All this week, we've been celebrating the return of one of my favorite video game franchises of all time -- Ghosts 'N Goblins. With six installments and two different spin-offs, there's a lot of history to cover. To finally put a cap on a week full of ghouls, goblins and ghosts, I thought it might be fun to see what the critics said at the time. I'm specifically talking about Electronic Gaming Monthly, the classic magazine that ended up reviewing pretty much every game Capcom released between 1989 and 2009. We're going to crunch some numbers and try not to turn into a duck when we see how Electronic Gaming Monthly ranks the Ghosts 'N Goblinsverse. And don't worry, you're not going to have to watch the video twice to see the real ending.
Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins (PSP)
#9
As we begin our countdown, it's important to remember that Electronic Gaming Monthly loved Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Most of the games from the early 1990s received insanely high scores, with one even earning the coveted title of EGM's Game of the Year. However, by 2006, Sir Arthur's armor was starting to rust. The days of super-tough arcade games had been replaced by a new generation of first-person shooters with convenient checkpoints. This style of frustration was out of step with the rest of the industry, and that's reflected in the low scores for Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins on the PlayStation Portable.
Retronauts host Jeremy hated this new game so much that he called it the worst thing to happen to him all month. "Ultimate put me in touch with my emotions, too -- I wept a little every time I came across one of the game's sporadic good ideas, heartbroken that it was wasted on such a lousy update of an arcade classic." Giving it a 7.5, Mark liked it a lot more than Jeremy, though he complained about the cheap deaths. He made the argument that you should stick with the challenging side-scroller, because "you might even come to appreciate it's toughness." Although the editors praised the sharp visuals and old-fashioned gameplay, they ended up giving Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins a series low average of 6 out of 10.
Maximo vs. Army of Zin (PS2)
#8
When Maximo first debuted in 2002, the critics loved it. They thought it was a charming reimagining that pumped new life back into the aging franchise. Unfortunately, they were not as charitable with the sequel, Maximo vs. Army of Zin. It's no coincidence that the second most-recent game is also the second worst, as the writing was on the wall that EGM's love affair with the ghouls and ghosts was on the rocks. The franchise had strayed too far from the original formula, and the good will built up from the earlier games was starting to wear thin.
Crispin sums it up perfectly: "Call me nutty, but I thought sequels were supposed to improve on the games that preceded them: you know, offer souped-up weapons, tweaked gameplay, new moves, yada yada. Army of Zin just doesn't do the job." Mark gave the highest score of the bunch, noting that the annoying and numerous tricky jumping bits from the original had been vastly improved in the sequel. He also pushed back when it came to the new attacks, which kept him "happily mashing buttons." "Zin is old school in many ways, and it lacks a feature or gimmick that really stands out, but this is a solid entry in a genre that action-platform fans will definitely find worth checking out." With everybody being a little disappointed, Maximo vs. Army of Zin averages a frustrating 6.3 out of 10.
Ghosts 'N Goblins (GBC)
#7
Because the original Ghosts 'N Goblins was released in 1986, Electronic Gaming Monthly never got around to reviewing the Nintendo Entertainment System classic. Thankfully, they were there when Capcom decided to re-release the game on the Game Boy Color in 2000. For American gamers, this was their first chance to replay the classic game on new hardware, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. It was in that lull between Sir Arthur's side-scrolling trilogy and Maximo's 3D reinvention, so it was a nice reminder of why people continued to love the franchise, even 15 years later.
Unfortunately, we'll never know what EGM thought of the original NES conversion, but this Game Boy Color port does give us a slight indication. "We don't really need to tell you this game is hella fun to play -- you should know. After all, GnG is a classic. Sure, the gameplay is a tad simple and the graphics and sound are dated, but overall it's a lot of fun (even on that little screen). It will bring back those warm fuzzy memories of the good old days. Besides, it's better than most GB platformers." Even after eleven years, EGM never misses an opportunity to dunk on the Game Boy. With a score of 7 out of 10, this Ghosts 'N Goblins port finds itself right in the middle of the pack. Where it should be.
