Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts has a reputation. It’s often quoted by veteran gamers as being one of the most difficult titles ever made. I’m here to tell you that reputation is absolutely justified. Playing as the brave knight Sir Arthur you set off on a quest to rescue your girlfriend from a myriad of demonic beasties across some beautifully designed levels.
Ghouls ‘n Ghosts had been released for the NES and unlike Super Mario World or Super Castlevania, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts doesn’t make any alterations over its predecessor. The mighty hero Arthur still moves from left to right throwing an assortment of weapons at the minions of evil. Enemies still swarm, platforms still crumble and Arthur still loses his armor when he gets hit by a foe. If he takes one more hit while he’s parading around in his grundy undies, it’s game over.
As mentioned before, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is hard. It’s classic “Nintendo hard”. There is literally no margin for player error, this title has no mercy. However, one of the changes the Super Nintendo version implements is upping the frequency of power-up drops and also providing our hero with a double-jump.
In order to survive from moment to moment, you need to know the enemy patterns inside-out. You need to know where power-ups will spawn, and which weapon is suited for which bad guy. You need to know where platforms will give out on you and where the actual stage background will rise up to kill you.
Despite its high difficulty, it keeps players coming back due to its fairness. You don’t feel cheated each time you lose a life. You realize that its due to your own failings as a gamer. Unlike the progression system of modern-day hard as nails games such as Dark Souls. Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts expects you to get the job done in a single sitting. You are invited to try the game as many times as you like, but Arthur’s only possessions are the weapons he digs out of the ground and the boxers he wears around his middle.
Is this a game you will enjoy? It all comes down to whether you want to play a game that requires you to remember the terrain shifts, enemy movements and power-up spawns. Will you become frustrated with a game that forces you to learn the hard way through your mistakes? Are you ok with a game that kills you in two hits, but is miserly about health restoration and checkpoints?
For my part, I always enjoy coming back to this title. I have no illusions that I will beat it, especially as to get the true ending you must complete the game twice, back to back. I do however try to get a little further each time and that is reward enough for me.
