Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts | |
---|---|
North American SNES box art | |
Developer(s) | Capcom |
Publisher(s) | |
Producer(s) | Tokuro Fujiwara |
Designer(s) | Tatsuya Minami Kimio Yamazoe |
Programmer(s) | Masatsugu Shinohara Yoshihiro Matsui |
Artist(s) | Kimio Yamazoe |
Composer(s) | Mari Yamaguchi |
Series | Ghosts 'n Goblins |
Platform(s) | Super NES, Game Boy Advance |
Release | Super NES Game Boy Advance |
Genre(s) | Action, side-scrolling platformer |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts[n 1] is an action side-scrolling platform game developed and published by Capcom and released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991. It is the third game in the Ghosts 'n Goblins series. The game has been included in multiple compilations of Capcom classics. A remake of the game was released for the Game Boy Advance which features an additional game mode with new stages.
Gameplay[]

Arthur surrounded by Zombies in the game's first level's first section, The Haunted Graveyard.[1]
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts is an action platform game.[2] It has four difficulty settings (easy, normal, difficult, and professional), and the player also can set the number of lives, which can go up to nine.[3] In each of Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts's eight levels, four consisting of two sections, Arthur must traverse through ghouls before defeating a Foul Guardian that protects the gate to the next stage.[1][4][5] Parts of the environment, such as earth ground lifting caused by earthquakes, blizzards, heavy sea waves, and avalanches, are also threats to Arthur.[6][7]
Arthur starts in the Steel Armor with a lance.[8] If he gets hit by an enemy or projectile, he loses his armor and is reduced to his underpants; getting hit again results in the loss of a life.[5] Other weapons can be picked up along the way, such as a faster-speed knife and but only one can be held at a time.[5] There are two other types of armor that are collectable. A bronze armor powers-up his weapons, while a gold armor, a new feature for the series, that gives him a "charge" attack and the Moon Shield, which can only be used once and while standing still.[8][5] Another ability not present in previous series entries is the double jump, which allows Arthur to leap, then jump again when in mid-air and then leap again.[5]
Like in Ghouls n' Ghosts, hidden treasure chests can be found for weapons, armor upgrades, and bonus points. However, there are also chests with unwanted traps that results in death, and an magician, the Conjurer, who transforms Arthur into one of four weaker forms temporarily: a baby, a girl, a seal or a wasp.[9][10] Chests are hidden and can only be accessed by moving through specific areas of the screen, which causes them to appear.
Sticking with tradition, players have to complete the game twice in a row, the second time with a special weapon (the Goddess's Bracelet, which only appears during the second playthrough), in order to confront the evil boss Sardius (resembling a huge demon in golden armor) and get the true ending.
Plot[]
The player takes the role of the knight Arthur, who must once again rescue the Princess from the demons. The antagonist this time is the Emperor Sardius (known as Samael in the Japanese version), who has kidnapped the Princess in order to obtain the whereabouts of the Goddess's Bracelet, the only weapon capable of destroying Sardius. After making it to Sardius's castle, Arthur must return to the beginning where the Princess hid the bracelet in order to destroy Sardius permanently. After repeating his journey, Arthur defeats Sardius with the bracelet and returns the Princess to the kingdom.
Regional differences[]
The crosses in the game were modified from the original Chōmakaimura, where they resemble church crosses; in Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, they appear as ankhs. The final boss was also renamed from Samael to Sardius.
The European version removed certain enemies and obstacles in the game, perhaps not only a measure to reduce the difficulty, but also to reduce potential slowdown.
Ports[]
A straight port of the Super NES version of Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts is featured alongside the arcade versions of Ghosts 'n Goblins and Ghouls 'n Ghosts in the video game compilation Capcom Generation: Chronicles of Arthur for PlayStation, which was also released for the Sega Saturn in Japan as Capcom Generation 2. This PS version of the game is also included in Capcom Classics Collection for PlayStation 2 and Xbox and Capcom Classics Collection: Reloaded for PlayStation Portable.
The Game Boy Advance version, released simply as Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts in North America and Europe and as Chōmakaimura R in Japan, features an "Arrange Mode" that enables the player to choose from redesigned levels and bosses based on the original Ghosts 'n Goblins and Ghouls 'n Ghosts, depending on their success in keeping the bronze armor, or a higher difficulty tier of the standard levels set upon keeping the golden armor. Unlike the Normal Mode, in Arrange the Goddess' Bracelet is already accessible during the first playthrough.
The SNES version of the game was released for the Virtual Console on the Wii on March 5, 2007, the Wii U on May 16, 2013, and New Nintendo 3DS on June 23, 2016. The GBA version was also released for the Wii U on October 22, 2015.
