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:
Original system(s): PC
Genre: Simulation

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		¥6,0006,000 G-4057
Sega Mega Drive
US 		701601
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		E097SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
BR
Sega Master System
EU 		27014-50
Sega Master System
AU
Sega Master System
BR 		025040

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.

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.

The Mega Drive Populous is said to have been the first game Electronic Arts released for the system (or indeed any Sega console).

Gameplay

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.

History

Legacy

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.

Magazine articles

Main article: Populous/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Master System print advert in The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) #1 (1991-05-xx)
also published in:
  • Raze (UK) #11: "September 1991" (1991-07-25)[6]
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Master System print advert in Raze (UK) #12: "October 1991" (1991-08-29)
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Master System print advert in Micro News (FR) #49: "Eté 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
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Print advert in Mega Force (FR) #2: "Septembre/Octobre 1991" (1991-09-13)
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Master System print advert in Hobby Consolas (ES) #1: "Octubre 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
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Master System print advert in Game Power (IT) #1: "Dicembre 1991" (1991-1x-xx)
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Artwork

  • Populous Art Cover.jpg

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
91 [7]
70 [8]
60 №, p85[9]
94 [10]
75 №141, [1]
87 [11]
60 №1991-09, p90
92 №11, p144
90 №5, p62
87 №5, p10/11
91 [12]
93 [13]
96 [14]
89 [15]
93 [16]
100 №23, p54
70 [17]
65 №18, p66
85 №15, p122
Sega Mega Drive
 84
Based on
19 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[18]
ACE (UK)
91
[7]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
75
[19]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
70
[20]
Buzz! Computers (UK)
84
[21]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
94
[10]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
94
[22]
Console XS (UK) PAL
75
[23]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
75
[24]
Game Mania (UK)
90
[25]
Game Power (IT)
82
[26]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
60
[27]
Hobbytes (RO)
72
[28]
Joystick (FR)
92
[29]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
90
[30]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
63
[31]
MegaTech (UK)
91
[12]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
80
[32]
Mean Machines (UK)
93
[33]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
91
[34]
Player One (FR)
96
[35]
Power Play (DE)
86
[36]
Raze (UK) NTSC
89
[37]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
93
[38]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
100
[39]
Sega Pro (UK)
70
[17]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
65
[40]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
60
[41]
Supergame (BR)
80
[2]
Tilt (FR)
95
[42]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
78
[43]
Zero (UK)
85
[44]
Sega Mega Drive
 82
Based on
32 reviews

Populous

Mega Drive, US
Populous MD US BoxBack.jpgPopulous MD US BoxSpine.jpgPopulous MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Populous MD US CartTop.jpg
Populous MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
Populous MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
Populous MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
Populous MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Populous MD JP CartTop.jpg
Populous MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Populous MD jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
Populous MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
Populous MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart

Master System version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
95 №0, p47-49
92 [45]
94 [46]
90 [11]
90 №21
92 [47]
94 [48]
75 №2, p43
97 [49]
90 [4]
96 №21, p10/11
100 №23, p58
80 Sega Pro
80 [2]
90 №24, p85
Sega Master System
 90
Based on
15 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Ação Games (BR)
69
[50]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
75
[19]
Consoles + (FR)
95
[51]
Console XS (UK) PAL
88
[52]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
92
[53]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
94
[46]
Game Mania (UK)
90
[54]
Game Power (IT)
90
[26]
Games-X (UK)
90
[55]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
92
[56]
Joystick (FR)
94
[48]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
75
[57]
Player One (FR)
97
[58]
Raze (UK) PAL
90
[4]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
96
[59]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
100
[60]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
88
[61]
Tilt (FR)
95
[42]
Video Games (DE)
88
[62]
Zero (UK)
90
[63]
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
Populous SMS BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, AU

Populous SMS AU Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 c7a1fdef
MD5 cc694ca94c4d74b487983332facc8b86
SHA-1 d6142584b9796a96941b6a95bda14cf137b47085
256kB Cartridge (EU)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 ACE, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-xx), page 165
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:Supergame BR 10.pdf, page 30 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Supergame BR 10.pdf_p30" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Supergame BR 10.pdf_p30" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 9
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Raze, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-07-25), page 28
  5. ↑ Sega Power, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-04), page 11
  6. ↑ Raze, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-07-25), page 83
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 ACE, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-xx), page 86
  8. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "September 1991" (JP; 1991-08-08), page 35 (37)
  9. ↑ File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf, page 87
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 34
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Game Power, "Dicembre 1991" (IT; 1991-1x-xx), page 32-34 (34)
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 79
  13. ↑ Mean Machines, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-29), page 50-52 (50)
  14. ↑ Player One, "Décembre 1990" (FR; 1990-xx-xx), page 30/31 (30)
  15. ↑ Raze, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-10-25), page 70/71 (70)
  16. ↑ Sega Power, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-01), page 30/31 (30)
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Sega Pro, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-20), page 21
  18. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 178
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Aktueller Software Markt, "Dezember 1991" (DE; 1991-11-15), page 152
  20. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "September 1991" (JP; 1991-08-08), page 35
  21. ↑ Buzz! Computers (UK) (+0:00)
  22. ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 49
  23. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 133
  24. ↑ Famitsu, "1991-08-23,30" (JP; 1991-08-09), page 1
  25. ↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Game Power, "Dicembre 1991" (IT; 1991-1x-xx), page 34
  27. ↑ Hippon Super, "September 1991" (JP; 1991-08-03), page 90
  28. ↑ Hobbytes, "1/1994" (RO; 1994-xx-xx), page 31
  29. ↑ Joystick, "Décembre 1990" (FR; 1990-1x-xx), page 144
  30. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 62
  31. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "November 1991" (JP; 1991-10-08), page 91
  32. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Febrero 1991" (ES; 1991-0x-xx), page 26
  33. ↑ Mean Machines, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-29), page 50
  34. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 140
  35. ↑ Player One, "Décembre 1990" (FR; 1990-xx-xx), page 30
  36. ↑ Power Play, "11/90" (DE; 1990-10-12), page 138
  37. ↑ Raze, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-10-25), page 70
  38. ↑ Sega Power, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-01), page 30
  39. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 54
  40. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
  41. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Tilt, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-1x-xx), page 75
  43. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 21
  44. ↑ Zero, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-06), page 122
  45. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-08-15), page 104-106 (104)
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 149
  47. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Diciembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 36/37 (35)
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Joystick, "Juillet/Août 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 189
  49. ↑ Player One, "Juillet/Août 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 40/41 (40)
  50. ↑ Ação Games, "Setembro 1993" (BR; 1993-09-01), page 37
  51. ↑ Consoles +, "Tilt Hors-Serie" (FR; 1991-07-xx), page 48
  52. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 143
  53. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "September 1991" (UK; 1991-08-15), page 104
  54. ↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81
  55. ↑ Games-X, "12th-18th September 1991" (UK; 1991-09-12), page 36
  56. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Diciembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 36
  57. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Diciembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 73
  58. ↑ Player One, "Juillet/Août 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 40
  59. ↑ Sega Power, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-04), page 10
  60. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 58
  61. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72
  62. ↑ Video Games, "2/91" (DE; 1991-06-07), page 84
  63. ↑ Zero, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 85
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