Populous
↗ 5.8%
😊 7.7/10
(Super Famicom - JP, Action & Adventure)
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$12.01
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Developed_By:
Electronic Arts
Published_By:
Imagineer Co. Ltd.
Released On:
16 Dec 1990
Also available on:
You play a god, gaming against other gods in a celestial game of conquest. To win, you must help your chosen people take over the world and wipe out the vermin who worship that other god.
Each god starts out with a single human, dumped into the middle of the wilderness. Sometimes there is inhabitable land in sight, sometimes not. To get a chance to win, you must change the landscape, creating flat land for your followers to build on. The more followers you have, the more powerful you will be, so take care of them. Build as fast as you can, because the other god is doing the same.
When you have enough followers, you can make the leader of your people into a hero. He will then go around the land you have built, literally taking strength from the people into himself, and working his way toward the enemy. When he gets there, he will engage in holy warfare upon your enemy's people. He will burn; he will kill. And he won't stop until they're all dead... or he is.
But you don't have to let your people have all the fun; the gods have other tools as well. You can drown your enemies one at a time with your land-lowering powers, submerge their towns in swamps, or raise a volcano in the middle of their best farmland. Even better, you can flood the land and drain all the people who didn't build on high ground.
And when you win, you'll have 500 more worlds to conquer. A god's play is just never done.
eBay Product ID:
214758513 (Japan)
UPC-A:
4965857001098 (Japan)
EAN-13:
4965857005072 (Japan)
Nintendo Media PN:
SHVC-PL-JPN (Japan)
Part #:
SHVC-PO (Japan)
Nintendo Media PN:
SHVC-PO-JPN (Japan)
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Save Game Methods:
Password
Number of Players Supported:
1 Player
Prices as of 30 Jul 2026
Typical $12.01–$12.04 (last 90 days)
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Manual
Game Guide
Extracted from the original game manual
In this classic god game, players assume the role of a supreme deity tasked with leading the forces of Good to victory against the forces of Evil across various themed worlds. To increase their divine power, players must terraform landscapes to help their followers build settlements, multiply, and cultivate the land. Ultimately, players guide their population to conquer the enemy by summoning natural disasters, rallying crusading leaders, or triggering a final Armageddon battle.
Story
The Power of a Deity
You are a supreme being with the power to command the forces of nature. Earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, and the power to turn the very oceans into fertile plains or the plains into barren rock is yours.
But such power is not limitless. Its source is in the number of your followers—the followers of Good—scattered on worlds throughout the universe.
These people look to you to level their land so they can raise their crops, build towns and multiply. In return, as their number increases, so does your power to smite the enemy, the followers of Evil.
The Threat of Darkness
The forces of darkness threaten to engulf every world in the universe. Your followers will be overrun and you with them, unless you help them prosper and grow. You must call them to glory, to conquest, and to purge the worlds of Evil.
With enough power you can move the Good Papal Magnet. Place it anywhere in the world and your followers will be drawn to it, cultivating the land as they go, or confronting Evil.
Make the Good people's Leader into a crusading Knight, and he will invade the enemy, attacking their people, burning towns and crops.
Achieving Victory
Victory depends on the elimination of Evil. Send your people to hunt them down, and wreak havoc on them with the forces of nature.
Wipe them off the face of the world, or if Good outnumbers Evil, call for Armageddon. Every person—Good and Evil—will come together for the final doomsday battle.
From world to world you must go, aiding your followers and destroying the enemy. The landscapes will become increasingly formidable, and the power of Evil ever greater.
The Good depend on you to triumph. Oblivion awaits the loser.
Japanesque
This world boasts the palaces and architecture of the Japan of the Shoguns. Your Knights are mighty Samurai.
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RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: *
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SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: **
Francaise
This is a world of beautiful European castles, tricolors and arches. Your population and rate of technical development is moderate. The terrain allows your Walkers to travel considerable distances.
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RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: **
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SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: **
Silly Land
This is an artificial landscape of grey and white. Your Walkers are aliens and the settlements are space stations. The harsh environment quickly tires Walkers and severely limits the growth rate of your population.
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RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: *
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SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: ***
Bit Plains
This world has computer bugs for Walkers and everything from Game Boys to PC's as settlements. Progress and population increase is easy.
