Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Sega Game Gear · 1992
About this game
The first game in the Strike series.
A year after the Gulf War, a self-styled general named Kilbaba (Muababa in the GBA version) takes over an Arab Emirate and threatens to start World War III against his western enemy, the United States.
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The whole world holds its breath as the President has chosen you to destroy Kilbaba and his terrorist army before he launches a nuclear attack on the world! You must fly a specially designed AH-64A Apache on a series of missions to rescue missing-in-action characters, destroy power plants, blow apart SCUD missiles, etc. to take out the enemy defense while trying to find out Kilbaba's plans.
The player controls the helicopter from an overhead, isometric perspective.
The Apache is equipped with three weapon types: a machine gun and two types of missiles of different strength.
During the missions, the player must beware anti-aircraft guns, missile launchers and tanks, outmaneuvering enemy fire or destroying the enemy weaponry.
The Apache is destroyed if its fuel runs out, or if the armor (functioning as health) is completely depleted.
However, armor can be replenished by bringing back MIA soldiers and prisoners of war back to the landing zone.
There are also fuel, ammo and armor pickups available on the field.
About Sega Game Gear
Sega's Game Gear (1990) was a technically capable handheld competitor to the Game Boy, notable for its full-color backlit screen — a real advantage at the time, offset by famously poor battery life. Its commercial underperformance against Nintendo's handheld means smaller print runs overall, and complete, well-preserved cartridges (the plastic shells are prone to yellowing and cracking) are a genuine niche within retro handheld collecting.
Gamevaro tracks Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf for Sega Game Gear with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.
Adding Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This GG release dates back to 1992.
Market values by condition
PAL
NTSC-U
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-15 | Loose / Item only | PAL | €19.07 |
| 2026-07-15 | Item only | NTSC-U | €16.40 |
| 2026-07-12 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €22.36 |
| 2026-07-12 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €22.36 |
| 2026-07-12 | Item only | NTSC-U | €11.15 |
| 2026-07-12 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €44.27 |
| 2026-07-12 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.34 |
| 2026-07-12 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €40.24 |
| 2026-07-10 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €44.25 |
| 2026-07-10 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €22.35 |
| 2026-07-10 | Item only | NTSC-U | €11.15 |
| 2026-07-10 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €22.35 |
| 2026-07-10 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €40.23 |
| 2026-07-10 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.33 |
| 2026-06-18 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €43.64 |
| 2026-06-18 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €22.05 |
| 2026-06-18 | Item only | NTSC-U | €11.20 |
| 2026-06-18 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €39.68 |
| 2026-06-18 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.26 |
| 2026-06-18 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €22.05 |
| 2026-06-17 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €22.05 |
| 2026-06-17 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €22.05 |
| 2026-06-17 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.26 |
| 2026-06-17 | Item only | NTSC-U | €10.49 |
| 2026-06-17 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €43.64 |
| 2026-06-17 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €39.68 |
| 2026-06-15 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €22.10 |
| 2026-06-15 | Item only | NTSC-U | €10.51 |
| 2026-06-15 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €43.75 |
| 2026-06-15 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €39.77 |
Market insights
Rarity & condition
Only a handful of market sales have been tracked for Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf, suggesting it doesn't trade hands very often — a sign of relative scarcity compared to more common Sega Game Gear titles.
Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf worth?
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf for Sega Game Gear is currently worth €19.07 loose. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.
Is Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf rare?
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf has only a handful of tracked market sales, suggesting relative scarcity compared to more common Sega Game Gear titles.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf?
Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. These are tracked as separate market values because the price gap between them can be significant, especially for older releases.
Is Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf worth more in PAL or NTSC?
The PAL version of Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf is currently worth €19.07 loose, versus €16.40 for NTSC-U. Regional price differences usually come down to print run size and regional collector demand.
Ratings & Reviews
Also on other platforms
More Sega Game Gear games