it takes to overshadow the Phantasy Star series. It’s strong in all the areas where Phantasy Star is weak and offers a totally different execution.”
“Shining in the Darkness is recommended to RPG buffs. Watch out though for irritating combat, reliant on tuck rather than the player's skill.”
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 this sits above the median. The European cart usually costs noticeably more than the US one, while the Japanese Mega Drive cart usually costs far less and has a different cartridge shape. The cartridge saves to a battery inside it, so test that a save holds; a replaced battery is a normal repair and not a sign of a fake. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
Shining in the Darkness screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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