Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Genesis) Playthrough - NintendoComplete

A playthrough of Sega's 1989 arcade port for the Sega Genesis, Ghouls 'n Ghosts.
Played on the professional difficulty level, both loops and the best ending are shown.
The sequel to Ghosts 'n Goblins is a big step up - it looks and sounds great and is much, much easier than it's predecessor. The Genesis port is quite good - not as good as the Supergrafx port, mind you, but the game is here completely intact, and looks and sounds damn good for a 1989 game.
I'm serious about the difficulty. It's hard to believe this game actually sits between Ghouls 'n Ghosts and Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts in the series for how comparatively not difficult it is. I wouldn't call it easy, but I never swore at it once, and I seem to remember way back I beat it in under a week (unlike SGnG, which as a kid took me years).The second round is even easier. Getting the magic shooting weapon at the beginning really allows you to fly through the game virtually unopposed.
_____
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
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[@Setheroph1]

30 years on and I still remember my dad's pattern going through this game. RIP mate.

[@itszondo9414]

Jamie Grayson rip found this game in a bag in my closet connected it and it still works🙌

[@TheDakotaCruiser]

20+ years since I last played this and I still found myself trying to push a jump button at the right moment

[@ivanasukjadic1423]

You call your dad "mate"???

[@M0j0J0j0]

So cool

[@Alex-wh9pz]

@@ivanasukjadic1423 compañero de vida

[@damnskipper9597]

This game makes me feel an emotion that doesn't exist.

[@giovannyalpizar5351]

I felt disappointed when I got this instead of the Arcade version on the Wii Virtual Console. I was super confused on why the graphics and soundtrack was off by a lot, then I realized that it said “GENESIS” and not “Arcade”.

[@jamesdailing3198]

Would like this comment but don't wanna ruin the 69. XD

[@Bloodreign1]

@@giovannyalpizar5351 It's a decent port, but a major step down from the arcade CPS1 original.

[@beadlebaby90]

Absolute legend of a game, so many hours spent dying over and over!

[@typicalavocado9001]

Yeah, hope 🥲

[@EdmundLoh]

One of those games that I remember playing but forgot the name. Nearly 3 decades later and I'm glad to find it again! Crazy ass difficult.

[@roderickstockdale1678]

You must’ve not played much Genesis!

[@HalifaxHercules]

@@roderickstockdale1678 Super Ghouls and Ghosts was much worse.

[@MrCriss287]

I still play this game with my dad. he transmitted to me the passion for the 80s between games and music. I am very grateful to him for that

[@MaleOrderBride]

The monsters in this game were so creative and scary! A slug with maggots crawling out of it's skin?! Statues with slimy tongues?! It was so cool for a 9yr-old like me to play back in the day!

[@youisiaint]

Check out Ghostbusters for the Genesis

[@yoliuwus5000]

I was 6 or 7 years

[@smoketj4830]

Its because the creator is japanese, japanese have a lot of mythology on supernatural creatures in their culture, my favorite game of all time! the one and only game i couls play every single day and not get bored.

[@ericandre5060]

I feel like Arthur would be great in smash bros Edit: wow I wrote this two years. I guess my wish came true btw

[@KonaKonaKaabisteru]

He made nice rounds as a Mahvel-character twice now, so hey, why not.

[@frankjosephjaeger2675]

Yes Arthur All The Way Eat Your Heart Out Shovel Knight

[@bremarcle2729]

Player? Yeah I guess an computer generated Knight could pop out of your television and play 1V1 with you.

[@44TKO]

I think they added him in

[@rattfathervods8158]

@@44TKO They did not

[@eray1818]

Rule 1: Get the Knife! Rule 2: Get the Knife!! Rule 3: Get the Knife!!!!!!!!

[@treattrick8991]

rule 4;get the goddess power afterwards

[@treattrick8991]

just a little known fact to get the true ending

[@marhansgamingchannel4732]

But it's on NES version

[@MoscAmer]

fire for fish!

