Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Encyclopedia
is a platform game
/run and gun developed by Capcom
and released as an arcade game
in 1988, and subsequently ported
to a number of other platforms. It is the sequel to Ghosts'n Goblins and the second game in the Ghosts'n Goblins series.
Arthur, who must advance through a series of eerie levels and defeat a number of undead
and demonic creatures in his quest to restore the souls stolen by Lucifer
(Loki
in the English-language Mega Drive and Sega Master System
versions), including the soul of his lover, Princess Prin Prin. Along the way, Arthur can pick up a variety of weapons and armor to help him in his quest.
To defeat the game, Arthur must complete the game twice. The first time completion allows a special weapon to appear in the next round of play. To enter Lucifer's chamber the player must have this special weapon equipped and must have defeated the final Fly boss from level 5. After entering the final large door, the player goes directly to Lucifer's chamber.
While the core gameplay remains the same as its predecessor, the game now allows Arthur to fire directly upward and directly downward while in mid air.
By jumping in certain spots, players can cause a treasure chest to erupt from the ground. By firing his weapon at the chest, players may uncover new weapons, gold armor or an evil magician
that changes Arthur into an elderly man or a helpless duck
. The gold armor allows players to charge up the weapon to release a powerful magical attack. Each weapon has its own special attack.
of the game include the soundtrack by Tim Follin
which consists of arrangements and some new songs. Follin's soundtrack — especially Commodore 64
, Atari ST
(which both implement each machines' 'chiptune
' synthesizers although the selection of pieces and some scoring differs slightly between computers) and Amiga
versions (of which the playlist is again slightly different) - is respected among computer game music listeners and also gained appreciation from reviewers when the game was published.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
/run and gun developed by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
and released as an arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
in 1988, and subsequently ported
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to a number of other platforms. It is the sequel to Ghosts'n Goblins and the second game in the Ghosts'n Goblins series.
Gameplay
The gameplay for Ghouls'n Ghosts is similar to that of Ghosts'n Goblins. The player controls the knightKnight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
Arthur, who must advance through a series of eerie levels and defeat a number of undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
and demonic creatures in his quest to restore the souls stolen by Lucifer
Lucifer
Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
(Loki
Loki
In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...
in the English-language Mega Drive and Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
versions), including the soul of his lover, Princess Prin Prin. Along the way, Arthur can pick up a variety of weapons and armor to help him in his quest.
To defeat the game, Arthur must complete the game twice. The first time completion allows a special weapon to appear in the next round of play. To enter Lucifer's chamber the player must have this special weapon equipped and must have defeated the final Fly boss from level 5. After entering the final large door, the player goes directly to Lucifer's chamber.
While the core gameplay remains the same as its predecessor, the game now allows Arthur to fire directly upward and directly downward while in mid air.
By jumping in certain spots, players can cause a treasure chest to erupt from the ground. By firing his weapon at the chest, players may uncover new weapons, gold armor or an evil magician
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
that changes Arthur into an elderly man or a helpless duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
. The gold armor allows players to charge up the weapon to release a powerful magical attack. Each weapon has its own special attack.
| Weapon | Description | Special Attack |
|---|---|---|
| Javelin | Arthur's default weapon | A lightning bolt strikes all enemies right, left and above of Arthur |
| Dagger | Faster than javelin, it is thrown at slightly different heights between throws. It is the fastest-paced weapon in the game. | A twin-Arthur, who is invulnerable, appears for a brief time and mimicks Arthur's moves - including attacks, which hence are doubled in intensity |
| Axe | Very powerful, it goes through all enemy characters. Ascending trajectory of awkward use. | A fire bomb wraps Arthur in two rapid shots, with great destructive effect. Such bomb protects Arthur from enemy projectiles. |
| Shield | Slightly more powerful than javelin. Once thrown, the shield bends its trajectory keeping at low height from the terrain | A magic wall appears at short distance from Arthur protecting him from projectiles and low-level enemies for a while. |
| Fire ball | Short and rapid trajectory, falling down in front of Arthur. Once fallen, the ball causes a small fire which damages enemies who get into it. | Two big fire balls wander through the screen spinning rapidly, thus hitting most of the enemies |
| Sword | The only non-projectile weapon. Sword inflicts double damage with respect to the other conventional weapons. | Two lightning bolts go diagonally through the screen, inflicting damage to the enemies |
| Psycho Cannon | The most powerful weapon, it can be obtained only if the game has been completed once and only if wearing the magic armour - even though, after losing the armor, the Psycho Cannon is still available. | Wearing the magic armor does not allow any special attack, but the power and reach of the Psycho Cannon is greatly enhanced, and it also protects from enemy projectiles. |
Music
The original soundtrack for the arcade version was composed by Tamayo Kawamoto. Many computer portsPorting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
of the game include the soundtrack by Tim Follin
Tim Follin
Timothy John Follin is a former video game music composer who has written tracks for a variety of titles and home gaming systems, including the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, NES, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Dreamcast and PlayStation.Follin's early 8- and 16-bit...
