[{"TitleName":"Ghouls 'n' Ghosts","Publisher":"U.S. Gold Ltd","Author":"Andrew R. Threlfall, Ben Jackson, John P. Tatlock, Mike Follin, Peter Gough, Tim Follin, Ian Naylor","YearOfRelease":"1989","ZxDbId":"0009352","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 71, Dec 1989","Price":"£1.95","ReleaseDate":"1989-11-16","Editor":"Oliver Frey","TotalPages":76,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Oliver Frey\r\nSoftware Co-ordinator: Mark Caswell\r\nStaff Writers: Nick Roberts, Lloyd Mangram\r\nEditorial Assistants: Viv Vickress\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson (Assistant)\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION DEPARTMENT\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell (Supervisor), Robert Millichamp, Tim Morris, Jenny Reddard\r\n\r\nDesign: Mark Kendrick, Melvin Fisher\r\nSystems Operator: Ian Chubb\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executives: Lee Watkins\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris [redacted]\r\nGroup Promotions Executive: Richard Eddy\r\n\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\n\r\nSubscriptions\r\n[redacted].\r\n\r\nDesigned and typeset on Apple Macintosh II computers using Quark Express and Adobe Illustrator '88, output at MBI [redacted] with systems support from Digital Reprographics [redacted]. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted]. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset, [redacted] - member of the BPCC Group.\r\n\r\nDistribution by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of CRASH. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop the Viv Vickress a line at the [redacted] address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for either Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions. No material may be reproduced whole or in part without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into CRASH - including written and photographic material, software and hardware - unless it is accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. We regret that readers' postal enquiries cannot always be answered. Unsolicited written or photo material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. Colour photographic material should be 35mm transparencies wherever possible. The views expressed in CRASH are not necessarily those of the publishers.\r\n\r\nCopyright CRASH Ltd 1989 A Newsfield Publication. ISSN 0954-8661. Cover Design by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Capcom/Software Creations\r\n£8.99 cass, £14.99 disk\r\n\r\nWell, this is just fine isn't it? Giving me, who goes all wibbly at the sight of blood, a spooky Zombie-infested game like this. But wait, it isn't horrid at all! No! Why, 'tis indeed a triff 'n' brill bouncing platform game! (A nation cheers!) - (Stop the drama, get on with it!! - Ed.)\r\n\r\nRight, here we are in the (spook!) graveyard. The chap standing here is Arthur, hero of this adventureous jaunt. A beefy kinds knight, kitted out in shiny armour. Trouble is that his soon-to-be-wife, the Princess, has been swiped by a mean ol' demon - just on the verge of them having rumpo too!\r\n\r\nSo, with lance in hand, Arthur lunges into the scroiling landscape on a quest to rescue his beloved.\r\n\r\nAnd here come the spooks! Zombies rise from the ground, and touching one could seriously damage Arthur, though not kill him outright. No, he just goes flickery for a while and loses his armour, leaving only his boxer shorts intact (Brrrrr!).\r\n\r\nShould he get caught up with another ghoulie, he's reduced to a pile of bones. Eeek! Fortunately, Arthur comes equipped with three lives. Bravo!\r\n\r\nIn the graveyard there are ladders to climb up walls, trees where vultures sit swooping down for the kill when you're near enough, and heaps of different scenery, all displayed with very detailed and well drawn graphics.\r\n\r\nAlong the way new weapons appear. There's the fire bomb which flies through the air and when it hits the ground, sets the surrounding area on fire burning the undead. There's the axe which zooms off in a diagonally upward direction when thrown (bit rubbish really), and the little dagger: this looks really tiny and rubbish but it's fast and deadly. Just the job. And you can fire in all four directions.\r\n\r\nMagic chests appear at certain points throughout; from these may spring a magician who turns you into a duck, or more weapons, or mega-armour. Somehow I just got magicians. Hurmph!\r\n\r\nThe further you progress through the five sections, the odder and harder gameplay becomes. After the graveyard you enter a ruined city where the screen scrolls both along and up.\r\n\r\nIn level three you fly up a ruined tower on a magic carpet fending off flying ghosts. Next, it's off to the skeleton caves where the bones of megalithic creatures make up the scenery, and the final level takes place in the enemy castle where the action often becomes too hot to handle! At the end of each level is a huge monster, and they're all deadly!\r\n\r\nGhouls 'n' Ghosts is a thoroughly packed program with amazing quantities of playability. Mind you, it's ruddy annoying when, after leaping and running through most of a section, you die and have to start from the beginning again! Arrrhg! But you get loads of continue credits which allow you start at the level you died on, and with your most recently collected weapon intact.