When Maximo was released last year on the Playstation 2 it was pretty obvious it was a 3 dimensional remake of Ghosts 'n' Goblins. Sharing a huge amount of similarities - eerie landscapes, inventive bosses and rock hard gameplay with its older siblings, Maximo proved very successful for Capcom (a sequel is in the works), so obviously they wanted to take the beloved series to other platforms.
Already well known for the huge amount of retro titles gracing its tiny screen, the Advance was the next logical step and the end result is one of the best platformers currently available on any system. Super Ghouls 'n' Ghosts tells the simple story of Arthur (an errant knight) who must rescue his beloved from the clutches of a nefarious demon. His quest takes him through various locations, ranging from Cemeteries to haunted ghost ships and a steely resolve is needed as you have to battle your way through swarms of evil undead should you ever wish to see your princess alive. Capcom have really spoiled us with this tiny cartridge, not only do we get the full Snes version in all its resplendent glory but also a special arrange version that combines both the Arcade and Snes versions to excellent effect. Needless to say you are certainly getting value for money from Capcom (a good thing with the somewhat high price of Advance games) and this move should be thoroughly applauded. As far as presentation goes things are kept simple with a few nicely animated cut scenes setting the mood rather nicely along with your typical difficulty modes and key configurations.
One word of warning about Ghouls 'n' Ghosts is that this is a very tough game. While it may not reach the infuriating levels of the Mega Man series (also by Capcom) anybody used to the likes of Mario and countless other Gameboy platformers are going to be in for a bit of a shock. Luckily for all you would-be damsel in distress rescuers, Capcom have supplied you with a vast assortment of goodies to help you on your perilous journey. Dotted about the levels at various hidden locations are locked chests and repeatedly firing at these will result in an array of weapons and armour to equip yourself with, certain zombies also carry pots with similar goodies in them.
Choosing from such delights as the double firing crossbow and the fast firing dagger there is plenty of choice and not surprisingly different weapons are more effective on some levels than on others. Armour to is also very important as one hit from an ghoulish foe will see you prancing about in a pair of boxer shorts until another chest hopefully reveals another new shiny suit. It is not all plain sailing though as certain chests conceal devilish sorcerers who will transform you into either an old man - complete with walking stick - or a completely harmless duck, great care must be taken here as these will not give you access to all your abilities.
It is not often you will hear somebody praising the Gameboy Advance's screen, however Ghouls 'n' Ghosts looks absolutely marvelous on it, detail is incredibly sharp with wonderfully high definition, a feat only achievable on such a small screen. Arthur and his demonic adversaries look perfectly at home as they jump, shuffle and run within the confines of the screen, all feature modest animation with the greatest attention being paid to the many bosses you will encounter. From the massive vulture at the end of the first level to the laser spewing hellspawn, many of them display superb animation and impressive mode 7 styled effects. The actual settings themselves are also very well detailed with the likes of a haunted ghost ship and a blizzard strewn mountain being just some of the game's many highlights.
Ghouls features some of the best tracks currently heard through the Advance's tiny speaker and bar a few extremely minor discrepancies will have many Snes aficionados not being able to tell the difference between the 2 versions. Boasting fantastic orchestral styled music that rivals the excellent Castlevania soundtrack by Konami, the playing experience is complemented perfectly. Capcom have done wonders with the Advance's sound chip, the only minor fault to be found is that the Arcade levels do not sound as rich as the Snes ones, this is however very minor and for many, will not be noticed.
Overall Ghouls 'n' Ghosts is a superb addition for the Advance, featuring splendid graphics, outstanding sound and good old fashioned gameplay it is a very worthy purchase. Capcom have many other impressive titles in their back catalogue and no matter how many gamers may slate these old remakes, when they are as good as this you really can't argue. More please Capcom.
