Capcom's Ghosts 'n Goblins for NES! #videogame #gaming #retrogaming
31Released in 1985, this was actually the first NES/Famicom game to utilize a memory mapper chip. It's a conversion of their arcade game, and they brought all the challenge with it.
Arthur, on a quest to rescue the princess from a demon. The game's six stages are teeming with – you guessed it – ghosts and goblins, and the challenge is relentless. Arthur is surprisingly agile, but he's also fragile. One hit knocks off his armor, leaving him to battle in his boxers. A second hit? That's a life lost.
The controls are tight, which is crucial because Ghosts 'n Goblins is notorious for its difficulty. We're talking "NES hard" here. These days, everyone's talking about how tough Dark Souls is. Please! I'd love to see them beat Ghosts 'n Goblins. Thanks to the RAM limitations of the 8-bit hardware, the number of enemies on screen is somewhat limited, but they can still attack from any angle with projectiles.
Now, the beauty of Ghosts 'n Goblins is in the sheer terror and constant sense of dread you feel while playing. It's an experience best enjoyed without save states.
The whole concept of Ghosts 'n Goblins is a challenging experience that feels good to overcome. They truly don't make them like this anymore. Today, we have these sprawling, 100-hour games that are all about accessibility. Ghosts 'n Goblins guarantees you nothing. No guaranteed progress, just pure, unadulterated 8-bit pain. But, like a spicy hot chili pepper, it's a pain that's oddly satisfying.
The game is not afraid to be aggressively spicy. Fortunately, you have unlimited continues.