[@BrickmanZero]

@@marhansgamingchannel4732 The knife stills is good in ghouls 'n ghosts

[@ATR-_]

This was the hardest game I ever played as a child

[@reubaloo8871]

This game is teeth I still ain't complete it yet

[@Bloodreign1]

It's considered the easiest of the original trilogy too, yet can still be a major pain to beat.

[@2manyW]

@@Bloodreign1 Wait it was a trilogy? I thought it was just ghouls and ghosts n and ghosts n goblins.

[@haitolawrence5986]

Incredibly challenging. I got this game for Christmas and the family stayed up until 2 am that day until I finally beat it. Great times!!

[@DamienCollettiGamer]

@@haitolawrence5986 Wow nice! Sounds like good times and memories!

[@TheHulk2008]

Wouldn't be a Ghost and Goblins game if you didn't go through the game twice.

[@xavieryager1584]

ikr

[@thesnare100]

Honestly I hated it, I could do it, at least with this game. I just didn't want to, such a pain.

[@carolinealba2598]

OMG my childhood anxiety, remembering all the times I screamed and threw my controller on the floor.

[@Thesussysuscat]

Screw that blue torch weapon

[@juicefloyd9902]

True more like screw the sword

[@ericandre5060]

andy g If you use it correctly it’s pretty useful plus it’s way better than the axe which is slow and does little damage

[@the_relaxing_tony2818]

GET THE KNIFE

[@sigilvii]

no kidding, I got stuck on the first boss with that stupid thing and it took me forever to beat him

[@an0ana]

I always said screw that axe!

[@SaschaOnBass]

Wow! This is part of my childhood! :-) I love the music! Its fantastic and gives me backflashes... :-)

[@solarflare9078]

This is really great considering it's a launch title for the Genesis

[@youisiaint]

Most of Genesis' launch titles were arcade ports. Strider, Mercs, Altered Beast etc. to show what the system was capable of

[@thewolf2153]

@@youisiaint None of them matched the arcade in any way, shape or form.

[@lancercncs1822]

@@thewolf2153 Umm.. yeah they did. I am surprised how close the Genesis Ghouls and Ghosts is to the original Arcade version ( in looks, gameplay, and sound).

[@Bloodreign1]

@@lancercncs1822 Sound? Not at all, when weapons hit tombstones, or rocks, that metallic clank can really pierce the eardrums. Gameplay is fine, but looks, again a miss, most of the background detail that gave the arcade version a lot of it's beauty is quite simply gone. Sega should've gone 8 megs with the cart, and is why a fan is working on try to redo the game with a hack that brings back a lot of the detail that was cut out of this port.

[@DamienCollettiGamer]

I hadn't played this game in a long time until recently and you sure made Level 1 look even easier than when I played it! Nice job mate!

[@badguy9828]

played this game a few times when I was 5-6 years old and I never made it past the 2:00 mark but still loved playing it over and over again xD.

[@ryanamberger]

Awesome run! I love the music on the second level.

[@ryanamberger]

Have you ever thought about speed running? You definitely have the necessary skill, most notably your reaction time. Would love to see you at a GDQ.

[@NintendoComplete]

+Ryan Amberger The idea never really appealed to me tbh. I would get bored playing it over and over and over trying to shave a few more seconds off each time :/ lol. Thanks for the compliment though!

[@GardevoirBoy1991]

Sega and Capcom seem to be best friends. They've made a bunch of great arcade ports.

[@anthonyjohnson7117]

That music classic 😂

[@MrMudEagle]

We played this game, and Tommy Lasorta baseball. So much fun. You were the man if you could go all the way round twice with no deaths.

[@mrk45]

Game: Congrats, you beat all the levels. Player: Phew, that was tough. Game: Now do it all over again. Player:...

[@thorboysen3318]

A game of my youth...! I was so frustrated when i learned i had to start again after beating the last enemy! But it was still a great game to Play with nice sounds...!

[@Bloodreign1]

Except when you hit stone with your weapon, the arcade version has a far softer, and easier on the ears sound effect for that, while the Genesis version is a tad ear splitting.