\r\n\r\nGraphics remain at a very high standard throughout, as does the superbly smooth scrolling scenery. Smashing music and great sound FX accompany the action on the 128Ks. You'll be playing Ghouls 'n' Ghosts well into next year, it really is THE platform shoot 'em up to go for, and a brilliant conversion to boot! This game is coming home with me! Hurrah! (This is what I call OTT - Ed.)\r\n\r\nRICHARD 92%","ReviewerComments":["Three years (game time) after the original Ghosts 'n' Goblins story, King Arthur finds that his loved one has been kidnapped yet again by a big ugly, (no not me). Ghouls 'n' Ghosts follows in the same vein as Ghosts. Arthur runs around the beautifully detailed scenery lobbing a range of offensive weaponry at the myriad of ugly mothers who would love nothing more than to reduce you to running around in your undies (if you don't believe us, play the game). I only have two slight niggles: the yellow character sprites are impossible to see on yellow backgrounds, and you're sent back to the beginning of the current level. Apart from that Ghouls 'n' Ghosts is a brilliant conversion of a very good coin op. Now go rescue that princess.\r\nMark Caswell\r\n92%"],"OverallSummary":"A stunningly executed conversion, with great scrolling routines and a very, very, very playable game to boot!","Page":"56,57","Denied":false,"Award":"Crash Smash","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Richard Eddy","Score":"92","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Mark Caswell","Score":"92","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"91%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"88%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"84%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"93%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictivity","Score":"91%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"92%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 98, Apr 1992","Price":"£2.2","ReleaseDate":"1992-03-19","Editor":"Lucy Hickman","TotalPages":84,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Coming to you live from CRASH Towers are:\r\n\r\nEditor: Lucy 'G & T' Hickman\r\nDeputy Editor: Nick 'Totally Teed' Roberts\r\nProduction Editor: Warren 'I'm free?'' Lapworth\r\nStaff Writer: Mark 'Deja Vu' Caswell, Ian 'Obituary' Osborne\r\nArt & Design: Charlie 'Chipper' Chubb, Mark 'Five Times' Kendrick\r\nSystems Manager: Ian 'Insomniac' Chubb\r\nScreenshots: Michael 'Parky' Parkinson\r\nPublisher: Roger 'Moore' Kean\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Sheila 'Sip-Riot' Jarvis\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executive: George 'See Ya' Keenan\r\nAdvertisement Production: Jo 'Gi's A Break' Lewis\r\nProduction: Jackie 'Johannesburg' Morris\r\nReprographics: Rob 'Exiled' Millichamp\r\nManaging Director: Jonathan 'Radical' Rignall\r\nCirculation Manager: David 'Sinister' Wren\r\nAccounts: Santosh 'Tart' Thomas, Sheila 'Boolde' Adams\r\nSubscriptions: David 'Single' Bingle\r\n\r\nProduced using Apple Macintosh II computers, running Quark Xpress and Adobe Illustrator 3.0. Printing BPCC Business Magazines (Carlisle) Ltd. Distribution COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of CRASH. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case write to us at the address below). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for either EUROPRESS IMPACT or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions. No material may be reproduced whole or in part without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into CRASH - including written and photographic material, hardware or software - unless it is accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. Copy published in CRASH will be edited as seen fit and payment will be calculated by the printed word rate. The views expressed in CRASH are not necessarily those of the publishers.\r\n\r\nEuropress Impact Ltd, CRASH [redacted]\r\n\r\nCover design: Oliver 'A' Frey. Powertape inlay: Mark Kendrick."},"MainText":"Kixx\r\n£3.99 cassette\r\n\r\nWhoooo! It's the boogie man and he's coming to get ya! (Are you absolutely sure there isn't something hiding under your bed?) For those who aren't scared of things going bump in the night (such as Nicko after eating vast quantities of cheese before bo-bo time), read on...\r\n\r\nYou are the bravest of knights, Arthur, a mellow kind of choppy until his girlie gets captured (oh whoopeedo, another blinkin' girl's blouse - Ed). Whacking on the shiniest suit of armour in his wardrobe, he leaps to the rescue.\r\n\r\nProblem is, he's got half of hell between him and his loved one: battling his way through five horrific levels he meets more zombies than ol' Wacko Jacko in the Thriller video! \r\n\r\nArthur sets out with lance in hand, across scrolling landscapes, pursued by particularly amorous ghosties, chased by the undead, and if he's especially unlucky, he might get grabbed by the ghoulies! (Cue high-pitched squeals - Ed)\r\n\r\nShould he touch any of these nasties, his armour falls off, leaving the poor chap in his undies. Any contact after this initial embarrassment and our hero becomes a crumpled pile of bones.