What platforms is Whip Rush on?

Whip Rush was released on Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.

When did Whip Rush release?

Whip Rush was first released on May 26, 1990.

Whip Rush

May 26, 1990ShooterSega Mega Drive/Genesis

Whip Rush — frequently asked questions

What platforms is Whip Rush on?: Whip Rush was released on Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
When did Whip Rush release?: Whip Rush was first released on May 26, 1990.

About Whip Rush

Whip Rush is a side-scrolling space shooter released in 1990 for the Sega Mega Drive System and subsequently for its American counterpart, the Sega Genesis. Whip Rush's gameplay style is very similar to R-Type: The title ship flies through 7 dangerous stages and is forced to fight large bosses using timed attacks. The ship's Options are similar to the ones in Curse or Psychosis: The ship can be equipped with two Options at a time and the player can rotate them around the ship changing their directional fire at the same time. The player has a total of three weapons to choose from and can change the ship's speed through eight different speed levels. Extends are awarded and there are no checkpoints, but if a player loses all their lives and continues, they have to restart the level over again.

Summary via IGDB.

Game details

Developer: Vic Tokai
Publisher: Renovation Products
Game modes: Single player
Themes: Science fiction

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 Genesis	1990	$25	$56	—	3 reviews	Low

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

Loose

$25

Complete

$56

Sealed

—

Other releases and variants

Release	Loose	Complete	Sealed
Japanese release	$18	$58	—

How often it sells

Loose: about 2 times a month
Complete: about once 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 $5.69 in Apr 2010, $35 five years ago, and $25 as of Oct 2026.

Show as table

Month	Loose	Complete
Jan 2011	$8.25	—
Jan 2012	$2.50	—
Jan 2013	$13.50	—
Jan 2014	$16.47	$31
Jan 2015	$12.99	$35
Jan 2016	$10.60	$42
Jan 2017	$22	$45
Jan 2018	$24	$45
Jan 2019	$26	$49
Jan 2020	$24	$63
Jan 2021	$27	$62
Jan 2022	$37	$107
Jan 2023	$38	$91
Jan 2024	$32	$77
Jan 2025	$33	$70
Jan 2026	$22	$55
Oct 2026	$25	$56

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

Release record

Territory	Date	Product number	Barcode
North America	October 1990	—	720238100104
Japan	26 May 1990	G-4031	4974365540319

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: 1990
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 plain but handsome Vic Tokai shooter that critics split over, and a US cart priced above the middle.

Whip Rush is a horizontally and vertically scrolling space shooter developed by Vic Tokai. It came out in Japan on 26 May 1990 (Sega) and in North America in October 1990 (Renovation Products). The cover art differs between regions, but the game is identical and plays in English in both.

Reactions varied. Mean Machines called it a very average shooter and recommended Truxton or Thunder Force III instead, while the editors of Video Games & Computer Entertainment praised its detail and quality and gave it their best science fiction game award.

What the press said at the time

The Games Machine Issue 33	August 1990	79%
Electronic Gaming Monthly		6/10, 7/10, 6/10, 6/10
GamePro		18/25

“Sprite designs are good but again detail is lacking Effects are good and there are some excellent pieces of music. … Payability's high and the switching scrolling direction keeps the action fresh.”
— The Games Machine, August 1990

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 sits above the middle. The Japanese cart usually costs less than the US one loose and about the same complete, and its cartridge has a different shape. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.