Key Takeaways
1. Populous is regarded as the original “God Game” and has nostalgic value for older gamers.
2. A previously unknown NES port of Populous was discovered, developed by Imagineer in 1992.
3. The NES version was completed but never released due to the console being seen as outdated.
4. Games That Weren’t recovered the game files and created a functioning NES ROM compatible with certain emulators.
5. The original Populous game was created by Bullfrog Productions in 1989 and has been adapted to numerous platforms, selling around four million copies.
Many gamers from older generations remember Populous with great nostalgia, as it is often seen as the original “God Game” or life simulation game. This recognition comes from the fact that the game was adapted for many platforms. Recently, a new addition can be made to this list; a version of Populous for one of the most beloved retro consoles has been found.
NES Port Discovery
It appears that Populous was adapted for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Nintendo’s iconic 8-bit console. The development of this port started in 1992, led by Imagineer, the Japanese publisher known more for their work on the Super Famicom (or Super Nintendo, SNES) versions of SimEarth and Populous 2, which is the sequel to the now-lost NES port.
The organization called Games That Weren’t uncovered this port. They revealed that the NES version of Populous was fully created, but Imagineer ultimately thought the console was “past its prime.” Given that the NES was already 7 years old and the 16-bit SNES had been available for two years when the port was being developed, there is some truth to this perspective.
Game Recovery Efforts
While performing “disk recovery work” for a client, Games That Weren’t stumbled upon the game files. They successfully recompiled these files into a functioning ROM that works on various NES emulators, like Nestopia and MESEN. However, it should be noted that the game cannot be played on FCEUX, which is a widely used NES emulator.
You can grab the NES ROM of Populous from the Games That Weren’t website and enjoy it on devices like the Anbernic RG35XX, which is currently priced at $79.99 on Amazon.
Game’s Origins and Impact
Populous was initially created by Bullfrog Productions in 1989 for the Amiga. It saw further adaptations to various systems, including the Acorn Archimedes, Atari ST, FM Towns, MS-DOS, Game Boy, Macs, Sega Master System, PC-98, PC Engine, Sega Genesis, Sharp X68000, and SNES. The game has sold around four million copies in total.
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