\r\n\r\nBirthday suit aside, he's got a few tricks up his sleeve to deal with the menaces: firebombs to singe the suckers, axes to cleave craniums and daggers to stick to 'em. There's also handy things in the odd treasure chest, but these sometimes contain mad wizards who turn him into a duck. The scenery's beautifully drawn - ruined tunnels, a flying carpet scene, a cave made entirely of skeletons - as you approach the castle to rescue the princess.\r\n\r\nMy only gripe is it's really hard, and the way you're returned to the start of each level when you lose a life is bloomin' frustrating. Nonetheless, as well as having fab graphics and triff sound (especially on 128K), it's a compelling and addictive platform romp.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"80","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Alan Green","Score":"85","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"88%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"87%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"80%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"86%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictivity","Score":"84%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"85%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 48, Dec 1989","Price":"£2.2","ReleaseDate":"1989-11-16","Editor":"Matt Bielby","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Matt Bielby\r\nArt Editor: Catherine Peters\r\nDeputy Editor: Jackie Ryan\r\nProduction Editor: Andy Ide\r\nStaff Writer: David Wilson\r\nDesigner: Martin Sharrocks\r\nTechnical Consultant: Jonathan Davies\r\nContributors: Robin Alway, Marcus Berkmann, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gerrard, Kati Hamza, Duncan MacDonald, Rich Pelley, Phil South\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Lynda Elliott\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Caroline Day\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Chris Skinner\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nAdvertisement Production: Claire Baker\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\r\nNewstrade Circulation Manager: Stephen Ward\r\nSubscription Manager: June Smith\r\nPublisher: Teresa Maughan\r\nGroup Publishing Director: Richard Howell\r\nGroup Creative Director: Tony Spalding\r\nFinance Director: Colin Crawford\r\nManaging Director: Stephen England\r\nChairman: Felix Dennis\r\n\r\nPublished by Dennis Publishing Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England.\r\nTypesetters: Point Five [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinted By: Riverside Press [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Sinclair ©1989 Felden Productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Sinclair is a monthly publication."},"MainText":"US Gold\r\n£9.99 cass\r\nReviewer: Matt Bielby\r\n\r\nI got told off by Jackie for swearing this week, and now I've got to put 20p in the swear box every time I allow an expletive to pass my lips. She's got £4.60 off me already but insists \"it'll all go to a good cause\". Hmm.\r\n\r\nAnyway, now I've got to try and get through this review without letting a single bit of saucy, blue or otherwise spicy language slip out. She's really picked the wrong time for these sort of shenanigans as well, 'cos Ghouls And Ghosts is a right sod (um, okay, a fiver) and just the sort of game that encourages the spontaneous use of colourful colloquialisms. In other words, it's bloomin' tricky! (Yikes! £5.20! Oh no, I said \"Yikes\"! That's £5.40. I mean 60! Damn! Uh-oh. £5.80) I mean, there you\r\nare, wandering along, minding your own business, and what happens but a zombie skeleton murderer leaps up out of the ground and has a go at you! Then another ont! And another! Vultures fly after you, plants lob skulls, pigs charge, other monsters spit fire and it all gets very unfriendly indeed! And that's just the first level! It's enough to make a grown man weep - and take out a blinking standing order with the ruddy swear box! (Another couple of 20 pees. That's £6.20 you owe. Jackie)\r\n\r\nYup, Ghouls And Ghosts is really hard. Perhaps a bit too hard to be friendly. In addition to the baddies, the checkpoints you have to reach to prevent getting sent right back to the beginning are quite far apart, meaning your first hour of playing is Frustration City. At least, it is if you're as crap as me. (£6.40. Jackie.)\r\n\r\nGenerally the controls work well but you have to jump up in the air, using your joystick, before you can access the upwards throwing weapons - which is sometimes rather unfortunate because it means you leap so high as to touch the villain you were trying to shoot and so kill yourself. Baddies sometimes rise up out of the ground right beneath you too, giving you no chance. Mmm. Basically really good gameplayers with a lot of perseverence will find it 'just right', but ones who are a bit crap might get a bit put off. (What's that. Jack? Oh. I didn't say crap' again, did I? Alright, £6.60. What do you mean \"£6.80\"?)