Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2014) |
| Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts | |
|---|---|
 North American 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[a] 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 was included in the video game compilation Capcom Generations: Chronicles of Arthur for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn, as well as in Capcom Classics Collection for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox and Capcom Classics Collection: Reloaded for the PlayStation Portable. A remake of the game was released for the Game Boy Advance which features an additional game mode with new stages. The original SNES version was released for the Wii Virtual Console and was released for the Wii U Nintendo eShop on May 16, 2013. It was later released in 2017 as part of the Super NES Classic Edition.[1]
Gameplay
Arthur starts the game with an ordinary suit of armor, which may be upgraded up to three times. The first upgrade is bronze armor which enhances Arthur's firepower. The second upgrade is golden armor which allows Arthur to charge his firepower to unleash special magic attacks. The golden armor comes with a shield which can block one projectile before breaking. The last upgrade is a better shield which can block up to three projectiles before breaking and allow Arthur's firepower to charge up quicker. No matter how upgraded, his armor falls off following any touch by an enemy, leaving Arthur defenseless and clad only in his underwear, at which point he will die if hit again. Shields can only block projectiles if Arthur is standing still.
Like in Ghouls n' Ghosts, hidden treasure chests can be found for weapons, armor upgrades, bonus points and sometimes unwanted traps such as bear traps and an evil magician who transforms Arthur. Treasure chests are hidden and can only be accessed by moving through specific areas of the screen, which causes them to appear.
One key feature is the "Double Jump", which allows Arthur to leap into the air, and then leap again. However, the player has no direct control of Arthur's movement once in the air. The second jump can change direction, but that is the only control players have.
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.
Stage 1-1: Two Skull Flowers were removed. Stage 1-2: The last Belial right before the boss was removed. Stage 2-1: Two swinging blades were removed. Stage 3-1: Four Fire Killers were removed. Stage 4-1: Four Skull Flowers were removed. Stage 4-2: Four gas streams were removed. Stage 5-2: Two Werewolves were removed. Stage 6: One Red Arremer was removed. Stage 7: Two Blue Killers and the Red Arremer was removed.
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 aforementioned ports are notable for having removed the slowdown which plagued the original Super NES version.[citation needed]
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. Unlike the Capcom Generations/Classics Collection ports, the Game Boy Advance port retains the slowdown of the original Super NES version, even in the redesigned levels.
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 in September 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.[2]
Reception
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2017) |
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.[3]
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."[4]
Notes
- ^ Known in Japan as Chōmakaimura (超魔界村, lit. Super Demon World Village)
References
- ^ "Super NES Classic Edition". Nintendo of America, Inc. September 29, 2017. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ "Super NES Classic Edition". Nintendo of America, Inc. September 29, 2017. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ "CAPCOM Investor Relations, Platinum Titles". Capcom. June 30, 2017. Archived from the original on December 6, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ "100 Best Games of All Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p. 146. 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.
External links
- Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts at MobyGames
- Chohmakaimura at the Japanese Virtual Console site (in Japanese)