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RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: ****
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SEVERITY OF TERRAIN:
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Piglet World
While the landscape is the same as the grassy plains, your Piggy Walkers have little endurance. This is particularly true when they are faced with a Knight in Wolf's clothing!
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RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: **
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SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: ****
Cake Land
This world looks like a checkered tablecloth with settlements made of cakes and candies. Your people are tiny mice.
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RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: ***
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SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: **
Acclaim Limited Warranty
Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. warrants to the original purchaser only that the medium on which this computer program is recorded is free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. This program is sold "as is," without express or implied warranty of any kind. Acclaim is not liable for any losses or damages of any kind resulting from use of this program.
Acclaim agrees for a period of ninety (90) days to either repair or replace, at its option, free of charge, any Acclaim software product, postage paid with proof of date of purchase, at its Factory Service Center. Replacement of the cartridge is the full extent of liability.
This warranty is not applicable to normal wear and tear. This warranty shall not be applicable and shall be void if the defect has arisen through abuse, unreasonable use, mistreatment, or neglect.
FCC Regulations Compliance
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B computing device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules.
If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
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Reorient the receiving antenna
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Relocate the NES with respect to the receiver
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Move the NES away from the receiver
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Plug the NES into a different outlet so that the computer and receiver are on different circuits
Support and Copyrights
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Acclaim Hotline: (516) 624-9300
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Distributed and marketed by: Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. 71 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, N.Y. 11771.
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COPYRIGHT © 1990, 1991 ELECTRONIC ARTS
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COPYRIGHT © 1990, 1991 IMAGINEER CO., LTD.
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POPULOUS is a trademark of Electronic Arts, licensed from Imagineer Co., Ltd.
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Acclaim and Masters of the Game are Trademarks
Controls
CONTROL PAD ARROWS
Select options on the title/game mode selection screen and move all cursors (diagonally or parallel to the screen sides depending on settings).
A BUTTON
Accepts options, raises the land, makes selections, and toggles cursor movement direction when the CURSOR icon is selected.
SELECT BUTTON
Switches the cursor to the Command Icons, or returns to the Close-up Map from the Cursor icon.
START BUTTON
Pauses the game; press again to restart.
B BUTTON
Lowers the land and makes selections.
X BUTTON
Flattens the land around Settlements (that are not castles) turning them instantly into castles.
Y BUTTON
Locates Settlements (that are not castles).
L + A
Raises and flattens large areas of land.
L + B
Lowers and flattens large areas of land.
L + X
Raises the land around a castle, reducing it to a primitive hut.
L + Y
Locates castles.
R + A
Accesses RAISE & LOWER LAND Supreme Power Command.
R + B
Accesses Papal Magnet cursor.
R + X
Makes your followers Settle.
R + Y
Makes your followers Gather Then Settle.
L + R + A
EARTHQUAKES the area shown on the Close-up Map.
L + R + B
Accesses Swamp cursor.
L + R + X
VOLCANOS the area shown on the Close-up Map.
L + R + Y
Turns your Leader into a Knight.
How to Play
Settlements
When instructed to settle, any Walkers that find flat land will build settlements and grow crops. The more flat land you create around a settlement, the larger and more advanced it becomes.
The larger the settlement, the faster the population grows and the more Manna you get. Population grows within a settlement until it is full, whereupon a Walker will emerge in search of more flat land to settle on.
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Blue flags fly over Good Settlements.
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Red flags fly over Evil Settlements.
Planted Land
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Light colored rows of dots are Good crops.
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Dark dots are Evil crops.
Swamps
Swamps reduce crop land and swallow Walkers. They are also either shallow or bottomless, depending on the world. If a Walker sinks in a shallow Swamp, the Swamp becomes flat land.
To remove Swamps, raise and then lower the affected land.
Ruined Land
To restore land decimated by fire, raise and then lower the affected land.
Knights
Knights seek out and battle with Evil Walkers, raid enemy settlements, and torch buildings and crops. They are strong, but not invincible, growing weaker with every battle until they die.
A single Knight represents a large part of your population. Their loss can be devastating.