\r\n\r\nRight, now we've got that out of the way, let's take a look at, erm, the look of the thing. Even though it's based on an arcade original, programmers Software Creation seem to have totally thrown out of the window any pretence at emulating coin-op graphics in their conversion. In other words, it looks like a good old fashioned Speccy game, not an 'interesting', 'honourable' but ultimately failed attempt to recreate the colour and giant sprites of your average snazzy coin-op. Totally the opposite of games like, say, Altered Beast and quite a welcome relief.\r\n\r\nThe small, monochrome figures you see here may not initially set the pulses racing, but they're serviceable, have a wide range of movements and don't get in the way of the extremely challenging gameplay. Later on, when a big, snazzy graphic appears (or a neat little one, like the flickering fire bombs you throw or the rain that falls in some scenes) it's a nice surprise and sometimes truly stunning. The whole thing is backed by some of the neatest sounds (in 128K) I've ever heard on the Speccy, with a real sing-along intro ditty too. Other than that, there's not much instant appeal here but tons of life expectancy.\r\n\r\nSo, to sum up, Ghouls And Ghosts makes a welcome change from the recent slick, flash but ultimately shallow coin-op hits which US Gold has produced recently (Fog Worlds, Strider) and shows a massive improvement on the dull conversions it did at the start of the year. It's good to see the gang producing genuinely good arcadey games again and this must rate as one of the most challenging and playable of the year. A bit of a triumph for USG and Software Creations all round, I think. Blimey O'Reilly O'Rourke!\r\n\r\n(I think we'll round that off at seven quid, thankyou very much. Jackie) Oh drat.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Simple but pleasing graphics plus bags of playability equals the best US Gold release this year (possibly). It is a bit hard though.","Page":"62,63","Denied":false,"Award":"Your Sinclair Megagame","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Matt Bielby","Score":"91","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"And here he is - the giant Cerberus fire-dog thing from the end of Level Two. He's huge! He's mean! He bounds on screen like a great big Andrex puppy! Then he bounds off again! What a hoot! (Uh, down Shep!)"},{"Text":"It's weapons-collecting time. These treasure chest doobries contain extra weapons like throwing daggers (a really good weapon - you toss them three at a time), shurikens, magic armour (which makes each additional weapon you have into a super weapon), axes (which go right through more than one baddie) and flames which burn across the floor. be careful though. Should a magician jump out he'll turn you into a duck(?) - so shoot him quick!"},{"Text":"Yikes! It's a giant end-of-level baddie. This one's a giant fly who comes right at the end of the last level (Prin-Prin is hidden just off-screen) but there are also fire spitting 'Shielder' monsters, giant dogs (really funny, those ones), funny cloud things and even an 'enormous maggot-infested seas monster carcass'. Blimey! Adn 'blimey!' again - I've got through an entire caption and it's only cost me 40, uh, 60p."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"Look out, it's a a vulture. He'll sit there looking all innocent, but just wait 'till you go past. (He'll whizz down and attack you.) The scamp!\r\n\r\nThis is you (or in this case, me) Arthur the Knight Errant. Dull looking chap aren't you? Or aren't I, I suppose I should say. The things you're throwing are javelins. Take that, ghost or ghoulie, whichever you are!\r\n\r\nUh-oh. More of these Grim Reaper zombie things. Get back in the ground, son of soil!\r\n\r\nUh-oh, a treasure chest. Watch this one - if a magician pops out you've only seconds before it's quacking time!"},{"Text":"WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT, THEN?\r\n\r\nGhouls And Ghosts is, of course, the sequel to that earlier arcade smash Ghosts And Goblins, and features the return of all our favourite characters. There's our hero, Arthur the Knight Errant, a rather skinny, characterless little monochrome sprite with an exaggerated running action, magic cast iron armour and a limitless supply of throwing spears. He's got a wide range of movements (left, right, jump left, jump up, jump right, crouch, throw left, throw right throw up (yuk!), throw down and climb) and can collect other weapons from the magical chests strewn along the way or from jars carried by dead baddies. Collecting and using these weapons in the right order is apparently the secret to success in Ghouls and Ghosts but I haven't quite got it sussed yet. Then there's his chick, the wonderfully named Prin-Prin. She can't do anything (as such) but just sort of waits for you at the end of the game. Of course, you won't get that far - not if the forces of evil have anything to do with it anyway (and they will). And that's the plot. Good, eh?"}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Life Expectancy","Score":"93%","Text":""},{"Header":"Instant Appeal","Score":"82%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"84%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"89%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"91%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 76, Apr 1992","Price":"£2.2","ReleaseDate":"1992-03-12","Editor":"Andy Hutchinson","TotalPages":68,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"MAD? US?