#Ghosts n' Goblins

[shtarfish]

Firebrand

The Red Blaze soars

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[pembrokewkorgi]

Some sketch commissions I did in a recent stream for Kurio (https://soundcloud.com/kuriomusic-commissions), Grimm (https://twitter.com/GrimmAgent), Ebeta (https://twitter.com/Ebeta210), Kyo (https://t.co/SuSfOJrvin), Werty, @greatdragonad, and James Irish (https://twitter.com/JIrish780)

[everygame]

Ghosts ‘n Goblins (Arcade)

Developed/Published by: Capcom Released: 7/1985 Completed: 02/08/2022 Completion: Beat both loops (with save states and rewind, yeah.) Version Played: Capcom Arcade Stadium Trophies / Achievements: n/a

Super Mario Bros., released a scant few months after Ghosts ‘n Goblins, has undoubtedly the most famous opening of any platformer ever. I mean, you can visualise that first goomba encounter perfectly, can’t you? I mean, it’s probably taught in every class on level design you’ll ever sit through.

But Ghosts ‘n Goblins has to have, if not the second most famous opening of any platformer, certainly the second most burned-in opening of any game in the minds of anyone who has ever played it. You know it–the gravestones. The endlessly spawning zombies; the ladders that lead to that second level, and, of course, the Red Arremer that kills you.

I don’t believe, honestly, that before playing this through now, that I’ve ever personally seen Arthur past that Red Arremer, and I’m sure I’ve played this game (and I guess, all the sequels that all open basically exactly the same) tens of times. I actually only have one memory of ever seeing beyond that, and it’s so vague–still being in university, being somewhere that had a Ghosts ‘n Goblins machine (unusual) and an older student mentioning that he used to be “really good at it” and getting to the beginning of the second level and no further.

(I can’t remember if he ever claimed to be able to complete it. My brain wants to fill in details like he had access to the machine because his family owned a chip shop or something that had it, but I think I’m making that up entirely.)

Basically what I’m saying is: everyone these days is saying Dark Souls this and Dark Souls that, but no one is saying Ghosts this ‘n Goblins that!

Because this really does live up to its reputation. I suppose before I go into that I should mention what a stunning release it is in context. It’s 1985, Super Mario Bros. hasn’t come out yet, so when we’re talking platformers you’ve got basically Pac Land to compare it against, and if you’re talking run-n-gun games, well, I don’t have to hand an earlier side-scrolling example, with only Sega Ninja (or Capcom’s own Commando) really something you can compare this to–even something like Konami’s Rush ‘n Attack wouldn’t be released for months.

And the above frankly don’t hold much a candle to this if you were walking into an arcade, with Ghosts ‘n Goblins featuring some stunningly detailed and varied graphics for the time. It’s not just that you saw the opening of the game a hundred times without ever getting past it–it’s that it’s dripping with a sense of place. There’s even that iconic opening!

I’ll admit though… I’m pretty sure I’d rather play Pac Land, and even Sega Ninja’s level of brutality is preferable to this. I’ve read that the version of Ghosts ‘n Goblins I’ve played (Capcom Arcade Stadium) suffers some input lag, which might be partly why I found this so, well, unpleasant, but it’s also just that this ain’t no Super Mario Bros..

I do love to point out that the original Super Mario Bros. has pretty quirky movement every time I mention it, and I’ll do so again here, but Ghosts ‘n Goblins, for all its visual flair and level variety, does unfortunately feel like the pre-Super Mario Bros. game it is, with clunky, slow and difficult movement. Hero Arthur might be able to throw lances like nobody’s business, but he’s slow to turn, his jump is static, and climbing ladders is an insane risk as he loves to not actually fully get off them.

Honestly, this isn’t so bad for the first four (of six) levels, which I managed to finish with practice and letting myself save after each level. The game is insanely stingy with checkpoints (no checkpoints before bosses. Come on!) and barely ever hands out replacement armour, but all hell breaks loose on the fifth level as you have to deal with climbing a tower full of flying enemies where you literally can’t take a hit or you just won’t survive the final boss, Satan (basically just Red Arremer, but a bigger pain in the arse.)

It actually gets worse because I was playing the version Capcom Arcade Stadium defaults to: the US revision, which goes out of its way to not be finishable. Once you hit the sixth level, you face off against two unicorn enemies at once (where it’s impossible to not take a hit) and then have to face two Satans who have twice the hit-points of the Japanese Makaimura! And you have to beat them with the shield weapon, which has barely any reach!

