Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Game No.	431
Voting	7.38 points, 13 votes
Developer	Coding: Stephen Ruddy Graphics: Andrew Threlfall Cover: Ian Naylor
Company	Software Creations
Publisher	U.S. Gold
Musician	Tim Follin
HVSC-File	MUSICIANS/F/Follin_Tim/Ghouls_n_Ghosts.sid
Release	1989
Platform	Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Arcade, Atari ST, C64, Master System, Mega Drive, MS-DOS, Sharp X68000, SuperGrafx, ZX Spectrum, mobile phone
Genre	Arcade, Platformer (Scrolling Screen)
Gamemode	Single player
Operation
Media
Language
Information	Forerunner: Ghosts'n Goblins Follower: Super Ghouls'n Ghosts (← no C64 version made)

Description[edit | edit source]

The game[edit | edit source]

Experience the return of Arthur, the fearless knight, that needs to rescue the kidnapped princess "Hus" in five exciting levels full of action.
The game offers numerous extra weapons and "special" joystick controls.
In this perspective, they rudimentarily tried to present the game Ghosts'n Goblins in pseudo 3D. During this some interesting alterations were made.

Background[edit | edit source]

In 1988, the follower of Ghosts'n Goblins - Ghouls'n Ghosts - was released in the arcade halls with altogether seven levels. In the following year the game was converted for the C64 by the company Software Creations and published by U.S. Gold.

Design[edit | edit source]

2D screen that displays a pseudo 3D underground world with fluent scrolling through the whole level. Creatures or respectively demons made of multicolour sprites appear rather comical due to their format. There are interesting animations of some demons and in the levels, as e.g. the rain. As the levels are graphically rather elaborate, every level needs to be loaded.
The start screen has an animated character set. In the start screen you can choose between background music and sounds FX. The background music fits the topic rather well.

Some screens from all five levels

The first end boss has just reduced Arthur to his bones.

Hints[edit | edit source]

map for the game

Joystick controls in the title screen

	choose music
	choose sound effects
	start game

Joystick controls in the game

/	walk left/right
/	jump left/right
	jump straight up / climb up ladder
	knee / climb down ladder
	shoot into viewing direction
	fire into viewing direction while kneeling
	fire into viewing direction while jumping
	fire upwards while jumping
	fire downwards while jumping

Joystick controls in the highscore list

	choose letter
	confirm
	E - choose character = end

Keys in the game

Q = abort game
C= = pause / continue game

Weapons

Spear: the beginner weapon
Knife: raised shooting frequence
Shuriken: slow and slightly drawn down shot while kneeling
Throwing axe: shot goes diagonally upwards (good against birds)
Spray torch: weakest weapon

Items

Armour - 200 shining points
Bonus - 500 points

Solution[edit | edit source]

Done! The disappointing end screen

Tips

If you slay a zombie with a basket on its back, you will get one of five weapons or bonus points.
Magicians often hide in the treasure chests. You should eliminate them to maybe get an extra weapon.
If Arthur has no armour any more, he should let himself get turned into an animal for a short time by a magician. If he gets through this phase without touching an enemy, Arthur will get back the armour.
To jump over the tomb stones it is enough to do a simple diagonal jump from standing.
"Continue" option: When Arthur has lost all lives, he can go on playing once from the last checkpoint starting with zero points.

Cheats[edit | edit source]

Pokes

Umlimited lives: POKE 10798,165

Cheat mode

Choose WIGAN RLFC as name in the highscore list. In the next game now the following keys can be used:

A : restore armour
S : next level

Furthermore, there are cracked versions with trainer menus available.

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
7.38 points at 13 votes (rank 311). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	9	21st June 2015 - 19557 downs
Lemon64	7.9	21st June 2015 - 146 votes
Ready64	7.47	21st June 2015 - 17 votes
C64.com	9.5	21st June 2015 - 7159 downs
The Legacy	6	21st June 2015 - "good" - 12 votes
Kultboy.com	7.23	21st June 2015 - 31 votes
Power Play	64%	Issue 2/90 p.45
ASM	5/12	Issue 1/90
ZZap64	96% 90%	Issue 1/90 p.16 Issue 4/92 p.48
ACE	730	Issue 2/90 p.76
Commodore Force	94% 92%	Issue 7/93 p.22 Issue 12/93 p.36
Your Commodore	75% 91%	Issue 3/90 p.40 Issue 1/91 p.39
Commodore Format	91%	Issue 4/92 p.48
Commodore User	83%	Issue 1/90 p.31

Reviews[edit | edit source]

TheRyk: "There's really a bunch of good ideas that could have made this sequel a real hit, e.g. I appreciate that these grim reapers appear rather steady and do not kill you instantly as the first randomly zombies who dig themselves out of their graves in Ghosts'n'Goblins. Also the mage who casts that spell turning the player into poultry is kind of fun. But some of the predecessor's shortcomings are even more annoying here. The weapons upgrade system seems even more pointless. If you happen to catch the torch (long-burning sparkler with poor flight quality) or axe (flies like a one-way boomerang, unfortunately upwards only), you're practically done, as both are next to useless in level 1. Also some modifications are not for the better. The slopes really need a lot of practice to cope with and are not executed really thoroughly - frequently it looks like Arthur's floating. The way to the first leg in level 1 is way too long and it's really frustrating to do all that way again. However, the music fits extremely well and is somehow fascinating. All, in all, 6 points."

Jodigi: "Interesting sequel, which, however, caused some real problems for me, at the latest in the levitation level (level 3)..."

Miscellaneous[edit | edit source]

Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts

The game is named "Daimakaimura" (大魔界村) in the original, which approx. means "Big demon world village".
The Master System version developd by Sega has a different upgrade system. Thus you can now, after finding a certain item, enter a shop and pick in return for it an upgrade for either helmet, armour or boots. Better armour endure more than one hit before they are destroyed, boots raise the speed and better helmets make new weapons and spells accessible.
The rather similar follower of the game was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and was named Super Ghouls'n Ghosts.
If you slay the fire tiger in the second level sometimes you receive 500.000 bonus points and a lot of lifes.