\r\n\r\nWe are all born mad, and some remain so. Here at YS we've clung onto our insanity for as long as possible. So, what's your silliest possession.\r\n\r\nEditor: Andy (Battery powered latex hand) Hutchinson\r\nArt Editor: Andy (Clockwork rowing hippo) Ounsted\r\nDeputy Editor: Linda (Blue toy piano) Barker\r\nActing Staff Writer: Jon (Welded together Slinky) Pillar\r\nArt Assistant: Maryanne (Puddles the squeaky penguin) Booth\r\nAdvertising Manager: Cheryl (Badge kissed by Billy Idol) Beesley\r\nProduction Coordinator: Lisa (Groucho Marx slippers) Read\r\nPublisher: Jane (Her secret diaries) Richardson\r\nPromotions Manager: Michele (A pair of wild pig tusks) Harris\r\nGroup Publisher: Greg (Snuff Rock EP by Alberto Y Lost (sic) Trios Paranoias) Ingham\r\nCirculation Director: Sue (Teenage diary written in indecipherable shorthand) Hartley\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair (Inflatable Shark), Future (Kevin Hibbert) Publishing [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: The Old Barn [redacted]\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Nick (Cymbal playing monkey) Davis\r\nISSN 0269 6983\r\nABC July-Dec 1991 59,059\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair eats 15 packets of Wotsits and Ringos with these slurpy love machines: Commodore Format (1982 Thundercats album), Amstrad Action (Painted dough frog), Amiga Format (Inflatable shocking pink flamingo), PCW Plus (Padded bra), PC Answers (Stick of Spinal Tap rock), PC Plus (Boring suit), Sega Power (Frog in a rubber-ring sat inside a hamster ball that's half full of water), Amiga Power (Deflated inflatable black bat), Amiga Shopper (A 1/50th scale 1956 steam engine), Classic CD (Airfix snake), Needlecraft (Pele memorabilia), Mountain Biking UK (Four copies of the editor's own book on bike repair), PC Format (Maggie Thatcher glove puppet), Public Domain (Battery powered dolphin), ST Format (Lump of coal the dog dug up in the fields one morning), Total! (Self made dog poo) and Today's Vegetarian (Baby teeth in a little jar).\r\n\r\nBut what we really want to know is... how come all the girls you fall in love with never fancy you and how come all the ones you don't do?"},"MainText":"Kixx\r\n£3.99 cassette\r\n[redacted]\r\nReviewer: Rich Pelley\r\n\r\nAnyone who's played Ghosts 'n' Goblins should be familiar with this game - it is, after all, the sequel and the family relationship shows. Our hero, Arthur, the various nasties, the weapons and even the plot (involving the same dumb princess as last time who against all credibility and probability has got herself kidnapped again) all seem to ring an entire church full of bells with me.\r\n\r\nOnce again Arthur spends most of his time in his undies (rather like the knightly equivalent of a sumo wrestler) jumping across levels that feel remarkably similar to the last game's. Remember that graveyard in Level One? I thought you might.\r\n\r\nOkay, so there are some new collectables, bonuses and weapons (although some seem to hinder rather than help - you call getting turned into a duck by an angry magician 'help'?), but that's about it for originality. You're still stalked by oozing zombies, chased by fluttering vultures, fooled by silkily-scrolling mazes and knocked on the head by ridiculous end-of-level baddies. But is this lack of innovation a bad thing, you may ask? The original, it must be said, was great, and this is just as good as its parent. A straightforward shoot-'em-up platformer with nothing radically different from other games of its type. Quite a good buy then providing, that is, you have considered the question: is that damn princess really worth it?","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"59","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Rich Pelley","Score":"67","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Arthur jumped out of his skin. No... Arthur ran for his life but didn't make it. Not quite... Arthur was hit by a zombie and killed. That's the one."},{"Text":"Arthur sprang lithely over the wretched undead potter. That long and expensive correspondence course had at last paid off."},{"Text":"As Arthur returned home, having vanquished legions of villains, he was struck by a horrible thought. He had left the shopping in Plymouth."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"BLIM!\r\n\r\nThe most durable ghost is the 2,600 year old horseman from Dorset. His name is actually Rodney Vickerstaff and he was an early rubber tubing salesman who lost his way in the Stonehenge one way system."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"67%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 78, Jun 1992","Price":"£2.5","ReleaseDate":"1992-05-17","Editor":"Andy Hutchinson","TotalPages":84,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"HERE COMES THE SUMMER!\r\n\r\nFor him in vain the envious season rolls, who bears eternal summer in his soul. What are you most looking forward to the summer?