Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Ghouls 'n Ghosts — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Ghouls 'n Ghosts on?
- Ghouls 'n Ghosts was released on Arcade, Sharp X68000, Atari ST/STE, Amiga, Sega Master System/Mark III, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Amstrad CPC, Commodore C64/128/MAX, ZX Spectrum, PC Engine SuperGrafx, iOS, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows).
- When did Ghouls 'n Ghosts release?
- Ghouls 'n Ghosts was first released on December 1, 1988.
About Ghouls 'n Ghosts
The gameplay for Ghouls 'n Ghosts is similar to that of Ghosts 'n Goblins. The player controls the knight Arthur, who must advance through a series of eerie levels and defeat a number of undead and demonic creatures in his quest to restore the souls stolen by Lucifer (Loki in the English-language Mega Drive and Sega Master System versions), including the soul of his lover, Princess Prin Prin. Along the way, Arthur can pick up a variety of weapons and armor to help him in his quest. While the core gameplay remains the same as its predecessor, the game now allows Arthur to fire directly upward and directly downward while in mid air. By jumping in certain spots, players can cause a treasure chest to erupt from the ground. By firing his weapon at the chest, players may uncover new weapons, gold armor or an evil magician that changes Arthur into an elderly man or a helpless duck. The gold armor allows players to charge up the weapon to release a powerful magical attack. Each weapon has its own special attack. There are five levels and Lucifer's chamber at the end, considered a sixth level in itself. To defeat the game, Arthur must complete level 1 to 5 twice. Upon completing level's 1 to 5 the first time, Arthur is taken back to level 1 again but this time a special weapon appears during the game. To enter Lucifer's chamber the player must have this special weapon equipped and defeat the penultimate boss.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Developer
- Capcom
- Publisher
- Capcom
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Fantasy, Horror
- Series
- Ghosts 'n Goblins
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Master SystemDetails ↓ | 1991 | $48 | $163 | — | 6 reviews | Low (look-alike) |
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1989 | $33 | $75 | $267 | 15 reviews | Low |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Genesis version ($33).
Also released on: Arcade · Sharp X68000 · Atari ST/STE · Amiga · Sega Master System/Mark III · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Amstrad CPC · Commodore C64/128/MAX · ZX Spectrum · PC Engine SuperGrafx · iOS · Android · PC (Microsoft Windows). We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Prices are per version and are not interchangeable, and neither are the reviews: conversions in this era were often built by a different studio than the original, so a score earned on one machine says nothing about how another plays.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $29 | $90 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about 6 times a year
- Complete: about once a month
- Sealed: about once a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-28.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $31 in Jul 2009, $60 five years ago, and $48 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $18.99 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $33 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $26 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $30 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $25 | $65 |
| Jan 2015 | $31 | $100 |
| Jan 2016 | $40 | $100 |
| Jan 2017 | $100 | $70 |
| Jan 2018 | $62 | $115 |
| Jan 2019 | $52 | $100 |
| Jan 2020 | $49 | $104 |
| Jan 2021 | $52 | $114 |
| Jan 2022 | $66 | $142 |
| Jan 2023 | $85 | $150 |
| Jan 2024 | $51 | $127 |
| Jan 2025 | $61 | $122 |
| Jan 2026 | $41 | $143 |
| Oct 2026 | $48 | $163 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date |
|---|---|
| North America | January 1991 |
| Europe / PAL | April 1991 |
| Brazil | 1991 |
- Region
- NA+EU+BR
- Released
- 1991
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Master System version
A solid 8-bit conversion of the Capcom arcade game that costs far more than most Master System carts in the US.
Ghouls 'n Ghosts is Capcom's arcade game, and Sega released a Master System conversion in 1991: in North America in January, in Europe in April, and by Tec Toy in Brazil. You play the knight Arthur, who must defeat undead and demonic creatures to restore everyone killed by Loki, including Princess Prin-Prin. In the Japanese original, that villain is Lucifer.
This page covers the Master System version. Sega and Arc System Works are credited as the developers.
