Air Fortress
Nintendo Entertainment System · 1989
About this game
The Federation of Intergalactic Powers is under threat by gigantic fortress spaceships which have suddenly appeared and destroyed nearby civilization.
When conventional defense tactics fail, the Federation looks to find a specially selected person, Hal Bailman and equip him with a special "Lightship".
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His mission will to be to fly through the defenses of the eight known Air Fortresses and dock at the airlock.
Then he must travel through the fortress in only a spacesuit to find and destroy the central core.
Once the central core is destroyed, Hal must then quickly find the emergency lightship and escape before the fortress explodes.
The game is made up of two parts.
The first part is a side-scrolling shooter on the surface of the air fortress where you must avoid various flying enemies and try to destroy as many waves as possible.
This lasts until you dock with the airlock.
Once docked, you walk the inside of the Air Fortress at your own pace.
Hal is equipped with a jetpack rather than a jump as well as a blaster weapon and a more powerful bomb weapon.
Any movement or firing you do consumes energy which is regenerated by standing still.
Your goal is to blow up the core and find the escape ship before explosion.
Power-ups to increase Energy or Bombs can be found in each part of the game.
Additionally, Super-bombs (clear screen of enemies) and Invulnerability can be found while flying the lightship.
About Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (1983 in Japan, 1985 in the West) revived the North American video game industry after the 1983 crash and established conventions — cartridges, licensing seals, save systems — that shaped the industry for decades. NES collecting is one of the most established retro markets: common titles remain cheap, but a well-known handful of low-print-run games (many from smaller third-party publishers) are among the most expensive video games in existence.
Gamevaro tracks Air Fortress for Nintendo Entertainment System 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 Air Fortress 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 NES release dates back to 1989.
Price history
Market values by condition
PAL
NTSC-U
NTSC-J
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-16 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €34.52 |
| 2026-07-16 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €13.80 |
| 2026-07-16 | Item only | NTSC-J | €14.85 |
| 2026-07-16 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €8.63 |
| 2026-07-16 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €121.52 |
| 2026-07-16 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €110.47 |
| 2026-07-14 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €34.46 |
| 2026-07-14 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €8.61 |
| 2026-07-14 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €110.29 |
| 2026-07-14 | Item only | NTSC-J | €14.83 |
| 2026-07-14 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €13.78 |
| 2026-07-14 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €121.32 |
| 2026-07-13 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €34.44 |
| 2026-07-13 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €110.24 |
| 2026-07-13 | Item only | NTSC-J | €14.82 |
| 2026-07-13 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €13.77 |
| 2026-07-13 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €121.26 |
| 2026-07-13 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €8.61 |
| 2026-07-12 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €121.26 |
| 2026-07-12 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €34.44 |
| 2026-07-12 | Item only | NTSC-J | €14.82 |
| 2026-07-12 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €13.12 |
| 2026-07-12 | Item only | NTSC-U | €6.75 |
| 2026-07-12 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €32.36 |
| 2026-07-12 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €8.61 |
| 2026-07-12 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €13.77 |
| 2026-07-12 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €87.48 |
| 2026-07-12 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €110.24 |
| 2026-07-12 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €124.23 |
| 2026-07-12 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €7.21 |
Market insights
Rarity & condition
Air Fortress has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning enough copies circulate to establish a reliable market price.
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 Air Fortress worth?
Air Fortress for Nintendo Entertainment System is currently worth €12.56 loose, €70.23 complete in box, and €224.85 factory sealed. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.
Is Air Fortress rare?
Air Fortress has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning it trades hands regularly and isn't considered particularly rare.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for Air Fortress?
Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. For Air Fortress, loose is €12.56 and CIB is €70.23 — CIB commands a premium because original boxes and manuals are fragile and often don't survive.
Is Air Fortress worth more in PAL or NTSC?
The PAL version of Air Fortress is currently worth €12.56 loose, versus €11.45 for NTSC-U. Regional price differences usually come down to print run size and regional collector demand.
Ratings & Reviews
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