Nintendo re-released Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts in the United States and Europe in September 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.[11]
Reception[]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
GameRankings | GBA: 79.71%[12] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
ACE | SNES: 915/1000[7] |
AllGame | GBA: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Aktueller Software Markt | SNES: 10/12[14] |
CVG | SNES: 89/100[10] |
EGM | SNES: 36/40[15] |
Eurogamer | WII: 6/10[16] |
Famitsu | SNES: 27/40[17] |
GamePro | GBA: 16.5/20[18] SNES: 23/25[19] |
GameSpot | GBA: 7.4/10[20] WII: 6.9/10[21] |
GameZone | GBA: 9/10[23] SNES: 90/100[24] |
IGN | GBA: 8.5/10[25] WII: 8/10[2] |
Mean Machines Sega | SNES: 94%[26] |
Nintendo Life | WII: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() WIIU (GBA): ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() WIIU (SNES): ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Nintendo Power | SNES: 16.6/20[29] |
Nintendo World Report | WIIU: 6/10[30] |
Super Play | SNES: 85%[31] |
USgamer | SNES: 3.5/5[32] |
Video Games (DE) | SNES: 84%[33] |
SNES Force | SNES: 89%[34] |
Super Pro | SNES: 85/100[35] |
Reviewers from Electronic Gaming Monthly called it "the best version of Ghouls and Ghosts to date, with plenty of action, options, power-up and wicked Bosses"; one of the best SNES titles; and "one of the most awesome games you could ever buy for a home system".[15] Ed Semrad highlighted visual touches such as rotating backgrounds, and weather effects like seas and snow.[15] Wrote Martin Alessi, "Great sights and sounds are backed by solid, super challenging gameplay."[15] Only minor criticism was directed at the lack of shooting flexibility, specifically that the player couldn't shoot up or down.[15]
Wrote ACE magazine's David Upchurch, the game was "tough but rarely frustrating, and will keep you coming back again and again until it's been cracked".[7] He was amazed by the variety in gameplay: "One minute Arthur's avoiding showers of skulls from giant stone monoliths, the next he's clambering on top of a stone pillar to avoid being washed away by a giant tidal wave, then he's dodging careening trolleys of flame - and this is all on the first level alone!"[7] He called the control "superb", writing the SNES joypad was so well-designed it made jumping and shooting possible.[7] He enjoyed the graphics and sound, particularly highlighting the "breathtakingly beautiful" ice level.[7] His only minor critique was towards slowdown that occurred in rare instances when several sprites appeared on the screen; in fact, he admitted the slowdown helped in defeating the harder enemies.[7]
As of June 30, 2017, the SNES version has sold 1.09 million units since its release in October 1991, making it Capcom's 75th best-selling game of all time.[36]
Super Gamer gave the SNES version an overall score of 85% writing: "There's a multitude of power-ups, hideously imaginative monsters and fantastic settings, including a beautifully drawn sunken ship."[37]
In 1997, Electronic Gaming Monthly listed the SNES version as the 22nd best console video game of all time, calling it "One of the most graphically intense side-scrolling action games the Super NES has ever seen. Also one of the hardest."[38] The Game Boy Advance version was nominated for GameSpot's 2002 "Best Port of a 16-Bit Classic" award.[39] The game placed 76th in the Official Nintendo Magazine's "100 greatest Nintendo games of all time" list.[40]
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Capcom USA. 1991. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clvs/manuals/common/pdf/CLV-P-SABDE.pdf. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts VC Review". IGN. March 6, 2007. Archived from the original on May 3, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Capcom USA. 1991. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clvs/manuals/common/pdf/CLV-P-SABDE.pdf. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ↑ Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Capcom USA. 1991. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clvs/manuals/common/pdf/CLV-P-SABDE.pdf. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 McFerran, Damien (May 23, 2013). "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Review (Wii U eShop / SNES)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Jones, Darren (March 2012). "Super Ghouls n Ghosts". Retro Gamer (102). https://archive.org/details/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_102/page/36/mode/2up. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Upchurch, David (December 1991). "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". ACE (51). https://archive.org/details/ACE35Aug90/ACE/ACE51-Dec91/page/n75/mode/2up. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Capcom USA. 1991. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clvs/manuals/common/pdf/CLV-P-SABDE.pdf. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ↑ Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Capcom USA. 1991. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clvs/manuals/common/pdf/CLV-P-SABDE.pdf. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 O'Connor, Frank; Boone, Tim (December 1991). "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". Computer and Video Games (121). https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_121_1991-12_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n95/mode/2up. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Super NES Classic Edition". Nintendo of America, Inc. September 29, 2017. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts review score". Archived from the original on 2019-05-01.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts – Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Hartes Ritterleben" (in de). Aktueller Software Markt. January 1992. https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=1848. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Q-Mann, Martin; Alessi; Semrad, Ed; Harris, Steve (November 1991). "Super Ghouls & Ghosts". Electronic Gaming Monthly 4 (1). https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_28/page/n135/mode/2up?q=ghosts. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ Whitehead, Dan (May 25, 2007). "Virtual Console Roundup • Page 4". Eurogamer. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "超魔界村" (in jp). Famitsu (147). October 1991. https://archive.org/details/famitus0147/page/37/mode/1up. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ Star Dingo (September 23, 2002). "Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts Review". GamePro. Archived from the original on March 10, 2005. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Boogie Man (October 1991). "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". GamePro (27). https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_027_October_1991/page/n27/mode/2up?q=%22addams+family%22+gamepro. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ Rivers, Trevor (September 18, 2002). "Game Boy Advance Reviews: Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 17, 2002. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Davis, Ryan (April 4, 2007). "Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Fryman, Avi (November 9, 2002). "Super Ghouls'n Ghosts (GBA)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on November 16, 2002. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ The Wiz (September 23, 2002). "Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2002. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Jackie (December 1991). "Super Ghosts 'n' Goblins". GameZone (2). https://archive.org/details/game-zone-02/page/58/mode/2up?q=%22super+ghouls+%27n+ghosts%22. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ Harris, Craig (September 26, 2002). "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". IGN. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Rich; Julian (November 1991). "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". Mean Machines (14). https://archive.org/details/mean-machines-14/page/92/mode/2up. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Review (SNES)". Nintendo Life. March 6, 2007. Archived from the original on May 3, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Town, Jonathan (February 21, 2015). "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Review (Wii U eShop / GBA)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Now Playing". Nintendo Power 29. October 1991. https://archive.org/details/NintendoPower1988-2004/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20029%20%28October%201991%29/page/n91/mode/2up. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ Ronaghan, Neal (May 30, 2013). "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". Super Play Gold. 1993. https://archive.org/details/Superplay_Gold_1993_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n65/mode/2up. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ Oxford, Nadia (January 23, 2019). "Super NES Retro Review: Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". USgamer. https://www.usgamer.net/articles/super-nes-classic-game-by-game-4-super-ghouls-n-ghosts. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ Eggebrecht, Julian (April 1992). "Super Ghouls'n'Ghosts" (in de). Video Games. https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=6059&s=1. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ "The Guide Directory". SNES Force (1). https://archive.org/details/SNES_Force_Issue_01_1993-07_Impact_Magazines_GB/page/n95/mode/2up?q=%22Super+Ghouls+n+Ghosts%22. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts". Super Pro (1). December 1992. https://archive.org/details/super-pro-01/page/13/mode/2up?q=%22Super+Ghouls+%27n+Ghosts%22. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ↑ "CAPCOM Investor Relations, Platinum Titles". Capcom. June 30, 2017. Archived from the original on December 6, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Review". Super Gamer (United Kingdom: Paragon Publishing) (2): 123. May 1994. https://archive.org/details/super-gamer-02/page/122/mode/2up. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ↑ "100 Best Games of All Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (100): 146. November 1997. Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article (on page 100) explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible.
- ↑ GameSpot Staff (December 30, 2002). "GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 7, 2003.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ East, Tom (February 18, 2009). "100 Best Nintendo Games". Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
{{cite web}}
:
External links[]
- Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts at MobyGames
- Chohmakaimura at the Japanese Virtual Console site (in Japanese)
Ghosts 'n Goblins | ||
---|---|---|
Main series | Ghosts 'n Goblins • Ghouls 'n Ghosts • Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts • Makaimura for WonderSwan • Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins • Ghosts 'n Goblins: Gold Knights I & II • Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection | |
Gargoyle's Quest series | Gargoyle's Quest • Gargoyle's Quest II • Demon's Crest | |
Maximo series | Maximo: Ghosts to Glory • Maximo vs. Army of Zin | |
Puzzle games | Arthur to Astaroth no Nazomakaimura: Incredible Toons | |
Compilations | Capcom Generations • Capcom Classics Collection • Capcom Arcade Cabinet | |
Characters | Arthur • Red Arremer | |
Related | Tokuro Fujiwara • Cannon Spike • SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos • Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes • Namco × Capcom • Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (Ultimate) • Project X Zone • Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite |
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