Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Encyclopedia
is a side-scrolling platform game
produced by Capcom
originally 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
.
in the Japanese version), who has kidnapped the Princess in order to obtain the whereabouts of the Goddess' Bracelet, the only weapon capable of destroying Sardius. After defeating Sardius and rescuing the Princess, Arthur must return to the beginning where the Princess hid the bracelet in order to destroy Sardius permanently. After re-doing his journey, Arthur defeats Sardius with the bracelet and returns the Princess to the kingdom.
Weapons also have a huge role in gameplay, as they determine not only the speed, trajectory, amount, and damage of Arthur's attacks, but also the specific "magic attack" that can be charged and unleashed with the possession of the golden armor. As with armor, weapons can be found in various hidden treasure chests throughout the game, and can additionally appear as a random drop from enemies. All weapons come with unlimited ammo, which is useful as most areas of the game feature unlimited waves of re-spawning monsters. Experienced players will find that all weapons are not created equal, and while some are generally good all the time (such as the dagger or its magical iteration), others are at best unwieldy and at worst practically unusable, depending on the situation. However, balancing that to some degree is the fact that some of the better charged magic attacks are linked to the more unpopular weapons, making them a viable alternative assuming the player has the golden armor.
Another key feature is the "Double Jump", which allows Arthur to leap into the air, and then leap again. The unique feature which makes this double jump different from its more common iterations is the fact 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. This adds greatly to the difficulty and challenge of the game, as it essentially affords no second chances or last minute adjustments. While aggravating to many novice players who view it strictly as a frustrating control flaw, more experienced players and fans of the game find the quirk to be an enjoyable, challenging layer to the gameplay that can be overcome and even exploited with practice.
Lastly, a system of hidden treasure chests add a unique twist to the game. Arthur is dependent on these chests for all his armor needs (weapons can be picked up from chests or enemies), and as the upgraded armors in turn provide the most powerful weapons and magic, finding the hidden chests becomes very important for survival. The unique aspect of the treasure chest system is that they are hidden and can only be accessed by moving through certain specific areas of the screen, which causes them to appear. This can make discovering the chests a challenge, as frequently the key to making a chest appear involves an unnecessarily reckless and difficult leap or movement through a dangerous area that might otherwise be completely avoided. Additionally, chests can be unearthed using the charge magic of the crossbow, which, instead of dealing damage to enemies, causes any hidden chests on the current screen to reveal themselves.
The treasure chests, when opened, may contain one of seven weapons: a lance, a dagger, a crossbow, a flame, a scythe, an axe, or a tri-blade. However, they may also contain a bear trap or an evil magician who, if the energy ball he releases hits Arthur, can turn him into either a baby (no armor), a seal (Steel Armor), a hornet (Bronze Armor), or a female peasant (Golden Armor), for five seconds.
Sticking with tradition, players have to complete the game twice in a row, the second time with a special weapon (the Goddess' Bracelet, which only appears during the second playthrough), before being treated to the true ending. At the true ending the evil boss Sardius, resembling a huge humanoid in golden armor, is confronted.
symbol. The final boss was also renamed from Samael
to Sardius.
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.
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 in 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 Wii
Virtual Console
on March 5, 2007 in North America.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
produced by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
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
Capcom Generations
is a series of five video game compilations released by Capcom in 1998 for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in Japan and Europe/Australia. Each volume contains three or four games from a particular series or game genre and were ported directly from their original arcade versions...
for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, as well as in Capcom Classics Collection
Capcom Classics Collection
Capcom Classics Collection is a compilation of arcade games released by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on September 27, 2005. It was developed by Digital Eclipse Software . A second volume, Capcom Classics Collection Vol...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and Capcom Classics Collection: Reloaded for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. A remake of the game was released for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
which features an additional game mode with new stages. The original SNES version was released for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
.
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 SamaelSamael
Samael is an important archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore, a figure who is accuser, seducer and destroyer, and has been regarded as both good and evil...
in the Japanese version), who has kidnapped the Princess in order to obtain the whereabouts of the Goddess' Bracelet, the only weapon capable of destroying Sardius. After defeating Sardius and rescuing the Princess, Arthur must return to the beginning where the Princess hid the bracelet in order to destroy Sardius permanently. After re-doing his journey, Arthur defeats Sardius with the bracelet and returns the Princess to the kingdom.
Gameplay
Arthur starts the game with an ordinary suit of armor, which may be upgraded up to three times. No matter how upgraded, the character's 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. Arthur can always get his defenses back by finding new armor, which is in hidden treasure chests throughout the game. The first upgrade from the ordinary starting armor is to the bronze armor, which allows Arthur to use the more powerful, magical versions of his weapons. From the bronze, Arthur can upgrade again to the golden armor, which allows him to unleash special magical attacks unique to each weapon by charging with the attack button. The golden armor also comes with a sun shield, which may be used to block one projectile before breaking. The final upgrade comes in the form of a moon shield, which, in addition to blocking up to three projectiles, reduces the time needed to charge Arthur's magic attacks. Projectiles cannot be blocked while Arthur is moving, so in order to use the shields for defense, the player must stop and wait to be hit while facing the correct direction. For expert players, this means that aside from the reduction of charge time granted by the moon version, the shields are virtually worthless except in certain key situations (such as the boss of the sea level), as it is usually much easier and practical to dodge incoming attacks.Weapons also have a huge role in gameplay, as they determine not only the speed, trajectory, amount, and damage of Arthur's attacks, but also the specific "magic attack" that can be charged and unleashed with the possession of the golden armor. As with armor, weapons can be found in various hidden treasure chests throughout the game, and can additionally appear as a random drop from enemies. All weapons come with unlimited ammo, which is useful as most areas of the game feature unlimited waves of re-spawning monsters. Experienced players will find that all weapons are not created equal, and while some are generally good all the time (such as the dagger or its magical iteration), others are at best unwieldy and at worst practically unusable, depending on the situation. However, balancing that to some degree is the fact that some of the better charged magic attacks are linked to the more unpopular weapons, making them a viable alternative assuming the player has the golden armor.
