The Gamer's Quarter

[friedchicken]

So I picked up the Makaimura Music Encyclopedia during the big Play-Asia buy fest this week, and I've been blown away. I should say that it's one of my favorite all-time classic games, and when I saw the OST box it was a total impulse buy-- I had to have it. And I haven't been disappointed in the slightest.

What I'd like to talk about is this: I have Makaimura, Daimakaimura, Chou Makaimura, and Goku Makaimura. I even have Chou Makaimura R on the GBA. But can anyone talk about those other games in the series, like Makaimura Gaiden for the Wonderswan and the different ports for other systems, like the Game Boy Color and the Master System. The soundtrack, for example, on some of the ports is not just adapted, it's entirely redone. So is it ata ll worth it to invest in a Wonderswan Color/Crystal just to try and track down a copy of Gaiden?

[Shapermc]

I'm totally copying this from another forum, but here's a ton of info on the series and it's versions, but not much on that one specifically sorry. Also, like, you read issue 8 right?

xpost:

With the upcoming PSP game in the series I figured it would be a good time to look back on the games of this great Capcom franchise.

Ghosts 'N Goblins(Makaimura in Japan)
Back in 1985 Capcom released an arcade game quite unlike anything made before. Sure, there were side-scrolling platformers before it and the damsel in distress theme had been in video games since the late 1970s but GnG had a style and feel all its own.


I believe the 1986 NES version was ported by Pony Canyon for Capcom.


Elite released the Commodore 64, Spectrum and Amstrad CPC ports in 1986 and the Amiga and Atari ST ports in 1990. Mark Cooksey's soundtrack is different than the arcade game.

Commodore 64


ZX Spectrum


CPC


ST


Amiga


The 1987 DOS PC port wasn't an Elite release but a Capcom published version made by Pacific Dataworks.


Digital Eclipse did the Game Boy Color port for Capcom in 1999.


Some downloadable Windows 9x version I don't know much about -
http://arcade.mlb.com/game_screenshot/aff=t_02lm/vid=a2e0c1e43f8806cf62e7abbb99893fb2/scrshot=2

Retro FX was making a PC remake but the project was killed in 2000 for legal reasons.


In 2004 the NES version was re-released on Game Boy Advance.



Ghouls 'N Ghosts - Arcade, 1988


U.S. Gold got the Western computer game rights and they released various versions developed by Software Creations in 1989/1990. Unlike the mostly quality Elite ports of the previous game I found these weren't as good and were often too Euro-fied(I love Euro games but I don't want ports of Japanese games looking like that).

Commodore 64


Amiga


ST


Spectrum


CPC



Capcom licensed the game to Sega and they made a couple console ports:

Genesis, 1989


Master System, 1990
The SMS port strayed a bit from the arcade with its hidden item rooms and magic selection screen.


NEC Avenue also did a SuperGrafx version in 1990. I think most would agree it was the best game on that system.


The 1994 x68000 version managed to get closer to the arcade experience than the Genesis and SuperGrafx ones. Neogeoman's site has a good comparison of them - http://nfg.2y.net/games/GnG/



Mobile phones, 2005


Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts
I don't know if I like the 1991 SNES sequel more than the previous game but aside from some slowdown issues it was damn good and I loved the added double jump.


It was ported to Game Boy Advance in 2002. A save feature was added as well as alternate mode with levels from the arcade game.



The three games mentioned so far also appeared on compilations such as:

Capcom Generation 2 - Playstation/Saturn, 1998
This was also released in Europe as Capcom Generations: Chronicles of Arthur.


Capcom Classics Collection - Playstation 2/Xbox, 2005



Makaimura for WonderSwan was an exclusive game in the series for the Bandai WonderSwan portable in 1999. Personally, I have only played it through emulation so I don't know if the slowdown is because of the emulator or not. Other games I played on emulator seemed to run as good as the real thing though so I suspect it's the game. Besides some speed issues I found it played quite well.


~Side-series'~

The character Firebrand got his own Game Boy game in 1990 titled Gargoyle's Quest. It was a mix of side-scrolling action and overhead adventure.


Gargoyle's Quest II: The Demon Darkness - NES, 1993


Demon's Crest - SNES, 1994



Maximo: Ghosts to Glory was a 3d spin off for the Playstation 2 developed by Capcom's US development team Capcom Digitial Studios(later renamed Capcom Production Studio in 2002.


Maximo vs. Army of Zin - Playstation 2, 2004



Arthur to Astaroth no Nazomakaimura: Incredible Toons
This 1996 Playstation/Saturn game was a variation of Dynamix's computer game The Incredible Machine with a Ghouls theme.


Puzzle Ghosts 'n Goblins - Mobile phones, 2004


Game Factory was developing an online GnG game for Xbox and PC but it has most likely been cancelled.

GnG characters have also had a ton of cameos in other Capcom games. I highly recommend checking out these tribute sites for those and more in depth info on the franchise.

http://www.geocities.com/theghoulrealm/main.html
http://gngseries.retrogames.com/

I can't wait for the PSP game Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins.


It looks like an excellent return to the style of the older games. I wish I knew more about the people behind these games though and how many are still at Capcom. I remember reading a bunch of GnG people left to form the developer Whoopee Camp which made the Tomba! games.

Please make additions and give your thoughts on the franchise.
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[dessgeega]

the wonderswan game is really monochrome gorgeous but the play just isn't that interesting. the second boss has the easiest pattern in the world.

daimakaimura is really pretty much the only game in the series i really care for. actually, i played shaper's copy of gokumakaimura last month and it was pretty hot, making it probably the only psp game that interests me.

the double jump in the snes game always felt needless. i think it sort of embodies the "addition for addition's sake" mentality of the snes library in general.
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