\r\n\r\nEditor: Andy (Dreamy days dangling a leg in the water while drifting down the Avon in a punt & snogging French exchange students. Or both at the same time) Hutchinson\r\nArt Editor: Andy (Going to America, hopefully) Ounsted\r\nDeputy Editor: Linda (Glastonbury festival) Barker\r\nStaff Writer: Jon (Leaving his duck shaped brolly at home) Pillar\r\nArt Assistant: Maryanne (Picnics in Vicky Park) Booth\r\nAdvertising Manager: Alison (Looking sexy & brown) Booth\r\nSenior Sales Exec: Jackie (Drinking ice cool beers at the Crystal Palace) Garford\r\nProduction Coordinator: Lisa (Ice cream sundaes with Martini) Read\r\nPublisher: Jane (Barbies & Pimms) Richardson\r\nPromotions Manager: Michelle (Cycling to Mrs Miggins' bun & tea shop) Harris\r\nPromotions Assistant: Tamara (Riding a horse through a field of long green grass) Ward\r\nGroup Publisher: Greg (Peace, love & understanding) Bingham\r\nCirculation Director: Sue (Windsurfing) Hartley\r\nAssistant Publisher: Julie (Cream teas) Stuckes\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair (Champion the Wonder Horse repeats), Future (The Company Weekend) Publishing, [redacted]\r\n\r\nManaging Director: Chris (Strawberries and cream on the front lawn) Anderson\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: Future Publishing Ltd [redacted]\r\n\r\n©Future Publishing 1992. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from Charlie Footstool from Dingley Dell.\r\n\r\nISSN: 0269 69683\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair leaps onto passing cars with it bottom a-waving with notables periodicals like: Commodore Format (The scuba-diving season), Amstrad Acton (Sitting in the beer garden of The Brewers Arms in the evening), Amiga Format (Beetle Bash and the beach), PCW Plus (Wimbledon), PC Answers (Winter), PC Plus (Reptile dayy), Sega Power (Softball in Vicky Park on a Thursday), Amiga Power (Sailing, snogging and softbaallll!), Amiga Shopper (Cold beers by blue seas), Classic CD (Watching us stuff Pakistan in the test matches), Needlecraft (Myxomatosis), Cycling Plus (Going saddle-less), Photo Plus (Hampstead Heath of an evening), Mountain Biking UK (Outdoor rumpy-pumpy), PC Format (See Mountain Biking UK), Public Domain (Sun), ST Format (Fire Walk With Me: The Film), Total! (Driving an MR2 with the top up) and Today's Vegetarian (Two weeks of sun,sea, sand and sex in Greece) and coming soon... Calculator Operator's Chronicle.\r\n\r\nBut what we really want to know why is... who the hell elected Mary Whitehouse as defender of public morals anyway?"},"MainText":"PLATFORM GAMES\r\n\r\nGhouls 'n' Ghosts\r\nKixx/Issue 76\r\nReviewer: Jon Pillar\r\n\r\nSome of the smoothest scrolling on the Speccy complements a game of bewildering toughness. Smashingly challenging gameplay awaits the hardened soul who dares cross swords with Ghouls - it's hard by reasonably fair, and the 128K soundtrack is a blast.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"54","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Jon Pillar","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 93, Dec 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-11-18","Editor":"Jim Douglas","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"JIM \"Scaredy Cat\" DOUGLAS (Editor)\r\nWith Ghostbuster fever in the office most of the SU team are making ghostly woo wooing noises and filling our mouths with blood capsules. Spazzy Jim, however, is turning into a human jelly (and you all thought he was really hard didn't you?) This is him just before he hid under the desk shouting, \"stop it you lot, you know I don't like the dark\"\r\n\r\nALISON \"Heads Up!\" SKEAT (Production Editor)\r\nEntering in Ghostbustee fever like a good 'un, Al actually agreed to have her head sawn off (she'll do anything for a laugh, that one - Jim) for our photographer. We are at the mo putting her back together with Pritt stick and staples - is there a paramedic in the house?\r\n\r\nTIM \"Creeping Terror\" NOONAN (Art Editor)\r\nAfter 15 pints of shandy at his local The Kosh and Headbutt, and 32 pints of curry from his fave \"restaurant\" Tim finds he has a bad case of biryana botty and terrifies the rest of the SU team with his impression of a Haloween pumpkin head\r\n\r\nGARTH \"Nosferatu\" Sumpter (Staff Writer)\r\nA right ruddy spooky weirdo this one. Garthy runs around EMAP towers, fangs at the ready, biting the office cat and wiping the blood on the roller towel in the loo (geross - all SU readers). That's on any normal day at work, but since Ghostbuster fever he's gone completely off his nut and killed everyone... (but not really)\r\n\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nHow The Hell: Andrew Hewson\r\nI've Got This Problem: Rupert Goodwins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: James Owens\r\nSenior Sales: Martha 'Tell me now' Moloughney\r\nAd Production: Emma 'Cor Blimey!' Ward\r\nMarketing Manager: Dean 'Beezer Geezer' Barrett\r\nMarketing Assistant: Sarah Ewing\r\nPublisher: Terry 'Digestable' Pratt\r\n\r\nOur Address: [redacted]\r\nOur Phone Number: [redacted]\r\nOur Fax No: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Ghostbusters II from Activision\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nTypeset on Laser Imager at EMAP Towers. So Nerr!\r\nDistributed by EMAP Frontline.\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries: [redacted]\r\n24 Hour Order Line: [redacted]\r\nBack Issues: Back Issues Department (SU), [redacted]\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1989 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nAll information is correct at time of going to press. And if you don't believe us Big Al Skeat will come round your house and crush your gerbil between her knees. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transcribed, without written consent from the publishers, EMAP Business and Computer Publications. So we'll have no ore said about it."},"MainText":"Label: US Gold\r\nAuthor: Capcom\r\nPrice: £8.95\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Garth Sumpter\r\n\r\nHell is a lonely place, The tormented screams of lost, dark souls echo in the void where hope is but a faded memory and pain is the currency in which all debts are paid. The Horned One, warped in his power and alone in his misery, waits only for the day of reckoning when the dead shall rise and the final judgement will be theirs.\r\n\r\nAnd what has all this to do with Ghouls N' Ghosts. Well not a lot except that we should try to set the scene, for what is a thoroughly evil program with some wicked and well tasty programming.\r\n\r\nFor the sake of accuracy, for all you arcade freaksters out there. Ghouls N' Ghosts is US Gold's conversion of the Capcom arcade classic of the same name, (which in effect is Ghosts N' Goblins II). In it, you must fight your way through five levels of nastiness in order to rescue the princess and live happily ever after in Surrey where you retire to write your memoires. Play begins with you suitably decked out in your designer Pierre Cardin metal vest, resplendent in your butchness and waving several feet of cold steel that should serve you well for any open head surgery that you might like to try on a passing zombie.\r\n\r\nAnd here comes one now, pushing it's way out of the ground. \"Are you a private or National Health zombie?\"\r\n\r\n\"Grunt!\" He must be National Health you think as you make your first (and last) incision straight through the neck. There, that's cured his headache permanently.\r\n\r\nTo show their (un)dying gratitude, sometimes nasties will bequeath you another type of weapon. These vary in type and include water, an axe, sheridans etc. Each has its own advantages and weaknesses and each one, when walked over is swopped with the current weapon in use.\r\n\r\nNow and again, you may get hit. The first successful attack completely relieves our hero of his armour, but he will battle on clad only in his tinfoil vest and knickers. Needless to say, the next hit is \"Goodnight, good knight!\"\r\n\r\nThere are some big chests (titter), which contain some goodies: replacement suits of armour and even super armour which when powered up, releases a devastating charge which will kill any nastie that gets in the way of it. Open them by attacking them with whatever weapon you have to hand but beware! Sometimes they hold a spell that, unless destroyed, will turn the hero into a duck (with NO weapon) or an old crumbly complete with walking stick and associated slowness.\r\n\r\nThere are 5 levels to Ghouls N' Ghosts and there's a hell of a lot in it. How'd they get so much in? I reckon they must've rammed it in with a large wooden pole.\r\n\r\nThe first stage of the game didn't strike me as wonderful with the small hero graphic sometimes getting lost with the yellow walls but on later levels this criticism disappears and the large scale monsters are very good, in both graphics and size with later levels showing some good uses of colour and making for what is a game that could be played for ages, by all ages.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"A great game, well converted and vast in size.","Page":"46,47","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Garth Sumpter","Score":"82","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"\"I seem to remember that I've left the gas on. Byyeee!\" Tim, our art supremo reckons the big guy's a Millwall supporter."},{"Text":"\"Nice doggy, fetch!!\" Lobbing something onto the fast lane of the M1 won't work. This mean mongrel of doom can take a lot of stick!"},{"Text":"A running leap it's up, up and well away for our good knight. Let's hope the vulture doesn't stick his beak in."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"78%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"80%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"82%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"88%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"82%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 120, Feb 1992","Price":"£1.85","ReleaseDate":"1992-01-18","Editor":"Garth Sumpter","TotalPages":52,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Commander Coloninabadway\r\nDesign: Captain Ooneneeky Cheeky\r\nSoftware Editor: Star Commander Angus Headrush\r\nAdditional Design: Earthling Jane Davies\r\nSU Crew: Garth 'Space Cowboy' Sumpter, John 'B'tardy' Cook, Alan Dykes, Pete 'Astro' Gerrard, Phillip 'Black Hole' Fisch\r\nAd Manager: Jerry 'Astonomical' Hall\r\nAd Production: Jo 'Goodbye Girl' Gleissner\r\nMarketing Man.: Mark 'Hard to..' Swallow\r\nMarketing Women: Sarah Ewing, Sarah Hillard\r\nPublisher: Graham Taylor\r\nManaging Director: Terry Pratt\r\n\r\n(c)1992 EMAP IMAGES\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nColour by Proprint\r\nPrinted by Kingfisher Web\r\n\r\nNo part of this magazine may be reproduced without the consent of the publishers. So there. Incidentally, I hope you all got what you wanted for Christmas. I, Fnot the Irreverent, have got what I wanted - I'm rid of the pesky SU Crew and have got my hands on their magazine - in a short while now, my plans for Earth domination will be complete - and the SU Crew are stuck are the other side of the galaxy. No-one can save the Earth now!"