Ghosts 'n Goblins is a series known to many classic video game fans. The retro Capcom series first made its debut as an intensely-difficult action platformer in arcades, and was soon ported to home consoles. The first installment in the series is likely the most recognizable one, but unknown by many gamers, the Ghosts 'n Goblins series is made up of 12 games including multiple spin-offs and reimaginings.
How come such a big franchise seemingly faded into obscurity? It was likely due to a drastic change in direction during the later portion of the series' life. Ghosts 'n Goblins started as action platformers, but over time to adapted to evolving interests in the gaming market, the series shifted genres and strayed away from what made the series so iconic.
There was a late attempt to reboot the Ghosts 'n Goblins franchise by bringing it back to its roots, but those latest installments failed to kickstart a reboot due to their poor reception. Here's a look through of all the games in the series, to help pinpoint what was done right, and where things went wrong.
Ghosts 'n Goblins (1985)
The first installment in the Ghosts 'n Goblins series instantly turned into a classic. In this platformer, players control Sir Arthur while he ventures to save Princess Prin-Prin from Astaroth, the king of demons. Players go through levels fighting various different demon enemies and collecting upgrades. The game's iconic difficulty comes from two major hinderances on the player. Players only have two hit points per life, and after getting hit once Arthur will lose his armor and will comically be left in his boxers. Taking another hit will result in losing a life and restarting some progress. On top of that, each new life has a strict time limit; if time runs out, a life is lost and some progress resets. Once the game is over, it must be played through again to receive the true ending. The second playthrough increases the difficulty further with less upgrade drops and even more difficult enemy spawns! Only the most patient and skilled players are able to endure this game's main quest, but being able to clear Ghosts 'n Goblins authentically is one of the greatest gaming achievements someone could earn.
Ghouls 'n Ghosts (1988)
This direct sequel to the previous game has Arthur saving Princess Prin-Prin from a new, greater threat, Satan and his army. The gameplay is very similar to the first Ghosts 'n Goblins, but with some enhancements. Perhaps most clearly, the graphics see an upgrade due to newer hardware at the time, allowing for a more distinct and cartoon-ish visual style. Unlike the first game, players can now aim their weapon attacks in three directions, including directly upwards. There are new weapons and upgrades, such as gold armor, which adds a charge attack to any equipped weapon. The tough difficulty remains, but with some additions to make things even tougher. One of the more iconic additions to the difficulty is false item chests that contain magicians that can transform the player into an elderly man or helpless duck, which reduces all hit points down to one. The main game must be completed two times to unlock the true final level and ending.
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (1991)
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts was the third entry in the series, and the first to be made exclusively for home consoles. The game first launched for the Super Nintendo and was later ported in many Capcom compilation games, and is even included installed on the Super NES Classic Edition. The story follows a very similar pattern, as Arthur once again rescues the princess, this time from Emperor Sardius. The game receives some graphical upgrades once again, now with more rich-looking background and level art.
Players now have a double jump for more maneuverability, and more armor upgrades that allows for protection from projectiles and faster attack charge ups. Once again, the game must be played through twice to unlock the true end. In 2002, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts received an enhanced port for the Game Boy Advanced which featured an "Arrange Mode" with redesigned levels.
Gargoyle's Quest Series (1990, 1992, 1994)
Gargoyle's Quest is one of two Ghosts 'n Goblins spin-offs. In Gargoyle's Quest, players play as a Firebrand goblin and explore the Demon World. This series strays away from the arcade style of the main series and play out more like adventure games, with platforming levels, top-down exploration segments, and RPG-style random encounters. The playable Firebrand has multiple abilities like gliding in the air, firing projectiles, and climbing up walls. Players will gradually upgrade the Gargoyle's abilities throughout the game, allowing for extra traversal and firepower to navigate the platforming levels. For those familiar, the gameplay is comparable to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Gargoyle's Quest received three installments, one for Game Boy, one of Nintendo Entertainment System, and one for the Super Nintendo.
