Superman: The Man of Steel
Superman: The Man of Steel — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Superman: The Man of Steel on?
- Superman: The Man of Steel was released on Sega Game Gear, Sega Master System/Mark III, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
- When did Superman: The Man of Steel release?
- Superman: The Man of Steel was first released on December 31, 1993.
About Superman: The Man of Steel
2D scrolling action game developed by Graftgold and published in Europe only by Virgin Interactive. It is based on the earlier Superman game for the Genesis by Sunsoft.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Sega Game Gear, Sega Master System/Mark III, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
- Developer
- Craftgold
- Publisher
- Virgin Entertainment
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action
- Series
- Superman
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Master System | 1993 | $25 | $55 | — | 10 reviews | Low (look-alike) |
Also released on: Sega Game Gear · Sega Master System/Mark III · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28
How often it sells
- Loose: about 5 times a year
- 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 $16.99 in Jul 2010, $26 five years ago, and $25 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2011 | $6.25 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $6.25 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $23 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $19.58 | — |
| Jan 2015 | $22 | — |
| Jan 2016 | $22 | $63 |
| Jan 2017 | $22 | $50 |
| Jan 2018 | $18.50 | $21 |
| Jan 2019 | $22 | $23 |
| Jan 2020 | $16.38 | $33 |
| Jan 2021 | $21 | $29 |
| Jan 2022 | $23 | $38 |
| Jan 2023 | $34 | $41 |
| Jan 2024 | $32 | $44 |
| Jan 2025 | $14.46 | $47 |
| Jan 2026 | $14.38 | $52 |
| Oct 2026 | $25 | $55 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Known board |
|---|---|---|
| Europe / PAL | June 1993 | 171-5507 · MPR-15506 |
- Region
- EU
- Released
- 1993
- Authenticity
- Low
A European-only Superman platformer that Graftgold built for the Master System and Game Gear.
This is the Master System version of Superman, released in Europe as Superman: The Man of Steel. Graftgold developed it and Virgin Games published it in June 1993. The Mega Drive game is by Sunsoft and was released in 1992.
The Master System and Game Gear versions were credited to Steve Turner and Rod Mack for design and programming, John Lilley for art and Jason Page for music.
How it was made
Graftgold developed the Master System and Game Gear versions, and Virgin Games published them in Europe.
What the press said at the time
| Sega Force Issue 19 | July 1993 | PAUL 65% |
| Sega Pro Issue 23 | September 1993 | 78% |
| Sega Pro Issue 24 | October 1993 | 78% |
| Sega Master Force Issue 5 | November 1993 | 66% |
| Sega Pro Issue 25 | November 1993 | 78% |
| Sega Pro Issue 27 | December 1993 | 78% |
| Sega Pro Issue 26 | December 1993 | 78% |
| Sega Pro Issue 28 | February 1994 | 78% |
| Sega Pro Issue 43 | April 1995 | 74% |
| Sega Pro Issue 44 | May 1995 | 74% |
“Playability doesn’t live up to expectations — Superman’s difficult to control, leading to many an unscheduled landing, usually resulting in loss of energy.”
“An atmospheric platformer that suits our superřiero down to the ground. Each level contains a variety of well drawn backgrounds and impressive sprite animation.”
“An atmospheric platformer that suits our superhero down to the ground. Each level contains a variety of well drawn backgrounds and impressive sprite animation.”
“Graphics are action-packed but the Man of Steel’s difficult to control and the tasks are tiresome.”
In the sales charts
In 5 sales charts, October 1993 to November 1993; highest position #4.
Show all 5 placings
- #10 in the Virgin Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 24, October 1993
- #4 in the HMV Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 24, October 1993
- #8 in the HMV Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 24, October 1993
- #10 in the Our Price Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 25, November 1993
- #7 in the HMV Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 25, November 1993
Sales charts as printed in the magazines of the time.
How the Sega Master System version differs
Mean Machines Sega judged the Master System game better than the Mega Drive version, calling it fast, tough and playable but very frustrating.
Also on other platforms
Genesis · Game Gear
| Game Gear | Graftgold |
- Game Gear. Mean Machines Sega said the Game Gear game plays and looks almost exactly like the Master System version.
Before you buy
Only the European cart exists. Loose, it sits above the middle of the European-only carts, and the look-alike risk is low. Check the manual is there on a complete copy.
Superman: The Man of Steel screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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