How it was made
Credited to Sega and Arc System Works as developers, with Sega publishing in North America and Europe and Tec Toy in Brazil.
What the press said at the time
| Computer + Video Games Issue 114 | May 1991 | OVERALL 81% |
| Sega Pro Issue 19 | May 1993 | 90% |
| Sega Pro Issue 25 | November 1993 | 90% |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7/10, 8/10, 8/10, 7/10 | |
| Mean Machines | 80% | |
| Console XS | 90% |
“The graphics and sound are very close to the coin-op and the playability isn’t bad either with only a few minor glitches in the colli¬ sion detection throwing a spanner in the works.”
“A great medieval romp through the undergrowth and onto gigantic guardians. It may not háve all the speciál effects, but it plays like a dream. Buy it.”
“A great medieval romp through the undergrowth and onto gigantic guardians. it may not háve all the speciál effects, but it plays like a dream. Buy it.”
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Sega Master System version.
Also on other platforms
Arcade · Genesis · Amiga · Amstrad CPC · Atari ST · Commodore 64 · ZX Spectrum · PC Engine SuperGrafx · X68000 · iOS · Android · Windows
| Genesis | Sega |
| Amiga | Software Creations |
| Atari ST | Software Creations |
| Commodore 64 | Software Creations |
- Amiga. The Amiga version, like the other European computer ports, omits a great deal of detail from the arcade game.
How the other versions reviewed
| Arcade | ACE | Positive |
| Atari ST | ACE | 905/1000 |
| Amiga | Amiga Format | 91% |
| Arcade | Computer and Video Games | Positive |
| Atari ST | Computer and Video Games | 88% |
| Windows | Computer and Video Games | 85% (CPC) |
| ZX Spectrum | Computer and Video Games | 85% |
| Arcade | Crash | Positive |
| ZX Spectrum | Crash | 92% |
| ZX Spectrum | Sinclair User | 82% |
| Arcade | The Games Machine | Positive |
| Amiga | The Games Machine | 92% |
| Atari ST | The Games Machine | 90% |
| Windows | The Games Machine | 79% (CPC) |
| ZX Spectrum | The Games Machine | 85% |
| Arcade | Your Sinclair | 9/10 |
| ZX Spectrum | Your Sinclair | 91% |
| Amiga | Zzap!64 | 85% |
| Commodore 64 | Zzap!64 | 96% |
| Arcade | Commodore User | 9/10 |
| Amiga | Commodore User | 89% |
| Commodore 64 | Commodore User | 83% |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Before you buy
Three releases are listed: the US cart, the European cart and the Brazilian Tec Toy cart. The US cart is well above the middle of the American games, while the European cart usually costs a good deal less, both loose and complete. Because the US console plays European carts, check a US listing carefully: a box with text in five to eight languages is European. The look-alike risk is low. Check that the manual is there, since it is the part most often missing from a complete copy.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $26 | $77 | $137 |
| Japanese release (Dai Makaimura) | $19 | $72 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about 2 times a week
- Complete: about 2 times 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 $4.97 in Jan 2008, $45 five years ago, and $33 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $4.97 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $9.90 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $5.34 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $7.99 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $7.73 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $14.49 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $15.99 | $28 |
| Jan 2015 | $22 | $39 |
| Jan 2016 | $22 | $40 |
| Jan 2017 | $34 | $45 |
| Jan 2018 | $24 | $50 |
| Jan 2019 | $22 | $49 |
| Jan 2020 | $27 | $55 |
| Jan 2021 | $30 | $71 |
| Jan 2022 | $40 | $90 |
| Jan 2023 | $35 | $66 |
| Jan 2024 | $30 | $65 |
| Jan 2025 | $28 | $59 |
| Jan 2026 | $30 | $65 |
| Oct 2026 | $33 | $75 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | October 1989 | — | 010086010022 |
| Europe / PAL | November 1990 | — | — |
| Japan | 3 August 1989 | G-4013 | 4974365540135 |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1989
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Genesis version
A strong, hard Genesis conversion of Capcom's arcade game that earned top awards in 1989 and still sits above the middle on price.
