Video games - Ghouls 'n Ghosts

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	Video games - Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Ghouls 'n Ghosts (J: 大魔界村 Dai Makaimura', or "Great Demon World Village") is a platform game/run and gun developed by Capcom and released as an arcade game in 1988, and subsequently ported to a number of other platforms. It is a sequel to the arcade game Ghosts 'n Goblins
, and a prequel to the SNES game Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
.

The series is known for its spooky setting and music, its difficult gameplay and humour. Players take on the role of the Arthur the knight, who must recover his bride's (Princess Prin Prin) soul from Loki. They have to run through a series of ever-stranger settings, jumping, throwing daggers and holy water, destroying undead, collecting treasure, fighting bizarre bosses, and often stripping down to their boxer shorts (Arthur's armor is completely removed when he is hit).

A number of ports of Ghouls 'n Ghosts had the original arcade music replaced with new tunes and arrangements by composer Tim Follin.

Gameplay

The gameplay for Ghouls n' Ghosts is similar to that of Ghosts 'n Goblins. The player controls the knight Arthur, who must advance through a series of spooky levels and defeat a number of undead and demonic creatures in his quest to restore souls stolen by Loki, including the soul of his bride, Princess Prin Prin. Along the way, Arthur can pick up a variety of weapons and armor to help him in his quest.

Series innovations

While the core gameplay remains the same as its predecessor, there are a few extra abilities granted to Arthur, aside from the abilities to jump and fire weapons. By holding up on the joystick while firing a weapon, Arthur will throw the weapon straight into the air, which is very handy for attacking airborne enemies such as the Red Arremer.

By jumping in certain spots, Arthur can cause a treasure chest to erupt from the ground. By firing his weapon at the chest, Arthur may find new weapons, an evil magician that can change him into an elderly man or a helpless duck, or the gold armor. The gold armor allows Arthur to charge up his weapon to release a powerful magical attack. Each weapon has its own magic attack.

These innovations softened the difficulty a bit, and while the game is by no means easy, it's widely considered the least difficult of the series.

Weapons

Arthur is armed with one of the following weapons. Only one can be carried at any time.

Lance: Arthur begins with this weapon. It moves in a straight line across the screen. The Lance's magic power is a lightning spell, which causes Arthur to fire lighting bolts to his left, right, and directly above himself.

Dagger: The dagger behaves like the lance, but it is much faster, and Arthur can throw three at once, instead of just two. The Dagger's magic causes Arthur to create a mirror image of himself for a short time, which will follow Arthur's every move. This can be used to attack twice as much as Arthur normally could.

Torch : Arthur lobs a torch a short distance in front of himself, which burns the ground for a short period of time. Generally considered a difficult weapon use effectively. The Torch's magic causes four fireballs to encircle Arthur and spread out.

Axe : The axe travels very slowly, but it can cut through enemies, allowing you to attack multiple enemies at once. Arthur can only throw a single axe at a time. The Axe's magic causes explosions to erupt in the area near Arthur.

Sword: The only non-projectile weapon. Arthur simply swings the sword in front of himself. To make up for its short range, the sword is twice as powerful as Arthur's other weapons. The sword's magic causes a dragon to appear and attack enemies.

Discus: The discus is similar to the Lance, but if you kneel while throwing it, it will hug the ground, which is useful on hilly terrain. The Discus' magic makes a mirror appear directly in front of Arthur, which will protect him, and damage any enemies that come in contact with it.

Psycho Cannon : The Psycho Cannon can only be obtained on Arthur's second time through the game, and it is the only weapon that can defeat Loki. He can find it by opening a treasure chest while wearing the gold armor. Arthur throws a blast of magic directly in front of himself. The attack's range is dependent on what armor Arthur is wearing. If he's in his boxers, the range is extremely short, while it's more respectable when he's wearing gold armor. Additionally, with the gold armor, it can destroy enemy projectiles. The strength of the Psycho Cannon depends on how close Arthur is to an enemy when he uses it. If Arthur attacks from close range, it is easily the most powerful weapon in the game.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Ghouls 'n Ghosts ]

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