Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins
Encyclopedia
is a video game in Capcom
's Ghosts'n Goblins series released for the PlayStation Portable
on August 3, 2006 in Japan. Ultimate Ghosts'n Goblins is the first game in the series to employ 3D graphics
, while maintaining much of the 2D
gameplay mechanics of the earlier games. It also marks the return of the series' project head, Tokuro Fujiwara
.
The game still follows the classic scenario of the heroic knight Arthur battling with demons, but includes a large number of changes.
The main game mode, Standard Mode, is a departure for the series; Arthur starts with six lives and when a player loses one of these lives, Arthur is resurrected on the spot. Arthur's armor can now resist more than one hit when it is powered up. When he eventually loses his armor and is down to his boxer shorts, he can only sustain one more hit.
Ultimate Mode plays similarly to older Ghosts'n Goblins titles; Arthur has a smaller number of lives and once he dies, he is sent back to a pre-determined point of the stage rather than being resurrected. He will either be sent back to the start, or if he travelled far enough before dying, to the stage's half-way point. In this mode, Arthur can only take one hit before losing his armor, no matter what kind he is wearing. This mode is for traditionalists and expert players.
Novice Mode is an easier version of Standard Mode. Certain environmental obstacles are excluded from this mode, such as the tornadoes in the Death Castle.
The game has many weapons from the past games (though not all of them), with a few new additions; this installment also has a new equip system. Arthur is now able to gather items that can be stored and used for different levels, ranging from what type of power attack Arthur can use (as a secondary attack) to standard equipment (shields, double-jump boots etc). Arthur can also collect different types of armor, which give him varied abilities too.
The magic system is no longer tethered to the armor and weapon combination; instead, "POW" pick-ups increase weapon power, and armor amplifies the magic spell Arthur has equipped (which are also gathered throughout the levels as pick-ups, hidden in chests).
Instead of the linearity of the original versions, the game has now been designed so that players have to obtain a selection of Golden Rings hidden throughout the levels to access the last battle and finish the game. Players are given the option to back-track to earlier levels and search previously unreachable areas to find these by the use of powerups found later on in the game. These can vary from equipping "double-jump" boots to a shield which allows Arthur to fly for a limited amount of time. The game is designed is such a way that it is impossible to gather all the important rings and abilities in a single run, without having to backtrack every stage of the game at least once. By doing that the game stays faithful to the series tradition of having to beat the game twice to reach the final boss. Once the player is sent back to the first level, he can use his new abilities to gather magic staffs hidden across each stage, that can teleport him anytime to the beginning of the stage they were found. In addition to that, the second time the player will play a stage he will find that some new enemies and obstacles will appear, making the stage a little harder.
Changes to make the game less difficult include lowered enemy and boss HP, removed or weakened enemy attacks, and easier level layouts. Also, magic can be used infinitely by charging, similar to Super Ghouls'n Ghosts.
Media and interviews
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...
's Ghosts'n Goblins series released for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The 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...
on August 3, 2006 in Japan. Ultimate Ghosts'n Goblins is the first game in the series to employ 3D graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
, while maintaining much of the 2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
gameplay mechanics of the earlier games. It also marks the return of the series' project head, Tokuro Fujiwara
Tokuro Fujiwara
Tokuro Fujiwara , sometime credited as Professor F or Arthur King, is a Japanese video game designer, best known for creating Ghosts 'n Goblins and producing the Mega Man series. He worked as the general manager of the Capcom Console Games Division from 1988 to 1996...
.
The game still follows the classic scenario of the heroic knight Arthur battling with demons, but includes a large number of changes.
Gameplay
There are three specific game modes available from the start:- Novice Mode
- Standard Mode
- Ultimate Mode
The main game mode, Standard Mode, is a departure for the series; Arthur starts with six lives and when a player loses one of these lives, Arthur is resurrected on the spot. Arthur's armor can now resist more than one hit when it is powered up. When he eventually loses his armor and is down to his boxer shorts, he can only sustain one more hit.
Ultimate Mode plays similarly to older Ghosts'n Goblins titles; Arthur has a smaller number of lives and once he dies, he is sent back to a pre-determined point of the stage rather than being resurrected. He will either be sent back to the start, or if he travelled far enough before dying, to the stage's half-way point. In this mode, Arthur can only take one hit before losing his armor, no matter what kind he is wearing. This mode is for traditionalists and expert players.
Novice Mode is an easier version of Standard Mode. Certain environmental obstacles are excluded from this mode, such as the tornadoes in the Death Castle.
Features
The levels are varied, ranging from being inside a more traditional haunted forest to volcanic pits and ruined castles. Enemies are hugely varied and tend to be thrown at Arthur in groups, meaning that you really have to keep your wits about you while playing this. One annoying variation is the groping hand, which extends out of the ground and pins you on the spot leaving the player exposed to any attack. Others range from zombies, ghosts, Giant Oxen, Venus Fly Traps and string dragons. There is an assortment of boss characters, some of which being quite large in size (two of which take up the entire screen).The game has many weapons from the past games (though not all of them), with a few new additions; this installment also has a new equip system. Arthur is now able to gather items that can be stored and used for different levels, ranging from what type of power attack Arthur can use (as a secondary attack) to standard equipment (shields, double-jump boots etc). Arthur can also collect different types of armor, which give him varied abilities too.
The magic system is no longer tethered to the armor and weapon combination; instead, "POW" pick-ups increase weapon power, and armor amplifies the magic spell Arthur has equipped (which are also gathered throughout the levels as pick-ups, hidden in chests).
Instead of the linearity of the original versions, the game has now been designed so that players have to obtain a selection of Golden Rings hidden throughout the levels to access the last battle and finish the game. Players are given the option to back-track to earlier levels and search previously unreachable areas to find these by the use of powerups found later on in the game. These can vary from equipping "double-jump" boots to a shield which allows Arthur to fly for a limited amount of time. The game is designed is such a way that it is impossible to gather all the important rings and abilities in a single run, without having to backtrack every stage of the game at least once. By doing that the game stays faithful to the series tradition of having to beat the game twice to reach the final boss. Once the player is sent back to the first level, he can use his new abilities to gather magic staffs hidden across each stage, that can teleport him anytime to the beginning of the stage they were found. In addition to that, the second time the player will play a stage he will find that some new enemies and obstacles will appear, making the stage a little harder.
Updated version
The game was later rereleased in Japan under the name Gokumakaimura Kai (極魔界村 改) on August 2, 2007. This version contains the original game plus a redesigned version on the same disc. Features of the redesigned version include a greatly decreased difficulty level, re-mixed and new enemy locations and types, a re-worked magic system, and limited continues. The flow of the game was also altered with Arthur now being forced to complete stages in a fixed order and re-spawn checkpoints now located only at the start and half-way points of levels. Arthur also has the double-jump ability from the start of the game and players are presented with a greater incentive to play through a second time.Changes to make the game less difficult include lowered enemy and boss HP, removed or weakened enemy attacks, and easier level layouts. Also, magic can be used infinitely by charging, similar to Super Ghouls'n Ghosts.
External links
Official websitesMedia and interviews