When did Wardner release?

Wardner was first released on December 31, 1987.

Wardner

Dec 31, 1987PlatformFamily Computer Disk SystemArcadeSega Mega Drive/GenesisFamicom Disk SystemNintendo Entertainment System

Wardner — frequently asked questions

What platforms is Wardner on?: Wardner was released on Family Computer Disk System, Arcade, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Famicom Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System.
When did Wardner release?: Wardner was first released on December 31, 1987.

About Wardner

In Wardner, you take on the roll of a short, chubby guy whose name I am not aware of. The game starts when you and a girl are approached by a wizard promising a "fantasia" of sorts. You follow the wizard, and he kidnaps the girl, commenting that she will make a nice gift for Mr. Wardner. We can't have that, can we?On your quest to save your friend, you have to travel across 5 levels, to reach the evil Mr. Wardner. You will have to destroy monsters, jump over and duck under various traps, and collect gold and orbs to help you with your journey.You have a weapon meter on the bottom of the screen, which shows your current weapon, and weapon power (1 to 8). All weapons use the same power, so if you change weapons, you won't lose the power. The power, rather than making your weapon stronger, lets you fire it faster.

Summary via IGDB.

Game details

Platforms: Family Computer Disk System, Arcade, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Famicom Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: Toaplan
Publisher: Visco Corporation
Game modes: Single player, Multiplayer
Themes: Action, Fantasy

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

60/100

from 7 ratings

Every version compared

Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release

Platform	Year	Loose	Complete	Sealed	Fake risk
Sega Genesis	1991	$28	$69	—	Low

Also released on: Family Computer Disk System · Arcade · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Famicom Disk System · Nintendo Entertainment System. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.

Collector value & authenticity

Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29

Loose

$28

Complete

$69

Sealed

—

Other releases and variants

Release	Loose	Complete	Sealed
Japanese release	$36	$90	—

How often it sells

Loose: about once a month
Complete: about 2 times a month
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 $4.99 in Jul 2008, $38 five years ago, and $28 as of Oct 2026.

Show as table

Month	Loose	Complete
Jan 2009	$5.00	—
Jan 2010	$4.13	—
Jan 2011	$4.89	—
Jan 2012	$11.12	—
Jan 2013	$6.75	—
Jan 2014	$7.78	$26
Jan 2015	$17.50	$44
Jan 2016	$21	$40
Jan 2017	$28	$64
Jan 2018	$25	$55
Jan 2019	$27	$67
Jan 2020	$29	$87
Jan 2021	$31	$87
Jan 2022	$41	$100
Jan 2023	$40	$100
Jan 2024	$26	$90
Jan 2025	$23	$70
Jan 2026	$28	$75
Oct 2026	$28	$69

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

Release record

Territory	Date	Product number	Barcode
North America	May 1991	—	726556914010
Japan	26 April 1991	T-58013	—

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: JP+NA
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 reworked Genesis version of Toaplan's arcade platformer that is easy to finish, and one of the pricier US carts.

Wardner is a reworked Genesis port of Toaplan's 1987 arcade platform game, in which a boy named Dover sets out to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend Mia from the warlock Wardner. Visco Corporation released it in Japan on 26 April 1991 as Wardner no Mori Special, and Mentrix Software published it in North America in May 1991.

Mean Machines Sega called the conversion pretty creditable standard platform fare, dodging traps and blasting enemies and large bosses, but said infinite continues make it simple to complete.

What the press said at the time

“Wardner is a challenging Genesis cart that's fun and easy to play. The graphics are good and the soundtrack's great!”
— GamePro, May 1991

How the Sega Genesis version differs

The Genesis game is a reworked port made by Dragnet and first released in Japan by Visco.

The Genesis version has six stages versus five in the arcade game.

Mean Machines Sega rated the Mega Drive conversion 75 percent, noting that infinite continues make it pretty simple to complete.

Also on other platforms

Arcade · Famicom Disk System · NES

Arcade

Toaplan

Famicom Disk System. The Famicom Disk System port was released only in Japan, in March 1988.
NES. An NES version was developed for North America as Pyross and shown at the Summer CES in 1990, but never released.

Before you buy

Among US carts it is one of the pricier ones, above the middle. The Japanese cart (Wardner no Mori Special) usually costs somewhat more than the US one, in both loose and complete condition, and has a different cartridge shape, so it needs an adapter or two plastic tabs removed from a Western console's slot. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.