"Somewhat of a disappointment, but worth a try."

This version of Capcom's arcade classic was converted to the Commodore 64 by Software Creations and published by U.S. Gold. Most people either experienced the game through either the Arcade or the Genesis, but the Commodore 64 version is unique in its own right.

The story apparently takes place 3 years after the prequel, Ghosts 'n Goblins. Princess Hus (what?) has been abducted by demons again and it's up to the brave knight Arthur to save her. Not a very complex story. Did they take her just for the fun of it, or is there a greater plan to be unfurled? Either way, it's off to the Phantom Zone to go save her. For some reason, after killing Beelzebub, the game ends, so don't expect an epic finale against Lucifer.

The game plays much like its predecessor. Monsters will be hot on your trail until you kill them or they kill you. It's quite basic, but it's a difficult affair. One hit strips Arthur down to his underwear, and a second hit will turn him into a pile of bones. Being a sequel, this game has some additions to sport. Treasure chests containing a weapon, a new suit of armor, or a nasty magician can now be found in any given level. Added to the arsenal is the discus, which skims the ground when thrown in a crouching position. Also, the axe flies upward diagonally rather than arcing. Arthur can now fire his weapons vertically, and if he has the magic armor on, he can charge them for some powerful attacks. Unfortunately, you're still as fragile as ever.

The graphics are quite nice and do a respectable job of representing the Ghouls 'n Ghosts world, but they are not without their discrepancies. Some sprites have a transparent effect where they're supposed to be colored black, and some enemies, especially the famed Red Arremer, look just plain stupid.

The audio, without a doubt, is the high point of this game. This is where you'll find Tim Follin's magnum opus (that's masterpiece for those of you who don't know). Many of the tracks bear little to no resemblance to the original compositions, but it doesn't matter, because they're so fantastic you'll probably like them just the same, or maybe even better. The Level 3 music is a personal favorite of mine. The sound effects are great too, but I prefer to play with them off.

You may be thinking "Gee Stovepipe, you sure make this game seem like a real winner." Well here's where the game gets hit hard: it's really buggy. Don't get me wrong. The game functions quite competently, but it definitely could've used a few fixes. Platforming segments become a real chore due to the nature of the land. Don't be surprised if you fall through the floor a few times and end up dying. Speaking of platforms, the second half of Level 3 is made frustrating by one major flaw: you have to move along with the floating platforms. That's right. Rather than taking a smooth ride across the stage, you have to walk forward with the platform or you'll fall off and die. It doesn't help that up and jump are binded to the same key. You can't set them to two different keys either, which is a real pain because jumping can be unresponsive when you need it most. These bugs complicate an already difficult game to near impossibility.

On the bright side, some bugs are beneficial. If you're without armor, open a treasure chest with the magician inside. Let him transform you into a duck and let the effect wear off. Presto. A new suit of armor. Also, killing an enemy can sometimes net you over a million points, which equates to a lot of 1ups.

If you can look past the numerous bugs, you will find that there's a good time to be had in this game. Even though it's inferior to the original version, it's still a solid game all around.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/18/07

Game Release: Ghouls 'n Ghosts (US, 1989)