What platforms is Ghostbusters on?

Ghostbusters was released on Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.

When did Ghostbusters release?

Ghostbusters was first released on June 29, 1990.

Ghostbusters

Jun 29, 1990ShooterPlatformSega Mega Drive/Genesis

Ghostbusters — frequently asked questions

What platforms is Ghostbusters on?: Ghostbusters was released on Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
When did Ghostbusters release?: Ghostbusters was first released on June 29, 1990.

About Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters was published by Sega and developed by Compile for the Mega Drive/Genesis on June 29, 1990. It is unrelated to the earlier Activision game (though their name still appears in the copyright screen), and is instead a run and gun game in which the player takes control of squat cartoon representations of three of the four Ghostbusters from the movie, with the noticeable absence of Winston Zeddemore. Four levels are available initially; after they are completed, a fifth level is unlocked, followed by a sixth and final level. Each level contains a number (usually two) of mid-bosses known as "middle ghosts"; after a middle ghost is defeated, it turns into a small green ghost which can be captured for extra money by luring it over a ghost trap. Between levels, money can be used to buy powerups, such as a 3-way shot or recovery items.

Summary via IGDB.

Ghostbusters on Wikipedia

Ghostbusters is an American supernatural comedy film franchise, based on an original concept created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis in 1984. The premise follows a group of eccentric New York City parapsychologists who investigate and eliminate ghosts, paranormal manifestations, demigods and demons. The franchise has expanded with licensed action figures, books, comics, video games, television series, theme park attractions and other branded merchandise. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts are the only actors to have appeared in all five films in the Ghostbusters franchise.

Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).

Game details

Developer: Sega / Compile
Publisher: Tec Toy
Game modes: Single player
Themes: Action, Fantasy, Science fiction, Horror, Comedy
Series: Ghostbusters

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

44/100

from 19 ratings

Every version compared

Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release

Platform	Year	Loose	Complete	Sealed	Period reviews	Fake risk
Sega Genesis	1990	$42	$90	$462	15 reviews	Low

Also released on: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. We haven’t priced or authenticated that version yet.

Collector value & authenticity

Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29

Loose

$42

Complete

$90

Sealed

$462

few sales

Other releases and variants

Release	Loose	Complete	Sealed
European (PAL) release	$41	$97	—
Japanese release	$34	$69	$200

How often it sells

Loose: about once a week
Complete: about once a week
Sealed: about once a year

Prices marked “few sales” rest on about one recorded sale a year, so treat them as a rough guide: the next copy could sell well above or below. Expect to wait for one to come up.

Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.

Price over time

Loose
Complete

A loose copy sold for about $17.59 in Jan 2008, $69 five years ago, and $42 as of Oct 2026.

Show as table

Month	Loose	Complete
Jan 2008	$17.59	—
Jan 2009	$14.00	—
Jan 2010	$20	—
Jan 2011	$15.99	—
Jan 2012	$18.98	—
Jan 2013	$18.84	—
Jan 2014	$19.49	$35
Jan 2015	$25	$41
Jan 2016	$32	$55
Jan 2017	$36	$51
Jan 2018	$34	$67
Jan 2019	$32	$63
Jan 2020	$37	$75
Jan 2021	$54	$95
Jan 2022	$64	$123
Jan 2023	$60	$135
Jan 2024	$40	$94
Jan 2025	$40	$80
Jan 2026	$35	$84
Oct 2026	$42	$90

Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.

Release record

Territory	Date	Barcode
North America	August 1990	010086010077
Europe / PAL	December 1990	—
Japan	30 June 1990	4974365540302

Source: Product numbers: MAME's Mega Drive software list and the No-Intro serial records in the libretro database, published where both agree on the same cartridge dump, or from the libretro records alone where MAME lists no number for that dump. Board and ROM numbers: MAME's software list

Region: NA+EU+JP
Released: 1990
Authenticity: Low

Modern re-releases, such as Sega Ages, the Genesis Mini and Nintendo Switch Online, are not tracked hereLow counterfeit risk

Sega Genesis prices, all games & how to spot a fake

A cartoony Ghostbusters platform shooter that was good fun in 1990 and is merely decent now, yet priced above most US carts.

This Ghostbusters was made by Sega and Compile for the Genesis and Mega Drive. It tells an original story based on the Ghostbusters films and is unrelated to Activision's 1984 Ghostbusters game. It came out in Japan on 30 June 1990, in North America in August 1990 and in Europe in December 1990.

Mean Machines Sega liked its humorous cartoon-style graphics, the superb end-of-level ghosts and the excellent tunes, and thought it would keep players amused for some time. In 2008 IGN's Levi Buchanan said it had been pretty cool at release, especially for fans, but had become a mediocre side-scroller whose play was fairly tame next to what the Genesis later saw.

What the press said at the time

Video Games & Computer Entertainment June 1990	June 1990	Sound & Music 8, Graphics 8, Playability 9
MegaTech Issue 23	November 1993	86%
MegaTech Issue 26	February 1994	84%
MegaTech Issue 27	March 1994	86%
MegaTech Issue 30	June 1994	86%
MegaTech Issue 34	October 1994	86%
ACE		815/1000
Computer and Video Games		82%
Famitsu		6/10, 6/10, 8/10, 5/10
The Games Machine		78%
Mean Machines		80%
Raze		72%
Sega-16		7/10
VideoGame		4/5
Mega Play		33/40

“This is the best run-jump-shoot game available yet for Genesis, plus it also has a terrific sense of humor.”
— Video Games & Computer Entertainment, June 1990

“Featuring humorous cartoon-style graphics - some of the end-of-level ghosts are truly superb - and some excellent tunes, Ghostbusters is a platform game which will keep you amused for some time.”
— MegaTech, March 1992

“Lots of variety, it plays well and it goes on for ages. … Music is a bit iffy.”
— MegaTech, November 1993

“Choose your favourite Ghostbuster, ready your proton pack and exorcise a whole load of spooks from platform-laden houses, thus uncovering a supernatural plot to plunge the city into the seventh level of Hell. It goes on for ages.”
— MegaTech, February 1994

Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Genesis version.

Before you buy

Among US carts it is one of the pricier ones, well above the middle. The European cart usually costs about the same as the US one. The Japanese cart usually costs somewhat less and has a different cartridge shape, so it needs an adapter or two plastic tabs removed from a Western console's slot. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.