I won’t lie. I was able to make it to the first Satan with saves, but after a while battering my head against that brick wall I had to bring out the rewinds… and bring them out I did. I just abused the shit out of them and still barely managed to finish this, it’s so stupidly hard. I probably should have played the easier Japanese revision (also available on Capcom Arcade Stadium) but more fool me.

I will say this–I do think the AI of the Red Arremer and Satan enemies is interesting; they genuinely seem to react to your actions in unpredictable ways, and it is quite a thrill when you take them down, even if for me at times it was like playing Braid. However, I keep imagining how this game must have felt to play back in the day if you were invested in beating it and not just a wee guy with a cup full of twenty pence pieces playing machines at random in Blackpool. Getting all the way to even the first Satan, dying and having to do that entire level again. It’s honestly abuse. Creator Tokuro Fujiwara should have been arrested. Maybe he still can be? I’m in favour.

Will I ever play it again? I have the NES version coming up in 1986. Now the question with that one is if I can be arse to do both loops… or even one loop.

Final Thought: Fascinating to consider that I imagine the game being this hard as being just as unpleasant to gamers of the era as it is to me, but Ghost ‘n Goblins’ long life of sequels and status as one of the top sellers of the era (“among the top ten highest-grossing arcade games of 1986 in Japan and the US, the year's sixth best-selling computer game in the UK, and NES version sold over 1.6 million cartridges” sez Wikipedia) so it’s obvious that gamers of the time were all masochistic perverts, essentially Capcom’s pay-pigs. Well, whatever floats your boat I guess.

Support Every Game I’ve Finished on ko-fi, either via a one-off donation (pay what you like) or by joining as a supporter at just $1 a month.

[demifiendrsa]

Capcom 40th anniversary commemorative illustration by Kazuya Nuri

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Ghosts 'n Goblins (1985)

[xwagnerplaguesx]

"Ghouls 'N Ghosts"

Capcom/1988

[bacchuschucklefuck]

I don't think I've seen you mention it, but for your class!swap au, do you have any idea of what you'd turn the other Bad Kids into?

genuinely love the way this ask is worded first of all. I am like a great magician ur right and the bad kids are my victim. I am like their joker if you will. anyways I do! I've definitely brought this up on this blog before (in nonrebloggable untagged text posts so I don't blame you for not seeing them lol (I don't blame you regardless of that tbh bc that's a weird thing to do)) but the rundown is: kristen -> sorcerer, gorgug -> cleric, fig -> barbarian, adaine -> artificer, fabian -> rogue

[importantbusinessdinosaur]

Warmup - Arthur

Hi armoured video game characters all September

ko-fi | commissions open| Patreon

[dangermd]

Ultimate Firebrand

[solidsmax]

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011)

[annon-guy2]

Super Smash Bros.: Third Party Characters Poll

Note: Remember that each option has TWO characters, not just one character. 😊

[shtarfish]

Air Gargoyle

Part 3 comes with the Air Gargoyle! This form was really fun to paint, I love the wings. 

Posted using PostyBirb

[pembrokewkorgi]

Commission for my pal, Kyo. This is why you don't explore the Ghosts n' Goblins graveyard at nigh. The monsters will still your clothes. Happens to Arthur all the time.

[pixelsproject]

『CAPCOM TOWN』 8-Bit Pixel Wood Badges

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RELATED POSTS ↴ [Capcom Town] Original Sprites [Capcom Town] Pixel Wood Badges

[demifiendrsa]

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC CHAOS｜Launch Trailer

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC CHAOS is available now for PC via Steam, and will launch for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via GOG on July 22, 2024.

Key visual illustrated by Eisuke Ogura

Screenshots

Overview

Iconic Characters from SNK and Capcom in a Timeless Face-off

Choose from a legendary roster of 36 SNK and Capcom fighters. SNK’s fighting game staples like Kyo Kusanagi, Terry Bogard, and Mai Shiranui are joined by Mars People, Athena, and other NEOGEO-era icons. Meanwhile, battle-hardened combatants such as Ryu, Chun-Li, and Demitri stand tall with Zero, Red Arremer, and more to make up the Capcom fighter roster.

A Modernized Online Experience

Rise up and throw down with players all around the world as rollback netcode and online lobbies (for up to nine players) bring SVC CHAOS to a new era of fighting game fans. Play tournaments your way by choosing from single-elimination, double-elimination, and round-robin formats.

Precise Character Collision and Gallery Modes to Perfect the SVC CHAOS Experience

Other quality-of-life improvements include a hitbox viewer, granting players an in-depth look at each character’s collision areas, and a rich gallery mode showcasing 80+ pieces of artwork, including key art and character portraits.

[dreamned]