Ghosts 'n Goblins (video game)

Capcom

Industry	Video game development and publishing
Founded	May 30, 1979 (1979-05-30) in Osaka, Japan
Headquarters	Osaka , Japan
Products	Video games, including Ghosts 'n Goblins series

Ghosts 'n Goblins, titled in Japan, is a 1985 platform game created and distributed by Capcom initially for arcade systems. This release marks the inaugural entry in the Ghosts 'n Goblins series and has been adapted for a wide variety of home gaming platforms.

The title enjoyed significant commercial success across both arcade venues and home markets. It secured a position among the top ten highest-grossing arcade games in 1986 within Japan and the United States, while also ranking as the sixth best-selling computer game in the UK during the same year. The NES edition alone achieved global sales surpassing units. Upon release, it garnered favorable critical reviews and has since been acknowledged as one of the most demanding games ever produced, as well as being retrospectively celebrated as a classic in video game history.

Gameplay

Players assume control of the knight Sir Arthur, tasked with vanquishing foes such as zombies, giants (referred to as "big men"), demons, cyclopes, dragons, and various other creatures to save Princess Prin-Prin from Astaroth, the Demon World’s ruler. Throughout the journey, players gather weapons, power-ups, and armor suits that assist in progressing through the game.

Arthur can endure only two hits before losing a life, which results in restarting either from the beginning of the level or a checkpoint. Additionally, lives are forfeited if the time limit for a level runs out. Defeating the final adversary Astaroth triggers a replay of the game at an elevated difficulty level to unlock the authentic ending.

Ports

Ghosts 'n Goblins was adapted for numerous systems including Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore 16, Game Boy Color, IBM PC compatibles, NEC PC-8801, Nintendo Entertainment System, and ZX Spectrum.

Consoles

The Famicom edition, released on June 13, 1986, was notable for being the first to utilize a 128 KB cartridge. The NES version debuted in North America on November 1, 1986, followed by a European release on March 23, 1989. Developed by Micronics and published by Capcom, these versions featured an original soundtrack by Ayako Mori and included a concealed credits screen within the game.

The Game Boy Color adaptation drew from the Famicom/NES versions and introduced password-based access to levels. This port’s music was composed by Allister Brimble.

Computers

The Commodore 64 iteration from 1986 showcased music composed by Mark Cooksey, incorporating Chopin's Prelude Op. 28, No. 20. Due to hardware constraints, this version contained fewer levels compared to the arcade original. In 2015, enthusiasts released a fan-made "Ghosts'n Goblins Arcade" port that closely emulates the arcade experience on C64.

Versions for Commodore 16/116 and Plus/4 released in 1986 were more restricted—offering only two levels without any musical accompaniment—attributable to their limited 16 KB RAM capacity. The remaining gameplay elements and levels were simplified accordingly.

The Amiga release arrived in 1990 boasting an almost flawless arcade conversion but did not replicate the commercial success seen on C64. Players begin with six lives; however, music playback requires at least 1 MB of RAM (the standard Amiga 500 model included only 512 KB).

Mark Cooksey provided compositions for the C64, Amiga, and ST editions; meanwhile, David Whittaker was responsible for scoring the Amstrad CPC port.

Commercial performance

The arcade iteration became a substantial success. In Japan, Game Machine listed Makaimura as the second most popular arcade title in late September 1985; it later ranked as the fourth highest-grossing table arcade game during the first half of 1986 and placed tenth overall for that year.

In the United States, pre-release orders surpassed one thousand arcade units, with test machines generating approximately $400 per week. Ghosts 'n Goblins finished as America’s ninth highest-grossing arcade game in 1986. In the UK market, it initially appeared primarily in pubs and clubs towards late 1985 before becoming a major arcade sensation by 1986.

The NES version sold around 1.64 million copies worldwide. On home computer platforms, it topped UK sales charts during July–August 1986 and was ranked sixth among best-selling games that year. The successes of Commando (1985) alongside Ghosts 'n Goblins established Capcom’s reputation within the mid-1980s eight-bit gaming industry.

Critical reception

The arcade edition of Ghosts 'n Goblins garnered favorable critiques, including praise from Clare Edgeley of Computer and Video Games magazine back in 1985. Computer Gaming World commended the NES adaptation as "a prime example of the [NES]'s capabilities," emphasizing its significance in Nintendo's ascent. Reviewers from Japanese publications rated the game highly, highlighting its demanding difficulty and suggesting that the lack of a level select option further heightened this challenge.

At the Golden Joystick Awards, the game was the runner-up for Arcade Game of the Year, while at the 1986 Famitsu Best Hit Game Awards, the Famicom version secured the "Best Port" accolade. The NES release was placed 129th in Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games list. In 2007, Marcel van Duyn of Nintendo Life awarded it a score of 7 out of 10, recognizing its appeal to dedicated fans but criticizing its platforming mechanics as less captivating compared to other titles from that era.

Known for its intense difficulty, Ghosts 'n Goblins is characterized by unforgiving level layouts, a two-hit player vulnerability, sudden enemy appearances, and the necessity to complete all stages twice with increasing difficulty without any save functionality. Gamerant ranked it as the fifth most challenging video game ever made. Lucas Thomas from IGN in 2011 described it as so tough that many players might consider it "not worth their time" relative to its cost.

Legacy

Sequels

The success of Ghosts 'n Goblins led to numerous sequels and spin-offs, establishing it as Capcom's eighth best-selling franchise with sales exceeding 4.4 million copies. Notable entries include Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins, and Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection. The series also inspired spin-offs such as Gargoyle's Quest and Maximo: Ghosts to Glory. Initially launched as an arcade title, the franchise expanded across PC and various consoles, with later releases like Ghosts 'n Goblins: Gold Knights available on iOS platforms. The protagonist Arthur frequently makes appearances in other Capcom games, including Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, alongside Firebrand from the Gargoyle's Quest series.

Re-releases

The NES edition was reissued on Nintendo's Virtual Console service in North America (Wii: 2007; 3DS: 2012) and PAL territories (Wii: 2008; 3DS: 2013), followed by a Wii U release in both regions during 2013. The arcade original was also made available on the Wii Virtual Console Arcade in Japan (2010), PAL regions (2011), and North America (2011).

This arcade classic was included in Capcom Generations Vol.2: Chronicles of Arthur for PlayStation (Japan, Europe) and Sega Saturn (Japan), bundled with Ghouls 'n Ghosts and Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. These games were subsequently compiled into the Capcom Classics Collection and featured within the Capcom Arcade Cabinet for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

In Japan, the NES version was part of the Famicom Mini lineup for Game Boy Advance. Additionally, Nintendo re-released it through the NES Classic Edition and Nintendo Classics services, which introduced a special SP variant with instant access to the final stage in December 2018.

External links

• Ghosts 'n Goblins on Arcade History
• Ghosts 'n Goblins featured at Atari Mania