[@damin9913]

I don't start over I play one time and that's it I'm done 😂

[@TheTha411]

Get the Knife! -AVGN

[@gouravchakraborty9801]

Goddess power is the best

[@BfmvJake]

I use to watch and play this with my grandma and finding this game and gameplay is some seriously cool nostalgia. I'd love to buy this game and play again.

[@starstarstar4643]

Get the sega genesis mini, it has this game and 40 other games with save states meaning you can pause and save whenever you want which is helpful for games this difficult

[@sabbathtribute]

Wow. Whoever is playing this is awesome.

[@damin9913]

I still play mine

[@mrlosangeles6928]

Man remember my dad bought this game for me and my brother’s back in the day man did we love it

[@eagletrippin]

In-fucking-credible. I had this game as an early teen. But didn't have the instruction manual. Had ZERO idea you could activate special powers with the golden armor, always thought it was pointless. Fuck my life. At least this will be useful while playing this on my mini...

[@CamsObese]

I remember playing this with my dad like 9 years ago and him telling me this was his childhood favourite game, it was mine too

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

i remember buying my dilapidated cartridge for this on Genesis at some shitty mall in Sacramento with my dumb friends with me really fun times

[@jrowlandj]

I'm sure everybody thinks their era was the best to be alive in, but in the 80's we had Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Castlevania and Splatterhouse. Nuff' said.

[@Wolfdragon92584]

Definitely the best launch game for the system, and one of the more enduring platformers of the time. Too bad Capcom pretty much abandoned the Genesis for SNES later on; they had an incredible start on Genesis.

[@Turbotef]

Sega ported this, not Capcom. Capcom came back hard on the Genesis in 1993 actually.

[@roderickstockdale1678]

@@Turbotef only one game

[@pandnh4]

33 minutes?? You've inspired me to pick this up again

[@The-Great-Gonzo]

Great play through. You make it look easy.

[@ServiceInstaller]

Loved this game, great to watch it played through with ease. I can see you're on the second playthrough cause level 2 looks like someone forgot to wash the blue goo off the TV-.

[@Ayezil]

watching this gave me a nostalgia flashback and helped me remember another childhood game, lady sia. damn good ol psp days

[@laughingatthesky7]

Some of the levels in this game used to scare the crap out of me cause if you look around at the scenery it's really dark and spooky. It's just something's about that pitch black background that gives me the jeebies.

[@fleskel]

Indeed, just look at the houses burning down in the background of the fire level.

[@Bloodreign1]

That's because this port is missing a lot of background detail. The arcade and 32 bit ports of the game (PS1 and Saturn) have nice background detail, really adds more to the game's atmosphere.

[@Sega_Dreams]

I was always the same about pitch black backgrounds. Metroid and Kid Icarus come to mind as games that creeped me out as a kid, in large part due to the black backgrounds.

[@bamerloko23]

I was born in 1986 I played this game and I was a kid never beat the damn thing I’m sitting in my office at lunchtime watching this video rooting for you to win! Thanks for the video

[@gregoriogonzalez2206]

This player is a freakin pro!👍😍🔥🔥

[@cristianpixio]

it is clearly a Trained game... see at 19:03....

[@NintendoComplete]

Thanks!

[@4hisglory864]

Lol this use to be my game I was so excited when I thought I beat it only to find out I had to play through again 🤣

[@user0O-]

One of my most favorite games along with super ghouls n ghosts the knights in the 3rd level to this day still creep me out especially when it begins moving towards you

[@MrVolcomclassic]

9:34 Crazy I've never seen a green skeleton. Looks like a glitch cause he started out blue. Regardless still cool.

[@Catswholesome]

I seen it when I was like 3 or 4 I was super confused (played on emulator 11 years ago. Still do to this day)

[@Sithno]

ahhh G&G the original "troll" game where mario lead you on with "sorry mario but our princess is in another castle" this game just Flat out gives you the finger and says "OHHH by the way all your hard work YEAH fooled YOU go back to start dumbass and do it all over again"

[@louiskeiflin5858]

Arthur(show two middle fingers to the troll and say): B****. (Just for comedy, not insulting you, sorry)

[@alextouchstone1334]

New Game + lol

[@anacatarina1388]

What an awesome Super Mario, Castlevania & Legend of Zelda inspiration⚔😈✌

[@NewShockerGuy]

Blue flame... that shit ALWAYS happens to me. You get a good weapon and the boom stupid ass blue flame..arg. This game is awesome yet I can remember screaming in frustration as a kid.. It's like this instantly took me back 25 years.

