Grabbed by the Ghoulies
Encyclopedia
Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a video game released on October 21, 2003 by Rare for the Xbox
gaming console
. It was the first Rare game to be published by the Microsoft
buyout from Nintendo
, having originally been in development for the Nintendo GameCube
. It is forward compatible with the Xbox 360
. It was also re-released on the Xbox 360 as a downloadable Xbox Originals title on February 16, 2009.
Ghoulies follows a young man
named Cooper Chance who sets out to rescue his girlfriend, Amber, from Ghoulhaven Hall. This mansion is full of supernatural
creatures, and Cooper will receive help along the way from the many hired hands that work there.
". Soup cans can be used to upgrade abilities.
Cooper runs for help and goes into the kitchen. Ma Soupswill is delighted to help but Cooper must retrieve the 3 ingredients: Glowing worms, brown stew and an Egg. After that, Ma Soupswill creates a potion to reverse the effects on Amber. However, she accidentally puts the wrong sauce and this transforms Amber into a hideous monster. Cooper defeats her and Ma Soupswill arrives with the correct sauce and Amber is subsequently turned back to her normal self. Then, both attempt to escape the mansion but are stopped by Mr. Ribs (Ma Soupswil's assistant). He tells them to help free the other poor kids who are chained all over the mansion. Cooper goes to Crivens and he tells him that only the Baron has the key to free them. In order to get to his room, Cooper must get the 3 pieces of a rhyme which opens the door to the Baron's room. Once there, a battle ensues and Cooper emerges victorious.
Then, he goes on with Mr. Ribs to free the kids and they finally reach the exit of the mansion. There imps knock Cooper and Mr. Ribs out but Ma Soupswill drops in and defeats them. (Note: This only happens if the player frees all of the kids before the timer runs out. If it does, Cooper and Amber will still leave. The player doesn't get to play as Ma Soupswill or kill all of the imps, though). Cooper gains consciousness and he and Amber leave the mansion despite the workers preferring to stay. As both walk towards a small town, the Baron can be seen riding on his plane towards it.
. The game was originally intended to be a much larger in scope open-world platformer but due to the Microsoft buyout and time constraints a simpler design and concept was adopted. The team stated that after doing Banjo-Tooie, their intent was to make a far simpler game that was easy to just pick up and play. This is why all attacking and combos were implemented with a simple movement of the right control stick. It has been stated that it was initially going to be released on the Nintendo GameCube
although it has been suggested that only preliminary planning was in motion for this console.
series. These include pictures and posters of Mumbo, Klungo and the title characters as well as the goldfish Roysten, an Xbox
keep case
of Banjo-Tooie
, a Banjo-Kazooie
case, Captain Blackeye's barnacle remover, and a note on a board that reads: "Collect Ice Key. Collect 4 Eggs. Open secret level." The latter is a reference to Stop 'N' Swop.
GameSpot
: 6.5
IGN
: 7/10
Gamestats: 7.3
Ghoulies was nominated for the awards of 'Console Family Game of the Year' and 'Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition' by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
in 2004. Game Informer lists the game among the worst horror games of all time, although Rare didn't intend to make Ghoulies a survival horror game.
While its gameplay and style was criticized, its graphics and video game effects were highly praised for their sophistication in its era. Such effects as the Grim Reaper decolorizing everything in its path or highly interactive objects that Cooper uses as weapons continue the company's prowess for pushing the limit of the consoles they use.
The game has since been made fun of in successive Rare title Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
. In the level Banjoland, several North America boxes of the game can be found inside the trash can. There are also numerous not-so-subtle jokes as to how poorly it sold throughout the game. The fact that it was such a disappointing seller is constantly acknowledged and admitted by the company, such as on the editor Leigh Loveday
's fan website community relations page 'Scribes'.
Xbox
The 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...
gaming console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. It was the first Rare game to be published by the Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
buyout from Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
, having originally been in development for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. It is forward compatible with the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. It was also re-released on the Xbox 360 as a downloadable Xbox Originals title on February 16, 2009.
Ghoulies follows a young man
Young Man
Young Man may refer to:*Young Man *Young Man *Young Man, member of rap group, Harlem 6...
named Cooper Chance who sets out to rescue his girlfriend, Amber, from Ghoulhaven Hall. This mansion is full of supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
creatures, and Cooper will receive help along the way from the many hired hands that work there.
Gameplay
As a break from tradition from previous Rare games the gameplay is simple in design, utilizing the simple premise of moving through the game's mansion and completing the required 'beat em'up' challenges for each room. Such challenges include killing all the Ghoulies in a room, beating only a specified kind of Ghoulie while avoiding killing the rest or defeating a boss before you can move on. All combat is maneuvered by a simple swivel of the control stick in the direction that you wish to attack. Any challenge failed or completed over the time limit results in the Grim Reaper coming after you (who will kill you if touched) until you exit the room. The main kind of Ghoulies in the game include Zombies, Mummies, Imps, Skeletons and Zombie Pirates. There are also various bosses that must similarly be defeated. As weapons most objects in the game are interactive similar in the fashion to the influenced "Dead RisingDead Rising
is an action-adventure, survivor horror video game, developed by Capcom and produced by Keiji Inafune. It was released on August 8, 2006 exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game console. The game was a commercial success. It has been introduced into the Xbox 360 "Platinum Hits" lineup, and a cell...
". Soup cans can be used to upgrade abilities.
