Format: Cartridge
Genre: Action platformer
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Sega

Obviously the Sega Genesis' 64 simultaneous on-screen color limitation is no match for the mighty CPS arcade board. It's still a shame though that the Genesis port's artists couldn't do a little better than the poorly detailed scenery art and almost completely black and empty backdrops. But as a very early Genesis game, it's still a big step up from the NES.

The Genesis rendition of Tamayo Kawamoto's soundtrack is wonderful-- the synthy sound actually lends more atmosphere to the title than the arcade version's more orchestral renditions. Sound effects, such as the bouncing turtle shells on stage two, or the gargoyle tongue sounds on the third stage, are memorable and filled with character.

Level design in a title like this is all-important, and Ghouls'n Ghosts doesn't disappoint. For many it will require just a little too much precision. But direct and predictable character and stage actor behaviors mean that in the end, success comes down exclusively to the player's skill, which is the way a title like this should work.

Like many of the game's forebears, including its direct predecessor Ghostsn' Goblins, Ghoulsn' Ghosts is an extraordinarily difficult action platformer that requires lots of memorization, and depends on the satisfaction that eventual mastery provides. It may not be as stylish or atmospheric as the competing Castlevania series, but still provides enough verve and solid design to be worthwhile.