Gargoyle's Quest II (NES)
#6
After seeing the response of both the fans and critics to Ghosts 'N Goblins and Ghouls 'N Ghosts, Capcom decided to create a spin-off starring everybody's favorite gargoyle -- Firebrand. Unfortunately, Electronic Gaming Monthly neglected to review Gargoyle's Quest in 1990, making it one of the only Ghosts 'N Goblinsverse games to not get a proper Review Crew write-up. The good news is that they didn't make the same mistake two years later with Gargoyle's Quest II on the Nintendo Entertainment System. This was an action/role-playing game that built on the foundation of the original and really took the franchise in a new and creative direction.
When it came to the reviews, Electronic Gaming Monthly was a little mixed on the Gargoyle's Quest series. They liked the horror-themed world and unique gameplay, but felt that it was a step down from the flagship series. Steve explained that he always liked the Ghouls 'N Ghosts games as well as the Game Boy spin-off, so, naturally, he's into Gargoyle's Quest II: "The division of role-playing and action is well done and neither type of game is overly difficult. This is a great game for those die-hard action buffs who might be interested in giving RPGs a try." Ed not only gave it the highest score, but also is the only critic to give actual specifics: "I brilliant idea that will appeal to both types of players. Filled with good graphics and decent sound, this is one sequel that was worth making." Ed's high score was enough to raise the average to a 7.25 out of 10, landing Gargoyle's Quest II at the number 6 spot.
Ghouls 'N Ghosts (SMS)
#5
As Sega launched their 16-bit Genesis around the world, they were also trying to play a careful balancing act with their 8-bit Master System. It seemed like any time they had a big 16-bit exclusive, they would immediately release a smaller, stripped-down version for the 8-bit market. Two of the most obvious examples of this were the Master System versions of Altered Beast and Strider, but I'm here to say that their best downgraded port was actually Ghouls 'N Ghosts, a surprisingly accurate and smooth-playing version of the arcade hit.
We'll end up talking more about the 16-bit version of Ghouls 'N Ghosts later in this countdown, but first we need to address the Master System game, which debuted in 1990 to mostly positive reviews. Martin was impressed: "I never thought Sega could actually shrink this awesome Genesis game into a 2-meg 8-bit cart and come out with something decent. Of course the graphics are toned down, but the play remains intact." Sushi-X wasn't as high on the game, but still applauded the port: "This 8-bit version of Ghouls 'N Ghosts was really great. The gameplay is a bit rough, there's a lot of flicker, and it does slow down. Otherwise, graphics are great and more than makes up for the lack of detailed backgrounds. It doesn't compare to the 16-bit version, but it's still good." And that's the problem -- this version of Ghouls 'N Ghosts was competing against a year-old version that was better in every conceivable way. Still, for gamers who hadn't upgraded to 16-bit, this Master System version was a solid release that averaged a strong 7.5 out of 10.
Demon's Crest (SNES)
#4
After conquering both the Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System, Firebrand only had one place left to go -- to the Super NES! Demon's Crest was not only a big step up from the gargoyle's previous two outings, but it was also a more focused adventure with better action and some of the best boss fights found in the entire Ghosts 'N Goblinsverse. Personally speaking, I would argue that this is more than just a great sequel, because it's also one of Capcom's very best 16-bit games. Sadly, even with the great graphics and amazing bosses, this game (and spin-off series) didn't catch on in the same way as Ghouls 'N Ghosts. As a result, this ended up being the end of the line for Firebrand's epic journey.
You can almost see the cult classic status being formed in real time when you read EGM's reviews. Ed began his review noting that "Demon's Crest will probably be one of those sleeper games, similar to how the Game Boy Gargoyle's Quest was. The graphics are beautiful and the gameplay is top notch. You would do well to try this one out -- you might be surprised." Al was certainly surprised by one aspect of the game: "What I didn't expect was how big the game is. I love the fact that there are multiple endings. The different attacks are great too. I like this game!" With an average score of 8.25 out of 10, Firebrand definitely went out at the top of his game.
