Populous

From Sega Retro


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Populous MDTitleScreen.png

Populous
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System
Publisher:
Sega Mega Drive
Electronic Arts (US/EU), Sega (JP),
Sega Master System
TecMagik
Developer:
Genre: Simulation

















Release Date RRP Code

Populous (ポピュラス) is a 1989 computer simulation game by Bullfrog originally released for the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST .It was ported to the Sega Mega Drive internationally and Sega Master System in Europe. The American Mega Drive version does not have any TMSS support at all.

In Populous, players play as a deity who controls land to affect peoples's lives in the hopes of crushing followers of another deity. The game is played from an isometric perspective, although unlike later attempts at simulations (such as Sim City 2000), there is no scrolling. The Mega Drive Populous is said to have been the first game Electronic Arts released for the system (or indeed any Sega console).

Populous sequel, Two Tribes: Populous II (a renamed version of Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods) was also released for the Mega Drive, as well as the more combat-orientated Power Monger.

Physical Scans

Mega Drive Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
91 №38
92 №11, p144
91 №1
89 №2, p70/71
70 №5, p21
Sega Mega Drive
87
Based on
5 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[1]
ACE (UK)
91
[2]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
75
[3]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
70
[4]
Buzz! Computers (UK)
84
[5]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
94
[6]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
94
[7]
Console XS (UK) PAL
75
[8]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
75
[9]
Game Mania (UK)
90
[10]
Game Power (IT)
82
[11]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
60
[12]
Hobbytes (RO)
72
[13]
Joystick (FR)
92
[14]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
90
[15]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
63
[16]
MegaTech (UK)
91
[17]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
80
[18]
Mean Machines (UK)
93
[19]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
91
[20]
Player One (FR)
96
[21]
Power Play (DE)
86
[22]
Raze (UK) NTSC
89
[23]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
93
[24]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
100
[25]
Sega Pro (UK)
70
[26]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
65
[27]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
60
[28]
Supergame (BR)
80
[29]
Tilt (FR)
95
[30]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
78
[31]
Zero (UK)
85
[32]
Sega Mega Drive
82
Based on
32 reviews

Populous

Mega Drive, US
Populous MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, EU
Populous MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, JP
Populous MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Populous MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, BR
Populous MD BR Box.jpg
Cover

Master System Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 №118
90 №21
94 №18, p189
75 №2, p43
90 №11, p28
90 №24
Sega Master System
89
Based on
6 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Ação Games (BR)
69
[33]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
75
[3]
Consoles + (FR)
95
[34]
Console XS (UK) PAL
88
[35]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
92
[36]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
94
[37]
Game Mania (UK)
90
[38]
Game Power (IT)
90
[11]
Games-X (UK)
90
[39]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
92
[40]
Joystick (FR)
94
[41]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
75
[42]
Player One (FR)
97
[43]
Raze (UK) PAL
90
[44]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
96
[45]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
100
[46]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
88
[47]
Tilt (FR)
95
[30]
Video Games (DE)
88
[48]
Zero (UK)
90
[49]
Sega Master System
89
Based on
20 reviews

Populous

Master System, EU
Populous SMS EU Box.jpg
Cover
Populous SMS EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, BR
Populous SMS BR Box.jpg
Cover
  1. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 178
  2. ACE, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-xx), page 86
  3. 3.0 3.1 Aktueller Software Markt, "Dezember 1991" (DE; 1991-11-15), page 152
  4. Beep! MegaDrive, "September 1991" (JP; 1991-08-08), page 35
  5. Buzz! Computers (UK) (+0:00)
  6. Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 34
  7. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 49
  8. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 133
  9. Famitsu, "1991-08-23,30" (JP; 1991-08-09), page 1
  10. Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
  11. 11.0 11.1 Game Power, "Dicembre 1991" (IT; 1991-1x-xx), page 34
  12. Hippon Super, "September 1991" (JP; 1991-08-03), page 90
  13. Hobbytes, "1/1994" (RO; 1994-xx-xx), page 31
  14. Joystick, "Décembre 1990" (FR; 1990-1x-xx), page 144
  15. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 62
  16. Mega Drive Fan, "November 1991" (JP; 1991-10-08), page 91
  17. MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 79
  18. Micromanía (segunda época), "Febrero 1991" (ES; 1991-0x-xx), page 26
  19. Mean Machines, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-29), page 50
  20. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 140
  21. Player One, "Décembre 1990" (FR; 1990-xx-xx), page 30
  22. Power Play, "11/90" (DE; 1990-10-12), page 138
  23. Raze, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-10-25), page 70
  24. Sega Power, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-01), page 30
  25. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 54
  26. Sega Pro, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-20), page 21
  27. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
  28. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  29. Supergame, "Maio 1992" (BR; 1992-05-xx), page 30
  30. 30.0 30.1 Tilt, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-1x-xx), page 75
  31. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 21
  32. Zero, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-06), page 122
  33. Ação Games, "Setembro 1993" (BR; 1993-09-01), page 37
  34. Consoles +, "Tilt Hors-Serie" (FR; 1991-07-xx), page 48
  35. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 143
  36. Computer & Video Games, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-08-15), page 104
  37. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 149
  38. Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81
  39. Games-X, "12th-18th September 1991" (UK; 1991-09-12), page 36
  40. Hobby Consolas, "Diciembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 36
  41. Joystick, "Juillet/Août 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 189
  42. Micromanía (segunda época), "Diciembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 73
  43. Player One, "Juillet/Août 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 40
  44. Raze, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-07-25), page 28
  45. Sega Power, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-04), page 10
  46. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 58
  47. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72
  48. Video Games, "2/91" (DE; 1991-06-07), page 84
  49. Zero, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 85