The Pirates of Dark Water
The Pirates of Dark Water — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is The Pirates of Dark Water on?
- The Pirates of Dark Water was released on Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
- When did The Pirates of Dark Water release?
- The Pirates of Dark Water was first released on May 1, 1994.
About The Pirates of Dark Water
Based on the cartoon by the same name, The Pirates of Dark Water is a side scrolling hack'n slash platformer with a few adventure elements. You take control of either Ren, Ioz or Tula who can jump, climb, attack and throw enemies. In most levels you are required to find keys to unlock doors and talk to NPCs who will give you hints. You will also find numerous useful items including throwing weapons, food to replenish your health, potions that have different effects such as temporary invincibility, money that is needed to pay certain NPCs and melons that can be fed to Niddler who will take you back to the map screen in turn.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Developer
- Iguana Entertainment
- Publisher
- SUNSOFT
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Fantasy
- Series
- The Pirates of Dark Water
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1994 | $43 | $151 | $498 | Medium |
Also released on: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. We haven’t priced or authenticated that version yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $98 | $548 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- 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 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $15.31 in Oct 2007, $43 five years ago, and $43 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $14.42 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $9.00 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $6.99 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $7.99 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $10.75 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $7.99 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $10.25 | $35 |
| Jan 2015 | $16.00 | $24 |
| Jan 2016 | $19.99 | $41 |
| Jan 2017 | $23 | $26 |
| Jan 2018 | $19.20 | $45 |
| Jan 2019 | $22 | $60 |
| Jan 2020 | $29 | $49 |
| Jan 2021 | $33 | $50 |
| Jan 2022 | $32 | $171 |
| Jan 2023 | $50 | $230 |
| Jan 2024 | $37 | $158 |
| Jan 2025 | $50 | $168 |
| Jan 2026 | $56 | $158 |
| Oct 2026 | $43 | $151 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America | May 1994 | 020763113113 |
| Europe / PAL | 10 March 1995 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1994
- Authenticity
- Med
A fighting platformer with light role-playing touches based on the cartoon, and one of the pricier US carts.
The Genesis version of The Pirates of Dark Water was developed by Iguana Entertainment and published by Sunsoft. It is a side-scrolling platform game with role-playing elements, based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon. It reached North America in May 1994 and Europe on 10 March 1995.
Electronic Games described it as an interesting blend of lightweight role-playing conventions and traditional Double Dragon and Final Fight style fighting, with pirates and rapiers in place of street gangs.
What the press said at the time
“To put itinto perspective, Dark Water is a good attempt at an arcade-style,”
Before you buy
Among US carts it is one of the pricier ones, so ask for a photo of the board and remember a Western cart has no notch. The European cart usually costs much more than the US one.
The Pirates of Dark Water screenshots
Watch on YouTube
Listings on The Game Traders
No active listings for The Pirates of Dark Water yet.
Be the first to list →Buyers looking for this
No active want ads for The Pirates of Dark Water yet.
Post a want ad →More games like The Pirates of Dark Water
Latest news mentioning The Pirates of Dark Water
No recent news mentions in our 30-day feed window.