Ghosts 'n Goblins

Ghosts 'n Goblins, known in Japan as , is a run-and-gun platform video game series created by Tokuro Fujiwara and developed by Capcom. The first entry in the series was "Ghosts 'n Goblins", released in arcades on July 7, 1985. The series has subsequently been ported to and released on a variety of personal computers, game consoles and mobile platforms and spawned several sequels and spin-offs.
The main series focuses on the knight Arthur's quest to save princess Prin-Prin from the demon king Astaroth. The primary spin-offs include the "Gargoyle's Quest" and "" game series.
The series as a whole has sold over 4.5 million units as of December 31, 2022 and stands as the 13th best-selling Capcom game franchise. It has gained a reputation among players for its high level of difficulty.
The most recent game in the series, "Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection", was released on February 25, 2021.
List of games.
Main series.
The main series consists of run and gun platformers with players controlling a knight named Arthur who must battle through hordes of the undead in order to rescue the kidnapped princess Prin-Prin (also known as Guinevere, or not named altogether depending on the game/translation) from the demon king Astaroth. Arthur's health and magic level is represented by the armor he wears, with Arthur capable of finding better armor and various weapons in treasure chests hidden throughout the game stages; even so, regardless of how powerful the armor Arthur wears is, he will lose it with a single hit. Once losing his armor Arthur is left only wearing his boxers (an image which has become iconic for the series). In most of the main series, once completing the game the player is forced to re-play the game's stages at a higher difficulty level in order to receive the game's "true" ending. The series has gained a reputation among gamers for its high level of difficulty.
"Gargoyle's Quest" series.
The "Gargoyle's Quest" series is a group of side-scrolling adventure games with mild role-playing video game elements. Players control the character of Firebrand, a character who is based on an enemy in the main series.
"Maximo" series.
"Maximo" is a 3D hack and slash platformer series developed by Capcom for the PlayStation 2. The games are based on the "Ghosts 'n Goblins" universe and feature original character designs by Japanese illustrator Susumu Matsushita.
Other.
"Capcom Party".
Capcom released a series of "Ghosts 'n Goblins"-themed Flash based mini-games for "Capcom Party"; a subscription service related to its "Capcom Park" i-mode mobile app.
Comics and manga.
Wan Pakku Comics.
In 1986, "Ghosts'n Goblins" was adapted into a manga by Sawada Yukio and published by Wan Pakku Comics, released as a five-part story in the anthology series .
Comic BomBom.
"Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts" and "Gargoyle's Quest" are two of the video games featured in the manga titled "Rock'n Game Boy", by Shigeto Ikehara and published by Comic BomBom October 1989 to December 1991.
Corocoro Comic.
"Ghosts 'n Goblins", was one of the video games adapted into a manga titled "Famicom Ryu" (1985-1987) and "Nekketsu! Famicom Shounendan" (1986-1987), published by Comic Coro Coro.
"Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts" is one of the video games featuring in the manga titled "Cyber Boy", by Nagai Noriaki, Published by Coro Coro Comic and Shogakukan, from 1991 to 1993.
Archie Comics.
The series would later be included in the Archie Comics "Worlds Unite" crossover along with various other Capcom and Sega franchises, with the "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "Mega Man" comic lines providing the backdrop.
Development.
The "Ghosts 'n Goblins" franchise was created by Tokuro Fujiwara (also known for producing games in the "Mega Man" franchise) and is produced by Capcom. Toshio Arima served as lead programmer and Ayako Mori composed the score for the original arcade release in 1985.
Music.
The original score for the initial arcade release of "Ghosts 'n Goblins" was composed by Ayako Mori. The music developed for the game's first level, entitled "Graveyard, Forest &amp; Ice Palace," has since become recognized as the official theme for the franchise, appearing in a re-mixed form in every entry of the main series as well as making cameo appearances in other Capcom games such as "Mega Man 7" and "Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3". Tamayo Kawamoto composed the score for "Ghouls 'n Ghosts", the next entry in the series, followed by Mari Yamaguchi for "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts" (with Tomohiro Masuda and Nobuhiko Isa handling the GBA re-release), and Masaya Tsunemoto and Kazuhiro Kotani for "Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins". The score for the "Gargoyle's Quest" spin-off series was composed by Harumi Fujita (I) and Yuki Iwai (II) (with Norihiko Togashi handling the Game Boy re-release of "Gargoyle's Quest II").