Maximo: Ghosts to Glory (PS2)
#3
After wowing everybody with a critically-acclaimed trilogy and then following that up with a well-received spin-off series, many gamers wondered where Capcom would take the franchise next. As it turns out, the answer was the WonderSwan. Sir Arthur's next adventure was a game called Makaimura for WonderSwan, an obscure installment that never made its way outside of Japan. However, three years after that admittedly awesome black and white adventure, the ghouls and ghosts went 3D in a next-generation reboot called Maximo: Ghosts to Glory. It starred a different hero, had a different story and wasn't really connected to the other games, but it shared some of the same enemies and you stripped down to your boxers when you got hit, so it's close enough.
Crispin was thoroughly impressed with the "unofficial sequel" and called it "one helluva fun game." "No huge go-anywhere worlds or collect 'em up crap here; Maximo just dishes out a good ol' time." Jonathan was also impressed, but for a completely different reason. "It's rare to see a 2D-to-3D conversion that isn't a pathetic hack-job these days, so I was busting out of my heart-pattered boxers for Maximo." All three editors liked the challenge, level designs and length. With a score of 8.5 out of 10, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory managed to top even a fan-favorite like Demon's Crest.
Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Genesis)
#2
If you've gone through our previous EGM shows, then you already know that Steve, Ed and the rest of the Review Crew adored Ghouls 'N Ghosts. This was the first must-own game on the Genesis, proving once and for all that Sega's 16-bitter was the king of arcade conversions. In fact, the game proved to be so good that EGM ended up naming it their Game of the Year in their fifth issue, as well as calling it the Best Sequel to an Existing Game, Best Graphics in a Video Game, Coolest Boss Attackers and, just to balance things out, the Worst Stomach Problems in a Game. We did a whole awards show episode where we go over all of these categories in greater detail. You should check it out.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, we first need to see what the EGM critics actually said. We know that they loved it, but how much? To answer that question, let's see how Ed started his review: "[Ghouls 'N Ghosts is] easily the best cartridge game ever made! Also powerful -- with audio that is second to none and animated backgrounds that add a great 3D effect. Combined with extremely challenging play, Ghouls is a superior effort." Steve agreed, concluding that Ghouls 'N Ghosts is "just what a 16-bit game should be." "It's one of the few titles that packs enough action and challenge to keep any player busy. The gameplay is great, the bosses are truly frightening and the power-ups are different and exciting." With an average score of 9 out of 10 and a Game of the Year prize under its belt, you would think that Ghouls 'N Ghosts would be a shoo-in for the top spot. But there is one game that the editors liked even more than this Genesis classic, and I think you know what it is.
Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts (SNES)
#1
Although it may have been overshadowed by the likes of Sonic and Mario, Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts tops the list as Electronic Gaming Monthly's best-reviewed Ghosts 'N Goblins game with a ghoulishly high score of 9 out of 10. But wait, isn't that the exact same score as the Genesis version of Ghouls 'N Ghosts? And didn't that go on to win a bunch of awards? In what universe can a game like Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts top all that?
As it turns out, the answers to all of those questions lies in the magazine's 100th issue, published a few years later in November 1997. You see, that was the issue where EGM named the 100 Best Games of All Time, a helpful guide that I've used many times to break these kinds of ties. In that list, EGM named Ghouls 'N Ghosts the 47th best game of all time, beating out heavy hitters like Military Madness at 48, Mario Kart 64 at 49 and Devil's Crush at 50. One game it did not beat out? Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts, which landed 25 spots higher at number 22, wedged between R-Type III and Final Fantasy VII.
You also saw this preference in the reviews. Resident fake ninja Sushi-X flat-out says that the Super NES sequel is "definitely the best version of Ghouls 'N Ghosts to date, with plenty of action, options, power-ups and wicked bosses." Martin agreed: "I never thought I would look back and think that the Genesis version of Ghouls 'N Ghosts was cheesy. After playing this cart from beginning to end, the difference is like NES and Genesis." I wouldn't go that far, but I agree with all of the critics who called the game awesome. Even with the recent sequels and reboots, I would argue that this 16-bit classic remains the best looking game in the Ghosts 'N Goblinsverse. With an average score of 9 out of 10, as well as a higher spot on the top 100 list, Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts earns the title of Electronic Gaming Monthly's best-reviewed Ghosts 'N Goblins game. Not bad for a 30-year-old sequel.
