When did ToeJam & Earl release?

ToeJam & Earl was first released on March 12, 1991.

ToeJam & Earl

Mar 12, 1991Role-playing (RPG)AdventurePlayStation 3LinuxWii Sega Mega Drive/GenesisPC (Microsoft Windows)

ToeJam & Earl — frequently asked questions

What platforms is ToeJam & Earl on?: ToeJam & Earl was released on PlayStation 3, Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac.
When did ToeJam & Earl release?: ToeJam & Earl was first released on March 12, 1991.

About ToeJam & Earl

ToeJam & Earl is an early 1990s dungeon crawler. The game features two alien rappers, who have crash-landed on Earth and parodies 1980s urban culture. The game's design was heavily influenced by the role-playing video game Rogue, and took from it such features as the random generation of levels and items. Played from a 2D-top-down perspective the game contains both single-player and two-player cooperative modes. The latter displays a single screen when both characters are near each other, but splits it apart when they are not. Playing the game with two players reveals dialogue and jokes between the characters not heard in the single player game.

Summary via IGDB.

Game details

Platforms: PlayStation 3, Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Developer: Johnson Voorsanger Productions
Publisher: Tec Toy
Game modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Split screen
Themes: Action, Fantasy, Science fiction, Survival, Comedy

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

83/100

from 51 ratings

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	$35	$73	—	12 reviews	Low

Also released on: PlayStation 3 · 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

Loose

$35

Complete

$73

Sealed

—

Other releases and variants

Release	Loose	Complete	Sealed
European (PAL) release	$14	$44	$228
Japanese release (ToeJam & Earl)	$20	$45	—

How often it sells

Loose: about 2 times a week
Complete: about 2 times a week
Sealed: about once a year

Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.

Price over time

Loose
Complete

A loose copy sold for about $29 in Jan 2008, $24 five years ago, and $35 as of Oct 2026.

Show as table

Month	Loose	Complete
Jan 2008	$29	—
Jan 2009	$30	—
Jan 2010	$19.35	—
Jan 2011	$19.95	—
Jan 2012	$21	—
Jan 2013	$21	—
Jan 2014	$22	$31
Jan 2015	$27	$46
Jan 2016	$28	$45
Jan 2017	$38	$49
Jan 2018	$36	$54
Jan 2019	$31	$54
Jan 2020	$26	$47
Jan 2021	$28	$55
Jan 2022	$29	$52
Jan 2023	$28	$52
Jan 2024	$20	$54
Jan 2025	$26	$54
Jan 2026	$32	$56
Oct 2026	$35	$73

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

Release record

Territory	Date	Barcode
North America	October 1991	010086010206
Europe / PAL	18 November 1991	—
Japan	13 March 1992	4974365540661

Source: Product numbers: MAME's Mega Drive software list and the No-Intro serial records in the libretro database, published where both agree on the same cartridge dump, or from the libretro records alone where MAME lists no number for that dump. Board and ROM numbers: MAME's software list

Region: NA+EU+JP
Released: 1991
Authenticity: Low

Modern re-releases, such as Sega Ages, the Genesis Mini and Nintendo Switch Online, are not tracked hereLow counterfeit risk

Sega Genesis prices, all games & how to spot a fake

A funky, strange and enduring Genesis cult game that sits above the middle among US carts.

ToeJam & Earl was developed by Johnson-Voorsanger Productions and published by Sega. It reached North America in October 1991, Europe on 18 November 1991 and Japan on 13 March 1992. Two alien rappers crash-land on Earth and must collect the pieces of their wrecked spaceship, to a funk soundtrack and with a parody of 1980s and early 1990s urban culture.

The Toronto Star praised its split-screen two-player mode, and Sega Force called it a winner for its humor, puzzles, graphics and sound effects.

What the press said at the time

Mean Machines Sega Issue 3	December 1992	87%
MegaTech Issue 17	May 1993	82%
MegaTech Issue 18	June 1993	MT RATING: 82%
MegaTech Issue 19	July 1993	89%
MegaTech Issue 27	March 1994	83%
MegaTech Issue 30	June 1994	82%
MegaTech Issue 33	September 1994	88%
MegaTech Issue 34	October 1994	88%
Electronic Gaming Monthly		6/10, 8/10, 7/10, 8/10
Famitsu		7/10, 6/10, 7/10, 7/10
Game Informer		7.5/10, 9.5/10, 9.7/10
Sega Pro		93%

“Some of the best and most varied tunes and speech yet heard on the Megadrive . … The laid-back gameplay and whacked-out features provide insto-addiction.”
— Mean Machines, November 1991

“As a one-player game it’s just OK, but when played with someone else (and at just £19.99) it becomes completely essential. Got any friends? Buy this. Haven’t got any friends? Buy this and make some.”
— Mega, July 1993

“A completely bizarre one or simultaneous two-player arcade adventure that's absolutely jam-packed with humorous touches - both visual and aural. The game is very laid back, and the emphasis is on exploration rather than rushing about. Thoroughly enjoyable, thoroughly weird and thoroughly worth checking out.”
— Mean Machines Sega, December 1992

“Lots of wacky noises, kooky graphics and the two player option make it fun. Very basic gameplay which is only propped up by all the wacky noises and kooky graphics.”
— MegaTech, May 1993

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 it is above the middle. The European cart usually costs much less than the US one, and the Japanese cart usually costs less too, but it has a different shape that needs an adapter or two plastic tabs removed from a Western console's slot.