Makaimura for WonderSawn (1999)
Makaimura for WonderSwan was the Japan-exclusive fourth installment in the series. It was released for the WonderSwan handheld console, which was also a Japan-exclusive product. Once again gameplay remains mainly identical to the previous games, but there are some additions to the formula. Makaimura features branching paths throughout the game, comparable to a game like Star Fox 64. There are also water levels, and, uniquely, a level that takes advantage of the WonderSawn's design and has players hold the console vertically to properly traverse a vertical-oriented level, similar to changing the orientation of an iPhone. Another difference from past games is that Makaimura does not require multiple playthroughs to receive a true ending, but instead the branching paths encourage the player to replay the experience to see levels they may have missed.
Maximo Series (2001, 2003)
Maximo is the second Ghosts 'n Goblins spin-off series. These games feature a stark change in direction for the series, shifting into a 3D hack and slash platformer. The story follows Maximo, a king on a quest to rescue Queen Sophia from the evil King Achille. Maximo is killed on his first attempt to slay Achille, but is revived by the Grim Reaper and works to save both the Queen, and the Underworld, from King Achille's evil plans.
These games keep some elements from the Ghosts 'n Goblins series, such as enemy types, music, and even losing armor down to Maximo's boxer shorts. The Maximo series was definitely made as an attempt to cash-in on the success of similar 3D games such as Crash Bandicoot and Ratchet & Clank, using Ghosts 'n Goblins as a base to attract existing fans. The spin-offs two installments, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory and Maximo vs. Army of Zin, received high review scores and acclaim from players. Despite the positive reception, it wasn't long before Capcom returned Ghosts 'n Goblins back to its original style.
Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins (2006)
Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins was made for the PlayStation Portable, and was the first classic-style entry in the series to use 3D graphics. The base gameplay and story remain similar to past entries, but this game takes on more of an adventure game style. Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins adds an equipment and inventory system, so upgrades and weapons can be switched around easily and can be used to find secrets throughout the game. Rather than clearing the adventure twice in a linear fashion, to receive Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins' true ending, players must go through and collect all the hidden Golden Rings in the game.
Many Golden Rings are hidden in locations that required specific upgrades to access, so segments of the game do need to be replayed to find every Golden Ring. There is also the addition of difficulty options, which can make the game more accessible for casual players, or make the gameplay as difficult as the past series entries. Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins received a remake exclusively in Japan, and this remake removed the RPG and exploration aspects of the game and made it play like a classic, linear style Ghosts 'n Goblins game.
Ghosts 'n Goblins: Gold Knights I & II (2009, 2010)
Ghosts 'n Goblins: Gold Knights was a return to form for the series. Gold Knights entirely removes the RPG-style mechanics added in Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins, and returns to the linear platforming style. Once again, 3D graphics are used instead of sprite-based art. The story follows Arthur, Princess Prin-Prin, and new knight characters named Lancelot and Perceval. Arthur, Lancelot, and Perceval are all playable characters with their own unique styles, making this the first traditional entry with multiple player characters. The story in Gold Knights I ends on a cliffhanger, and Gold Knights II picks up directly after. These games were exclusively released for the iOS App Store, and they were pretty poorly received by consumers and critics. Aesthetically the games did seem like proper revivals of the classic gameplay style, but the games were hindered by unappealing iOS touch screen controls and microtransactions. Players could purchase microtransactions that would unlock unlimited lives, increases item durability, and even remove difficult obstacles from levels. These pay-to-win aspects turned away a lot of classic Ghosts 'n Goblins fans. Ghosts 'n Goblins: Gold Knights I & II were both removed from the iOS App Store on May 10, 2016, meaning there is no longer a legitimate way to play these two games.
It seems the series' final attempt at notoriety, Ghosts 'n Goblins: Gold Knights, was the nail in the coffin for the series. There was definitely a step in the wrong direction; swaying away from hardcore fans, and including pay-to-win aspects to a platformer was unappealing to many players. The complete removal of Gold Knights from the App Store may seem like a bad sign for the series, but there is still hope. It may have been 10 years since the last Ghosts 'n Goblins game, but the timing seems right for a new revival. Just three years ago Capcom saw great success with the return-to-form Mega Man 11, and it is possible Ghosts 'n Goblins may receive a similar treatment in due time.
Whatever the future may hold, the Ghosts 'n Goblins series currently contains a number of games that can satisfy any platforming fan looking for a classic, fun, and challenging experience.