Another key feature is the "Double Jump", which allows Arthur to leap into the air, and then leap again. The unique feature which makes this double jump different from its more common iterations is the fact 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. This adds greatly to the difficulty and challenge of the game, as it essentially affords no second chances or last minute adjustments. While aggravating to many novice players who view it strictly as a frustrating control flaw, more experienced players and fans of the game find the quirk to be an enjoyable, challenging layer to the gameplay that can be overcome and even exploited with practice.
Lastly, a system of hidden treasure chests add a unique twist to the game. Arthur is dependent on these chests for all his armor needs (weapons can be picked up from chests or enemies), and as the upgraded armors in turn provide the most powerful weapons and magic, finding the hidden chests becomes very important for survival. The unique aspect of the treasure chest system is that they are hidden and can only be accessed by moving through certain specific areas of the screen, which causes them to appear. This can make discovering the chests a challenge, as frequently the key to making a chest appear involves an unnecessarily reckless and difficult leap or movement through a dangerous area that might otherwise be completely avoided. Additionally, chests can be unearthed using the charge magic of the crossbow, which, instead of dealing damage to enemies, causes any hidden chests on the current screen to reveal themselves.
The treasure chests, when opened, may contain one of seven weapons: a lance, a dagger, a crossbow, a flame, a scythe, an axe, or a tri-blade. However, they may also contain a bear trap or an evil magician who, if the energy ball he releases hits Arthur, can turn him into either a baby (no armor), a seal (Steel Armor), a hornet (Bronze Armor), or a female peasant (Golden Armor), for five seconds.
Sticking with tradition, players have to complete the game twice in a row, the second time with a special weapon (the Goddess' Bracelet, which only appears during the second playthrough), before being treated to the true ending. At the true ending the evil boss Sardius, resembling a huge humanoid in golden armor, is confronted.
Stages
- 1-1 Cemetery, 1-2 Forbidden Forest, BOSS: CockatriceCockatriceA cockatrice is a legendary creature, essentially a two-legged dragon with a rooster's head. "An ornament in the drama and poetry of the Elizabethans", Laurence Breiner described it...
- 2-1 Ship Graveyard, 2-2 The Angry Seas, BOSS: KrakenKrakenKraken are legendary sea monsters of giant proportions said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland.In modern German, Krake means octopus but can also refer to the legendary Kraken...
- 3-1 Crucible of Flame, 3-2 Demon Towers, BOSS: Larva
- 4-1 Maze of Death, 4-2 The Ghoul's Stomach, BOSS: Hydra
- 5-1 Ice Forest, 5-2 Ice Wall, BOSS: Ice Warlord
- 6 & 7 Sardius's Castle, BOSSES: AstarothAstarothAstaroth , in demonology, is a Crowned Prince of Hell. He is a male figure named after the Canaanite goddess Ashtoreth.-Background:...
& NebirosNaberiusThe demon Naberius was first mentioned by Johann Wier in 1583. He is supposedly the most valiant Marquis of Hell, and has nineteen legions of demons under his command. He makes men cunning in all arts , but especially in rhetoric, speaking with a hoarse voice...
(listed as Asutaroto & Nebiroth) - 8 Sardius's Chamber (just final boss encounter)
Regional differences
The crosses in the game were modified from the Japanese Super Famicom version (Chōmakaimura), where they resemble church crosses, but in the SNES versions, they were modified into the AnkhAnkh
The ankh , also known as key of life, the key of the Nile or crux ansata, was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants ʻ-n-ḫ...
symbol. The final boss was also renamed from Samael
Samael
Samael is an important archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore, a figure who is accuser, seducer and destroyer, and has been regarded as both good and evil...
to Sardius.
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 ArthurCapcom Generations
is a series of five video game compilations released by Capcom in 1998 for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in Japan and Europe/Australia. Each volume contains three or four games from a particular series or game genre and were ported directly from their original arcade versions...
for PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, which was also released for the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
in Japan as Capcom Generation 2. This PS version of the game is also included in Capcom Classics Collection
Capcom Classics Collection
Capcom Classics Collection is a compilation of arcade games released by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on September 27, 2005. It was developed by Digital Eclipse Software . A second volume, Capcom Classics Collection Vol...
for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and Capcom Classics Collection: Reloaded for PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. The aforementioned ports are notable for having removed the slowdown which plagued the original Super NES version.
The Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
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 in 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 Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
on March 5, 2007 in North America.