Plot
Cooper and Amber are seen searching frantically for civilization since they took a wrong turn as opposed to the map. Then, a storm begins and both are forced to seek shelter in a mansion nearby. Once there, Cooper looks at the map again - but is unaware that someone is watching them. Baron von Ghoul looks down from his window and orders his two gargoyles to retrieve them for him. Amber gets kidnapped and is sent to the Ghouly Mansion. Cooper then runs after her and enters the mansion. There, he realizes that Amber is nowhere to be seen in the Grand Hallway but he meets the mansion's butler, Crivens. He tells him to go to the Archives where he Amber is held. While going there, a huge group of boxing skeletons challenge Cooper to a boxing match. Cooper punches all of them and is victorious. Cooper goes there but finds out that a mad scientist is present, Dr. Krackpot. He then shoots Amber with his laser gun and she transforms into a horrible creature.Cooper runs for help and goes into the kitchen. Ma Soupswill is delighted to help but Cooper must retrieve the 3 ingredients: Glowing worms, brown stew and an Egg. After that, Ma Soupswill creates a potion to reverse the effects on Amber. However, she accidentally puts the wrong sauce and this transforms Amber into a hideous monster. Cooper defeats her and Ma Soupswill arrives with the correct sauce and Amber is subsequently turned back to her normal self. Then, both attempt to escape the mansion but are stopped by Mr. Ribs (Ma Soupswil's assistant). He tells them to help free the other poor kids who are chained all over the mansion. Cooper goes to Crivens and he tells him that only the Baron has the key to free them. In order to get to his room, Cooper must get the 3 pieces of a rhyme which opens the door to the Baron's room. Once there, a battle ensues and Cooper emerges victorious.
Then, he goes on with Mr. Ribs to free the kids and they finally reach the exit of the mansion. There imps knock Cooper and Mr. Ribs out but Ma Soupswill drops in and defeats them. (Note: This only happens if the player frees all of the kids before the timer runs out. If it does, Cooper and Amber will still leave. The player doesn't get to play as Ma Soupswill or kill all of the imps, though). Cooper gains consciousness and he and Amber leave the mansion despite the workers preferring to stay. As both walk towards a small town, the Baron can be seen riding on his plane towards it.
Development
The game began life as a name before anything else. The developers came up with the name as a title for a game, and then decided to create a game from that title. Early on, before any details of the game were publicised, it was widely considered that Grabbed by the Ghoulies would be the subtitle to the next Conker the Squirrel game, after Conker's Bad Fur DayConker's Bad Fur Day
Conker's Bad Fur Day is an action-platform video game developed and published by Rare. It was released for the Nintendo 64 in 2001 and was Rare's last game published for the console. The game was in development for four years; it was originally intended for a young audience, but was redesigned and...
. The game was originally intended to be a much larger in scope open-world platformer but due to the Microsoft buyout and time constraints a simpler design and concept was adopted. The team stated that after doing Banjo-Tooie, their intent was to make a far simpler game that was easy to just pick up and play. This is why all attacking and combos were implemented with a simple movement of the right control stick. It has been stated that it was initially going to be released on the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
although it has been suggested that only preliminary planning was in motion for this console.
Cameos
There are plenty of cameos from Rare's previous games in the Banjo-KazooieBanjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie is a platform and action-adventure video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998...
series. These include pictures and posters of Mumbo, Klungo and the title characters as well as the goldfish Roysten, an Xbox
Xbox
The 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...
keep case
Keep case
A keep case or poly-box is a type of DVD packaging. From the well-known brand Amaray, this type of case is often called Amaray case, creating a genericized trademark and ambiguities about the real manufacturer of the case....
of Banjo-Tooie
Banjo-Tooie
Banjo-Tooie is a platform and action-adventure hybrid video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo in 2000 for the Nintendo 64 as a part of the Banjo-Kazooie series. The game is the successor to Banjo-Kazooie and was one of the most anticipated sequels for the Nintendo 64.The game's story...
, a Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie is a platform and action-adventure video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998...
case, Captain Blackeye's barnacle remover, and a note on a board that reads: "Collect Ice Key. Collect 4 Eggs. Open secret level." The latter is a reference to Stop 'N' Swop.
Reception
The game received mixed reviews from critics and gamers and negative reaction from Rare fans.GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
: 6.5
IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
: 7/10
Gamestats: 7.3
Ghoulies was nominated for the awards of 'Console Family Game of the Year' and 'Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition' by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences , founded in 1996, is a non-profit organization that promotes computer and video game entertainment with the annual D.I.C.E. Summit event, where its Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony has been held annually since 1998...
in 2004. Game Informer lists the game among the worst horror games of all time, although Rare didn't intend to make Ghoulies a survival horror game.
While its gameplay and style was criticized, its graphics and video game effects were highly praised for their sophistication in its era. Such effects as the Grim Reaper decolorizing everything in its path or highly interactive objects that Cooper uses as weapons continue the company's prowess for pushing the limit of the consoles they use.
The game has since been made fun of in successive Rare title Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is an action-adventure/vehicle construction/platformer video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was first announced at the X06 Media Briefing. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is the third installment in the Banjo-Kazooie series and takes place...
. In the level Banjoland, several North America boxes of the game can be found inside the trash can. There are also numerous not-so-subtle jokes as to how poorly it sold throughout the game. The fact that it was such a disappointing seller is constantly acknowledged and admitted by the company, such as on the editor Leigh Loveday
Leigh Loveday
Leigh Scott Loveday is a Welsh-born video game writer and designer. He is known for his unusual sense of humour with which he writes the material.-Your Sinclair:...
's fan website community relations page 'Scribes'.