A Koei sim on the late Han, dense and slow. For Chinese historical strategy enthusiasts, no accessibility compromises.
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Category
Turn-Based Strategy1 player12+
Description
Turn-based historical strategy about the rise and fall of ancient Egyptian civilization. Published by Koei, released in the USA in 1993. Egyptian empire management, battles against invaders, diplomacy and resource management. Koei's Egyptian historical strategy simulation on Super Nintendo.
Rise of the Phoenix review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"Frustrating"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Bringing ancient Egypt to flourish and endure turn by turn calls for archivist's patience: you steward resources, repel wave after wave of invaders, work the diplomacy and steer the empire through its cycles of glory and decline. The fine management and long games spent rebuilding after each crisis stretch the experience considerably. That scope in Koei's historical simulation still earns it a reputation as a long-winded affair.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
A Koei historical simulation on the fall of the Han, distributed in the US in 1993 as Rise of the Phoenix. Like localized Koei strategy titles, it benefited from a measured NTSC print and a loyal enthusiast base: the dense, niche genre keeps supply thin, which supports CIB value. The cardboard box and thick rules manual, essential to this kind of game, are decisive; the collector of Koei simulations on SNES treats it as a targeted piece of the strategy catalog.
Is Rise of the Phoenix still worth playing in 2026?
Rise of the Phoenix is a Koei historical simulation centered on the struggle between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu at the end of the Qin dynasty, where empire management, battles and diplomacy intertwine. Its strategic depth will appeal to enthusiasts, while its dense text and slow pace will deter others. Making no concession to accessibility, it demands investment. For fans of Chinese historical strategy and long-form simulation, it retains real richness, demanding but rewarding for the committed player.