[@GeeEm1313]

Epic music. I used to live this game as a kid. Getting to Loki and kicking his butt was always a great joy.

[@Bloodreign1]

Censorship at it's best, renaming the final boss Loki, when Lucifer is it's name in the arcade original. Super GnG would rename Samael into Sardius for the US release.

[@FriedLobsterFilmsMovieCompany]

33:32 "As Arthur and the Princess rode off towards the kingdom, they both looked back. Staring back at them from the distance, was a shadowy cloud with a demonic looking face with evil red eyes. Arthur shielded the Princess yet still stared back at the dark demon. Knowing deep down...his battle wasn't over yet...

[@noahpierce792]

So hyped for the new one, only a few more days

[@walkingworld8856]

oh my good i cry when i see this video i 37 years really this game ......RIP MATE

[@TheRedRaven_]

This game was so creepy, the music especially on Genesis.

[@goo83]

this was one of my favorite games on NES and SNES and I never once knew there was a Genesis version of it!!!!! 😱

[@Bloodreign1]

The Genesis game is an arcade port, and the middle game in the original trilogy, which expanded with a Wonderswan game, a PSP game and it's second revision, and some cellphone games in Japan.

[@theretrogamingnerd3316]

The Snes version is "Super Ghouls n ghouls" which is very different from this game. This is "Ghouls n Ghosts" released on the saga genesis. In this game you can shoot up and down, but in "Super Ghouls N Ghosts", the snes game, you can't shoot up or down but can double jump, which you could not do in this game. This game is very different from "Super Ghouls N Ghosts".

[@bigbenVelazquez]

dam i miss this game. had the pleasure of beating it back then.

[@joshbrekke6374]

Great Run!

[@adambennett2737]

Takes me back to my school days

[@Geerladenlad]

Had fun playing this as a kid.

[@thanatoastiii6341]

That music is on a whole other level of amazing

[@Nikhilkumar-qj7ro]

This brings back alot of memories....

[@josephshatrowsky]

This game really isn't that hard. I can get through it pretty fast, but I've played the shit out of it as a child. No matter how old I get, this game will ALWAYS be one of my all time faves. Best game in the series, even if it isn't hard. The gameplay is just awesome. \

[@jackburton6239]

I like Super GnG better personally. This one has more balanced weapons and faster action. SGnG has better graphics, sound, music, and feels more epic to me.

[@evan2902]

Joseph Shatrowsky just goes to show that, unlike boomers claim, a game doesn’t need to be super difficult to be fun. 1CCing both loops on professional, however, is another story entirely.

[@Heaven-dy9lj]

@@jackburton6239 Yeah the slowdown is mighty epic on the Snes.

[@Turbotef]

@@Heaven-dy9lj Yeah, its a nice looking game but not by much. I still owned and enjoyed both versions but still enjoyed and replayed the Genesis version more.

[@Heaven-dy9lj]

@@Turbotef me too. I had both but preferred the Genesis.

[@JakobeOG]

I didn't even play this as a child yet I get nostalgia from it

[@synergy021]

First few seconds in and I can already tell this is a better version than the old snes one I used to play.

[@Bloodreign1]

So you consider a game with background detail nearly axed out better than a game with a better sounding soundtrack, more ROM space? Yikes. Can't compare play mechanics either as both use different mechanics entirely, the only shared thing is the armors, and the magic that comes with them, though between games, the magic attacks are different. Sorry, though this port plays well and is fun, it is ugly as sin, sound effects for weapons hitting stone are far too shrill (the sound in the arcade version is a much softer tone), and a first stage theme completely ruined by being slower in tempo than it should (listen to the arcade version for the correct tempo). That difference in small ROM size makes a huge difference, an 8 meg cart was sorely needed, and is why there is a fan who is redoing the game, fixing the things Sega screwed up, whether he finishes the hack or not is a different story.