This is the Genesis version of Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Capcom's arcade sequel to Ghosts 'n Goblins, converted by Sega and programmed by Yuji Naka. It reached Japan on 3 August 1989, North America in October 1989 and Europe in November 1990. You play the knight Arthur, fighting through undead and demonic hordes to rescue Princess Prin-Prin. In the English-language Genesis game the villain is Loki, where the Japanese original has Lucifer.
It was received very well at home: Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Genesis version four awards for 1989, including Best Game of the Year, and the Computer Entertainer Awards named it Genesis Game of the Year. MegaTech called it a superb, stunning conversion of the coin-op. It was later included on the Sega Genesis Mini.
What the press said at the time
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 20 | August 1993 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 26 | February 1994 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 27 | March 1994 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 30 | June 1994 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 33 | September 1994 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 34 | October 1994 | 93% |
| ACE | 895/1000 | |
| Computer and Video Games | 96% | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 36/40 | |
| Raze | 93% | |
| Mega Action | 90% | |
| Mega Drive Advanced Gaming | 86% | |
| Sega Power | 92% | |
| Sega Pro | 93% |
“Ghouls ‘N’ Ghosts is a faithful replication of the arcade game upon which it’s based. The graphics are extraordinary, the music is delightfully atmospheric and the game play is tough and addictive.”
“Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts is a stunning conversion on the classic coin-op, combining stunning graphics and sound with very challenging gameplay. It’s a truly superb game, and is a must for your Megadrive software library.”
“Ghouls 'n' Ghosts is a stunning conver-skjn on the dassic coin-op, combining stunning graphics and sound with very challenging gameplay. It's a truly superb game, and is a must for your Mecadrive software library.”
“Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts is a stunning conversion on the classic coin-op, combining stunning graphics and sound with very challenging gameplay. It’s a truly superb game, and is a must for your Megadrive software library.”
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Genesis version.
How the Sega Genesis version differs
In the English-language Genesis version the villain Lucifer is renamed Loki.
The Genesis version won four awards from Electronic Gaming Monthly, including Best Game of the Year.
Also on other platforms
Master System · Arcade · Amiga · Amstrad CPC · Atari ST · Commodore 64 · ZX Spectrum · PC Engine SuperGrafx · X68000 · iOS · Android · Windows
| Amiga | Software Creations |
| Arcade | Capcom |
- Amiga. The European computer versions were all handled by Software Creations and omit a great deal of detail from the arcade version.
- Commodore 64. Many computer ports carry Tim Follin's soundtrack, which is especially respected on the Commodore 64, Atari ST and Amiga.
How the other versions reviewed
| Arcade | ACE | Positive |
| Atari ST | ACE | 905/1000 |
| Amiga | Amiga Format | 91% |
| Arcade | Computer and Video Games | Positive |
| Atari ST | Computer and Video Games | 88% |
| Windows | Computer and Video Games | 85% (CPC) |
| ZX Spectrum | Computer and Video Games | 85% |
| Arcade | Crash | Positive |
| ZX Spectrum | Crash | 92% |
| ZX Spectrum | Sinclair User | 82% |
| Arcade | The Games Machine | Positive |
| Amiga | The Games Machine | 92% |
| Atari ST | The Games Machine | 90% |
| Windows | The Games Machine | 79% (CPC) |
| ZX Spectrum | The Games Machine | 85% |
| Arcade | Your Sinclair | 9/10 |
| ZX Spectrum | Your Sinclair | 91% |
| Amiga | Zzap!64 | 85% |
| Commodore 64 | Zzap!64 | 96% |
| Arcade | Commodore User | 9/10 |
| Amiga | Commodore User | 89% |
| Commodore 64 | Commodore User | 83% |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits above the middle. The European cart usually costs less than the US one when loose and about the same when complete, and the Japanese cart (Dai Makaimura) is the same story with a bigger loose discount. The Japanese cartridge has a different shape from a Western one, 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.
Ghouls 'n Ghosts screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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