Classic Games

Ghosts 'n Goblins

This game is hard

Capcom's brutal 1985 platformer sent Arthur through graveyards and dungeons in his underwear, teaching patience through punishment.

C64SpectrumAmigaNES platformerarcadecapcom 1985–2024

Overview

Ghosts ‘n Goblins hated players. Capcom’s 1985 arcade game gave knight Arthur two hits before death, endless respawning enemies, tricky platforming, and a final insult: beat the game once, then beat it again at higher difficulty to see the true ending. It was unfair, addictive, and legendary.

Fast facts

  • Developer: Capcom.
  • Release: September 1985 (arcade).
  • Protagonist: Arthur, knight in shining armour (briefly).
  • Two-hit death: armour breaks on first hit; Arthur fights in underwear until second hit kills.
  • Loop requirement: must beat game twice for true ending.
  • Sequels: Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, series continues.
  • NES version: extremely popular, extremely difficult.

The difficulty

Ghosts ‘n Goblins earned its reputation:

  • Respawning enemies: killed enemies return if you retreat.
  • Two-hit death: no health bar, instant vulnerability after one mistake.
  • Weapon loss: picking up a new weapon drops your current one.
  • Red Arremer: flying demon enemy became infamous.
  • Second loop: harder version mandatory for real ending.

Arthur in his underwear

The two-hit system created memorable imagery:

  • First hit: armour shatters, Arthur continues in boxers.
  • Second hit: Arthur’s skeleton collapses.
  • Recovery: find new armour in chests.
  • Visual vulnerability reinforced mechanical vulnerability.

The weapons

Arthur could find new weapons (for better or worse):

  • Lance: default, decent range.
  • Dagger: fast but weak.
  • Torch: arcs, sets ground on fire.
  • Axe: arcs upward, situationally useful.
  • Shield: only weapon effective against final boss.

Accidentally grabbing the torch before a boss was devastating.

Home conversions

The game appeared on home platforms:

  • NES: extremely popular, maintained difficulty.
  • C64: Elite’s conversion captured the brutality.
  • Spectrum: playable despite hardware limitations.
  • Amiga/ST: arcade-quality graphics.

No version was easy.

Legacy

Ghosts ‘n Goblins established Capcom’s reputation for challenge. The “one more try” compulsion it created influenced difficulty design. The series continues—Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection (2021) maintained the tradition. Arthur’s underwear run remains gaming’s most iconic expression of vulnerability.

See also