[@tifforo1]

29:42 - 29:58 That music REALLY seems like Pokemon or Super Smash Brothers Melee.

[@Sandlot1992]

It sure does!

[@liammarron5744]

It really does!

[@thewillyman5401]

Oh yeah, and it came out a good few years before this game

[@deansnipah2895]

The green disk was my fave out of all the weapons.

[@damin9913]

1:58 this is part of the music I love listening too it's so wonderful 😊

[@koryandrews1665]

The eyeball cloud boss is reminiscent of a similar boss from Kirby's Dream Land

[@andrewmorrice9139]

Kracko is the one!

[@koryandrews1665]

Yep! Thats it, Kracko. Been forever since I played Kirby's Dream Land. Couldn't quite remember the bosses name. Loved that game when I was a kid.

[@MeximidgeComedy]

Its actually a Japanese folklore monster.

[@nightshadebrown7593]

I loved this games I used to play tgis on my genesis system and on arcade. Bring back memories of your childhood.

[@neftaliriverajr503]

The Demon Tongue Mountain with the theme to match it freaked me out when I first play it as a kid, cool but creepy😵👿

[@an0ana]

I'm blown away that you made it through the whole game in the time you did and with no damage. Damn! I never was able to beat it till I was an adult. Even playing it for fun, it can still take me some time to beat the whole game.

[@darkchrisuk]

Very Nice. Just like my run, but without game over appearing every 30 seconds

[@asadmuneer168]

Still remember, Childhood memories 💜

[@CWHolleman]

Anyone who grew up playing this on Genesis vs SNES...My deepest condolences.

[@Bloodreign1]

It's still playable, and was a launch title, but Sega didn't really do the game justice by using just a 4 meg cart, when an 8 meg cart would've sufficed. They did the same thing with Forgotten Worlds, and is a major reason why 2 stages got axed from the Genesis version over the arcade original.

[@ISEEKSPACE]

My favorite game of all time 😌

[@aronkaspar6369]

This game is incredibly frustrating. Glad i get to see pros playing or i would never see the end.

[@MidRainNight]

I was like 8 when I beat this game. Took me a couple of days, but i beat it

[@KaijuForceNeo]

Ah yes! I downloaded a Rom of this on my Nintendo Wii back in 2010. It was pure fun in spite of its difficulty.

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

Respectable port consider the Genesis has low colors and memory and this was an early game for the system Its better than the Supergrafx version in some ways

[@andrewmorrice9139]

19:00 what ARE those blue block things that appear on the second run through the levels?

[@pabloermanni3546]

Sono passati anni da quando giocavo con questo gioco ma rimane sempre il gioco più bello in assoluto. 👍👍

[@chiraggodhaniya4909]

I still have this game . And I am still playing it. Call me old fashioned but I love it 😅😅

[@EthanHeathen]

That was legiot amazing to watch dude. Is there just one person who does all these plathroughs?

[@NintendoComplete]

+EthanHeathen Yup, just me.

[@EthanHeathen]

Pretty damn amazing man. I remember when I was a young lad, I used to base my worth off of how many NES games I beat. Watching you, and how fucking GREAT you are at all these is very humbling.

[@NintendoComplete]

+EthanHeathen Hahaha thanks :) I remember I used to love counting as a kid how many I could beat. I think though that really I've just spent waaaay too much time playing old games. There comes a point where they just aren't really that hard anymore, but it took me forever to get like that. Many of them at least lol, some are still absolute bitches that I can't beat at all

[@NintendoComplete]

+EthanHeathen Mutant Virus on the NES is one really obnoxious example ;D

[@craigkrane3901]

NintendoComplete So what’s your moby dick of games? What’s the one you always wanted to beat but can’t?

[@iulianispas8634]

I play only the Nes version this looks amazing I like the music

[@NintendoComplete]

Oh man all of the 16bit games were soooooo much better than the NES one

[@ivanasukjadic1423]

This game is the most I've ever played.

