Ghosts ‘n Goblins
System: NES
Release Date: November 1986
Developer: Micronics
Publisher: Capcom
Genre: Platformer
We’re to our last Capcom game of 1986 and it’s a fan favorite due to its difficulty. It’s another title in Capcom’s Captain Commando Challenge Series. The beautiful princess is kidnapped by Satan to become the Devil’s bride. Pretty sure they’re the same thing… but whatever… Knight (later Arthur) must set off on a journey to save her. On the way, he must kill all sorts of Hell’s minions as he platforms through six levels before facing off against the Devil himself.
Again, Ghosts ‘n Goblins is known for its difficulty. The Knight is clad in armor, but if he takes a hit, he’s down to his underwear and will die on his next hit. There are five different weapons that can be found throughout the stages. You start with the javelin, which goes straight from Knight’s head. The next weapon I found was the sword, which worked just like the javelin, except faster. Then I got the torch, which was awful, burned on the ground for a moment, before allowing me to thrown again. The axe works in the same fashion, but without burning on the ground. Finally, the cross shield, which was able to block enemy attacks. Some weapons are ineffective against some enemies, which can lead to getting stuck.
The first level is the graveyard, which is straightforward and easy to navigate. The first time I took a shot at it, I was able to advance to level two, which was nice. Then level two was where I got stuck for an inordinate amount of time. There is a complex full of Big Mans, which take 10 shots each to kill. They hang out at the top of ladders and throw objects at you to end your life. Finally, getting past them was an accomplishment all on its own. Level three was a cavern complex full of red devils, who take four shots to kill, but home in on you and are very difficult to avoid. This led to a dragon boss, who was immune to the javelin I had equipped, so I had to get the awful torch to finish him off.
Level four was a simple straightaway, really a breath of fresh air before the evil level five. This one was pretty unfair, but I was liberally using the rewind feature by this point. It’s really just a matter of learning where everything is and hoping you can lure Big Mans away from the ladders up. And then you get to level six… everything about this level is stupid. There are red devils sitting on the edge of the screen on every floor. If you go to close, they awaken. The game tries to get you to pick up weapons that will be useless against the enemies ahead. Then, if you don’t finish the level with the cross shield, you’re sent back to level five to try again!
That’s not even the worst. If you do beat level six with the cross shield, you then face off against the final boss. He goes down super easily, and then you’re told it was all an illusion and trap by Satan. Then you have to start over again with faster, harder enemies. I’ll leave it to the experts who are super into this sort of thing. I’m not that guy.
Graphics: 2.5
The graphics are slightly above average. There are a lot of two tone backgrounds, though.
Sound: 2.5
Songs and sound effects are fine. I have no huge problems with them.
Gameplay: 2.5
The buttons do what they are supposed to do, though you can get stuck in a crouch from a ladder if you’re not careful.
Difficulty: 3.0
The game is hard, but if you learn the patterns and don’t try to run and gun it, you can get by.
Fun Factor: 2.0
I wasn’t super happy thanks to level two, but it was a fine way to spend my morning.
Overall Grade: 2.5
Ghosts ‘n Goblins earns a B- and I’m okay with that. It’s not the best game in the world, but it’s certainly not the worst. I can understand why people like it, but it’s not my glass of whiskey.