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the franchise, Capcom released the "Makaimura Ongakutaizen" in Japan on December 28, 2005. This 7 disc boxed set featured over 350 tracks and was a complete soundtrack for the series to date featuring the complete scores of not only every entry of the "Ghosts 'n Goblins" and "Gargoyle's Quest" series, but also of every PC and home console port of each game therein. This collection quickly sold out and was praised by various video game music review sites. In reference to the series' soundtrack as a whole, one reviewer noted:
With each of Makaimura's original scores, Capcom's composers and sound programmers pushed various consoles to the limits to produce high quality scores. With "Makaimura", "Daimakaimura", and "Choumakaimura", the series evolved admirably to refine a dark action-packed orchestral sound that fitted the scenes of the games. The classic series is especially strong thematically, remembered not just for the first stage theme but for other striking compositions. The series has demonstrated plenty of diversity over the years with the Baroque-influenced approaches to "Makaimura for WonderSwan" and the Red Arremer titles, the exceptionally ambient score to "Demon's Blazon Makaimura Monshou Hen", and the dabs of avant-garde and rock influence in the classic series. All these factors considered, the series has secured the legacy of being one of the most musically and technologically influential video game franchises.
Though selling for around $100 upon its release, the collection was highly sought out by fans and continues to fetch a high price on Internet auction sites such as eBay.
Capcom released a soundtrack for "Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins" on September 30, 2006.
Reception.
The "Ghosts 'n Goblins" franchise stands as Capcom's 13th best-selling game franchise, having sold over 4.5 million units. It is generally well regarded by critics and somewhat notorious for its traditional high level of difficulty. Additionally, the franchise frequently makes cameo appearances (the character of Arthur in particular) in other Capcom titles, the latest of which being "Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3".
The main series starring Sir Arthur and Princess Prin-Prin was initially released as an arcade title in 1985 and subsequently re-released and ported to a variety of home computer consoles. It continues as an active intellectual property for Capcom with its latest release in 2021 on the Nintendo Switch. The NES release of "Ghosts 'n Goblins" was rated as the 54th best NES game of all time by IGN and the 124th best game on a Nintendo console by Nintendo Power. The game is considered by GameTrailers to be the world's second most difficult game ever made. As of 2008, the original "Ghosts 'n Goblins" is Capcom's 18th best selling title, having sold over 1.6 million units. Similarly, "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts" is Capcom's 42nd best selling title, having sold over 1 million units.
The main series went on a minor hiatus after the release of "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts" in 1991. Capcom general producer Noritaka Funamizu explained that the "Ghosts 'n Goblins" games take a long time to develop and were not popular in Japan; as a result, Capcom had taken a net loss on previous installments and were wary of producing a new entry. With the exception of the largely overlooked "Makaimura for WonderSwan" which was released only in Japan, and a re-release of "Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts" on the Game Boy Advance, the main "Ghosts 'n Goblins" series did not see a major release until "Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins" on the PlayStation Portable in 2006. The return of the series received mixed to positive reviews. GameSpot noted that the entry would appeal to fans of the original, but that many of the old-school game mechanics including level design and jump mechanics, along with the traditional level of difficulty, may not appeal to the current generation of gamers. These concerns were echoed by such sites as GameDaily and AtomicGamer. Other sites such as IGN and GameCritics praised this adherence to the series' old-school mechanics and traditional level of difficulty, while noting that the new health, armor, and waypoint systems as well as tiered difficulty options went a long way in adjusting the difficulty for new gamers. "Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins" was also the first entry in the series to employ 3D graphics, a fact praised by most reviewers: "The 3D graphics enhance the 2D gameplay by giving the world a sense of depth without interfering with the gameplay, and the whole package simply glows with vibrant color and lighting effects."
The "Gargoyle's Quest" spin-off saw a series of releases between 1990 and 1994. The introduction of RPG elements in "Gargoyle's Quest" was praised, however reviewers noted an uneven level of difficulty. "Demon's Crest" was highly regarded as "one of the finest action titles on SNES, and without a doubt the crowning achievement of the "Ghosts 'n Goblins" line" by critics; however, it went largely unnoticed in terms of sales being labeled a "major flop". Similarly, the "Maximo" spin-off sub-series was initially well-received, though criticized for being difficult and inaccessible. "Ghosts to Glory" (2001) achieved PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits status in the United States, selling more than 400,000 units in North America. IGN ranked the game as the 6th most difficult game on the PlayStation 2. A sequel, "Maximo vs. Army of Zin" was released in 2003 with better critical reception but faltering sales, ultimately leading to the cancellation of "Maximo 3". The future of both the "Gargoyles Quest" and "Maximo" spin-off series is unknown.