[@MrTheil]

The cave slug boss always pisses me off

[@an0ana]

I always thought it was a maggot, but yes. If you didn't have the knifes or the green glaive, you were Fed.

[@peterjones2407]

This was freaking solid every level

[@mastermaniac1911]

I bow to your skill.

[@Weasel1995]

My dad and my grandpa always used to insist that the green saucer was the weapon to have in this game.

[@willhuggins8016]

The theme music alone is enough to send me into a rage... THIS GAME WAS HAAAAARD... so so hard... sob sob...

[@Celestial_Wing]

I had always thought that the final boss would be a succubus

[@quiteindeed6809]

Me: Never got past the creepy hand and ice slide level. "So that's whats back there."

[@IMN602]

You kick some serious ass at this game

[@theacehd1742]

Love whoever found this I searched forever but only remembered demo!!!!!

[@Naz_RAM]

I remember being like 6 playing this and never being able to beat that eyeball thing. I didn’t know looking tips up was a thing until way later

[@perdedoronline]

Childhood 🤘

[@Drewsefer89]

So you never charged that mirror weapon you got in the second play through (unless I missed it). What happens when you charge it? Also, What happens if you lose it? Can you not beat the game? And damn! That was an amazing play through.

[@spirtosan]

A bit late, but... You cannot charge it. And if you lose your armor, weapon have reduced range. You also need golden armor to find in in a chest. And I'm not really sure, but you cannot go to Lucifer with other weapon.

[@thedarklord5129]

Player plays like a pro. Me: I got one sentence for you......................... You are legendary.

[@adirblazkowics7717]

Lmao that clone of Arthur when he speaks to the old man. I could imagine how that could have played out differently. "Arthur! You've... Got a twin!" "Oh, no, that's just the magic from my dagger." "How the hell does that work?" "I dunno. Red capes and golden armor make you magical apperently, even though gold is barely durable and way too heavy for armor."

[@T0talN00B]

You have to play the whole game twice?! Crazy lol I wo no close to finishing this

[@yschanazares4410]

This is very nostalgic

[@johneygd]

I remember playing this game for the first time in sweden in 1992, i remember i got stuck at an certain moment in the game, but then my ungle did come to the rescue to and he beated it for me I clearly remember the forlast end boss and the ending.

[@187Wretched]

I got to the end of this game then it sent me back to stage one but I didn’t know how to get the special weapon for the last boss so I got to the end again only to be sent back again but this time at the beginning of stage 5? Are you able to get the special weapon in stage 5? I can’t seem to find info about this anywhere

[@jasonkesser]

One of my favorites. But broke me, broke me many many times...

[@damin9913]

I been thinking about Sega Genesis ghouls n Ghost good thing I still have it

[@Anti-Villain-Wolf]

I wish I could play this on PS4. I Miss this game, and the others I used to play. Was there ever a sequel to this?

[@brettriggin3777]

Love the music on level 3!

[@DCCLXII]

This game is my ENTIRE childhood I miss this enemy design vs resurrection Also this is one of the few ghosts and goblins games that using the fire water isn't just for absolute madlads I've done a fire water only run for this and the first game but ultimate and resurrection ? That is pure suicide

[@josea0121]

On man...this was one of my favorites. It was so good.

[@NintendoComplete]

Ghouls 'n Ghosts is a fantastic game, even if it is a total breeze compared to the other games in the series. The Genesis game, even though it's not quite as awesome as the PC Engine version, is a pretty great port nonetheless.

[@CryingZombie666]

Is this a sequel to Ghouls 'n' Goblins?

[@NintendoComplete]

+StygianTraveler141 The sequel to Ghosts n Goblins.

[@CryingZombie666]

NintendoComplete Got it, thanks.

[@leomon32]

The Supergrafx version is far superior in all the points, is there's a lack of memory on the Genesis cart ?

[@NintendoComplete]

+ronan demiautte I think the SGX has more ram than the Genesis. I'm not sure, it's been awhile since I've seen the specs for it. It was definitely more powerful than the Genesis though