World Description Screen
In the Conquest Mode, the first thing you see is the World Description Screen. It describes the world you must conquer and the Supreme Power Commands available to you and to Evil. This screen will also appear at the start of each new world.
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World to Conquer: The name of the current world. With every world you conquer you will advance to a more challenging world. Write down this name as it acts as a Password to resume your game later.
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Battle Number Is: Each world is numbered in order of difficulty up to 989 worlds. If you conquer a world with ease, you will jump up several worlds.
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Landscape Is: One of the 10 types of landscape (Grassy Plains, Desert, Snow & Ice, Rock & Lava, Bit Plains, Japanesque, French Revolution, Cake Land, Piggy Land, or Silly Land).
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His Reactions: The speed with which Evil can match your actions, measuring from very slow (left) to very fast (right).
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His Rating: Evil's level of skill and ingenuity, running from very poor (left) to very good (right).
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Built: The build mode determines when you can alter land. "People" allows changes if a Walker or Settlement is on the Close-up Map. "Towns" allows changes only when a Settlement is visible. "Neither" prevents raising or lowering land.
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Swamps: Shallow swamps disappear if a Walker falls into them. Bottomless swamps only disappear if the land is raised or lowered.
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Water: "Fatal" kills Walkers immediately. "Harmful" allows Walkers longer to drown, giving you time to save them by raising the land.
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You and Evil: Stipulates which Supreme Power Commands and starting Walkers are available to each side.
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Start Game: Select this option and press the A BUTTON to begin the world.
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New Game: Select this option and press the A BUTTON to enter a password and start from your last reached world.
*Note: On all descriptive and option screens, a large light grey square signifies "OFF" or "NOT AVAILABLE", while a smaller dark grey square signifies "ON" or "AVAILABLE".*
Quick Map Controls
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Instant Settlement Upgrade: If you have sufficient Manna, move the cross hair over a pre-castle settlement and press the X BUTTON to instantly advance it to its maximum level.
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Find Settlements: Press the Y BUTTON to instantly find any of your Settlements other than castles.
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Quick Raise & Lower Land: Press the R BUTTON plus the A BUTTON to access this command without using the icon.
Place Papal Magnet
Select this icon to place the Papal Magnet anywhere in the world. The Close-up Map cursor will be replaced by a small Papal Magnet with a blue arrow. Move it to your desired location and press the A BUTTON or B BUTTON.
*Note: You can only move your Papal Magnet if you have a Leader.*
Earthquake
Select this icon to shake the ground, making it uneven, unsuitable for crops, and turning high ground into low ground.
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Quick Shortcut: Press the L BUTTON plus the R BUTTON plus the A BUTTON to earthquake the area shown on the Close-up Map.
Swamp Command
Select this icon to change the cursor to a mini-swamp. Move it to a flat land area and press the A BUTTON to create a swamp.
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Cancel Command: Press the B BUTTON if you choose not to use the command after selecting it.
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Quick Shortcut: Press the L BUTTON plus the R BUTTON plus the B BUTTON to obtain the Swamp cursor.
Volcano
Select this icon to turn the area on the Close-up Map into a rocky mountain. The damage takes a great deal of Manna to recover from.
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Quick Shortcut: Press the L BUTTON plus the R BUTTON plus the X BUTTON to turn the area into a mountain.
Flood
Select this icon to raise the water level by one throughout the world. When the icon flashes, press the A or B BUTTON again to execute.
All flooded settlements are destroyed. Drowning Walkers can be saved by raising the land beneath them.
Armageddon
Select this icon to declare the final battle. When the icon flashes red,
Tips & Maps
SAVE A GAME
Allows you to save up to three stages of the game at any one time on the Close-up Map and Book of Worlds, which remains effective until the SNES is turned off.
LOAD A GAME
Allows you to access and load a previously stored game from a Quick Save, as long as the SNES has not been turned off since the game was stored.
MOVE TO NEXT MAP - Custom Mode Only
Allows you to move to another Custom mode world by selecting the option and pressing the A BUTTON.
NEXT LANDSCAPE - Custom Mode Only
Allows you to change the landscape of the world you are currently in by selecting the option and pressing the A BUTTON.
RESTART THIS MAP
Allows you to restart a world from the beginning by selecting the option and pressing the A BUTTON.
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