which consists of arrangements and some new songs. Follin's soundtrack — especially Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
(which both implement each machines' 'chiptune
Chiptune
A chiptune, also known as chip music, is synthesized electronic music often produced with the sound chips of vintage computers and video game consoles, as well as with other methods such as emulation. In the early 1980s, personal computers became cheaper and more accessible than they had previously...
' synthesizers although the selection of pieces and some scoring differs slightly between computers) and Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
versions (of which the playlist is again slightly different) - is respected among computer game music listeners and also gained appreciation from reviewers when the game was published.
Home versions
- Ports of Ghouls'n Ghosts were released in Europe in for the Amstrad CPCAmstrad CPCThe Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
, Commodore Amiga, Atari STAtari STThe Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and ZX SpectrumZX SpectrumThe ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
. These ports were all handled by Software CreationsSoftware CreationsSoftware Creations can refer to one of two companies:* Software Creations , an Internet development consulting firm specializing in electronic publishing, web-based database and applications development...
and all omit a great deal of detail from the arcade version even on very capable 16-Bit machines like the Amiga. - A Mega Drive/Genesis port of Ghouls'n Ghosts was also released by SegaSega, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
in in Japan and North America; and in in Europe. This version was re-released as a handheld TV gameHandheld TV gameA TV game is an interactive entertainment device designed for use on a television set that does not require the use of an actual video game console for operation...
with Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition in and as a downloadable Virtual ConsoleVirtual consoleA virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
game for the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
in . - Sega also released a Master SystemSega Master SystemThe is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
port in . This 8-bit version made changes to the game by introducing a power-up system that allows the player to enter secret shops and upgrade parts of their armor. This includes helmets, which give the player access to new weapons and magic spells; chest armor, which allows the player to sustain more damage; and boots, which increases the player's speed. - The SupergrafxSuperGrafxThe SuperGrafx video game console is an upgraded version of NEC's popular PC Engine system. At first it was known as the PC-Engine 2—which was purported to be a true 16-bit system with improved graphics and audio capabilities, not expected to see release until 1990...
port of Daimakaimura released by NEC AvenueNEC, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
in was one of the five games released for the short-lived system. - A pixel perfect version of Daimakaimura was released by Capcom in 1994 for the Sharp X68000.
- In , Capcom released Capcom Generation 2Capcom Generationsis a series of five video game compilations released by Capcom in 1998 for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in Japan and Europe/Australia. Each volume contains three or four games from a particular series or game genre and were ported directly from their original arcade versions...
for the PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
in Japan, a compilation which included Ghouls'n Ghosts along with Ghosts'n Goblins and Super Ghouls'n Ghosts. The PlayStation version of this compilation was released as a bundle in Europe with three other volumes titled Capcom Generations (in plural) under the title of Capcom Generations: Chronicles of Arthur. Capcom later released in North America Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1Capcom Classics CollectionCapcom Classics Collection is a compilation of arcade games released by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on September 27, 2005. It was developed by Digital Eclipse Software . A second volume, Capcom Classics Collection Vol...
for the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and XboxXboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
in and Capcom Classics Collection: Reloaded for the PlayStation PortablePlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
in , which includes all the Capcom Generations titles.
External links
- Ghouls 'n Ghosts Dossier Titan (French fan page)
- The Ghosts 'n Goblins Series Online
- Ghouls and Ghosts Remix (released under GNU GPL license)