Sega Nerds

A look back: Ghouls ‘n Ghosts

by Hudson on August 27th, 2007

Get used to seeing these words. A lot.

Some games are hard. Some games are harder than that. Some games are harder still, and yet higher than even these there is an upper echelon wherein games like Ghouls ‘n Ghosts reside.

It is from here these games look down at their less challenging brethren with contempt, sneering derisively. They share an elated sense of superiority that comes from the knowledge that, unlike the peons that reside below, they are really effing hard.

Join us as here at Sega Nerds as we gather up the broken pieces of our Genesis controllers (thrown so often in anger amidst a storm of swearing and rude hand gestures) and have another reminisce about times past to see if Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is worth coughing up eight bucks to play on the Wii’s Virtual Console. It’s sure to be a swear-filled ball of hilarity and rage.

(mostly rage)

A history of (undead) violence

99% of the stuff on screen right now can kill you.

Released in 1988, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts originated as an arcade machine that served the then-vital purpose of sucking quarters from the pockets of unsuspecting gamers. Ported to a number of home consoles, GnG found a ready home in the form of the Sega Genesis- while its graphics were slightly inferior, it remained otherwise the best way to save the soul of your princess/girlfriend at home for some time.

Recently, GnG was included in the Capcom Classics Collection Volume 1 for the PS2, PSP and Xbox- but in its original arcade form. Why is this significant, you might ask? Read on, Sega Nerds. The answer may surprise you!

Not to be played in earshot of small children or puppies

As already noted, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is hard as hell. Since you’re battling Lucifer (renamed “Loki” in the North American version) this actually makes sense, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating.

For beginners, death in GnG is about as common as rings are in a Sonic game. Getting hit once strips our hero Arthur down to his skivvies (boxers), and another hit finishes him off entirely. You can’t change the direction of your jump midair as in most platformers, so if an enemy decides to move into your path unexpectedly you’re jolly well screwed. Plus you’ve only got three lives!

Behind youuuu!

Thankfully, the Genesis version has some mercifully built-in features to make things easier on the player. Continues are infinite, even on harder difficulties, and a number of checkpoints were added in the home transition. A practice mode is also included for newcomers, and a number of easily discovered cheats put invincibility and a level select at the player’s disposal, should they so choose.

Arthur rethinks his choice of career.

While a number of special features are also included in the more recent Capcom Classics Collection (along with a number of other games), the version present in said collection is the arcade original. This means the various quirks and niceties of the Genesis version are available on the current generation of consoles only via the Virtual Console version.

Le bottom line

Ultimately it comes down to personal preference. If you prefer the arcade original, pick up the Capcom Classics Collection for eight bucks more and get the added bonus of a goodly number of other games, including two more from the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series.

If you want to experience it exactly as Sega Nerds did in the days of yore, the download is less of a rip off than certain other Virtual Console releases (which will go unnamed). This means that Ghouls ‘n Ghosts for the Virtual Console, however hesitantly, is…

Recommended.

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POSTED IN: News, Nintendo Wii, Retro, Virtual Console