},"MainText":"Label: US Gold\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nPrice: £3.99 Tape\r\nReviewer: Steve Keen\r\n\r\nGhouls and Ghost was a brilliant arcade coin-op yet it's a classic example of a game that does not transfer well to the Spectrum.\r\n\r\nIn fact the game has been knocking around the home computer market for some time now and if you compare it to the competition of today it fails dismally.\r\n\r\nIt's a simple shoot 'em up affair involving the brave deeds of a knight. The levels change throughout the game, but my prediction is that you won't get much further than the first graveyard scene. If boredom doesn't kill you frustration will. The enemy, vampires, bats and skeletons etc come at you from all angles, even out of the ground, and are extremely fast so if you miss one there's no use trying to run 'cos these guys shift it.\r\n\r\nDon't misunderstand me if you have the ability, time and patience Ghouls and Ghosts could be a great game; graphics are colourful and detailed, if a little small, and sound and gameplay adequate. Unfortunately I'm no Mother Teresa and will have to let it pass, but someone out there could do a blinding sequel.","ReviewerComments":["Hey Farty! Ghouls and Ghosts is great! O.K. the graphics are a bit on the small side, but there's a lot to do if you're up to the job and I certainly am! I'd have given it a mark of 84% 'cos it just lasts and lasts.\r\nGarth Sumpter\r\n84%"],"OverallSummary":"Call me Farty Farty Snarf Blast, but this would make big Al choke on a bagel. It's just too hard and fast and I haven't the patience to spend all that time dying.","Page":"40","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Steve Keen","Score":"71","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Garth Sumpter","Score":"84","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Here's Arthur thinking about knightly things. The vulture is just thinking about breakfast!"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"71%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 97, Dec 1989","Price":"£1.2","ReleaseDate":"1989-11-16","Editor":"Julian Rignall","TotalPages":164,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"CONTACTS AND CREDITS\r\n\r\nEditor: Julian Rignall\r\nArt Editor: Andrea Walker\r\nStaff Writers: Paul Glancey, Paul Rand\r\nArt Assistant: Osmond Browne\r\nAdvertising Manager: Nigel Taylor\r\nDep Ad Manager: Joanna Cooke\r\nSales Executive: Tina Zanelli\r\nProduction Assistant: Glenys Powell\r\nPublisher: Graham Taylor\r\nThis Month's Cover: Ghostsbusters II from Activision\r\nCover Artist: Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries to: EMAP Frontline, [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted By: Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nColour By: Proprint, [redacted]\r\nTypeset By: Jaz and Mr T at EMAP\r\nDistributed By: EMAP Frontline\r\n\r\n©C+VG 1989\r\nISSN No: 0261-3697"},"MainText":"US Gold\r\nSpectrum/Amstrad £9.99, ST £19.99\r\n\r\nKidnappings aren't a modern day thing you know - they used to occur in medieval times too. Then, the abductors were the devil and his disciples. The ransom wasn't a few million in used notes either - the kingdom's for sake in this little caper.\r\n\r\nBut when the chips are down and things are looking, to say the least, bleak, something must be done. The hostage in question is none other than the king's voluptuous daughter - so its time to call on Camelot's answer to Rambo, Sir Arthur T Knight, RDD (Rescuer of Damsels in Distress).\r\n\r\nArthur must battle his way through the many lands which make up the kingdom, which is now absolutely infested with Satan creations. Beginning in the court graveyard and travelling through forests, castles and similarly dangerous areas, Arthur must complete each section within the allotted time limit - if not, the enormous creature at the end of each level will ransack the place and kill everyone, including old Art. Beginning with a magic lance which returns to his hand every time it is thrown our hero can pick up other weapons carelessly left behind by the enemy. These include razor-sharp frisbees, axes and firebombs, which can be a great help on some levels but a hindrance to progress on others.\r\n\r\nAs well as extra weaponry, treasure chests appear from nowhere, some of which contain magic armour with varying powers. Including the ability to create a mirror image of its wearer (doubling firepower) and a smart bomb-type effect. Caution is recommended though, as many of the chests contain demons who hurl magic spells, turning the brave knight into an unarmed bow-tie-wearing duck for a while.\r\n\r\nArthur starts the guest with three lives; if he is hit by a baddie or struck by a weapon he loses his armour and must continue in his natty white boxer shorts until he finds another suit. However, if he is attacked in this semi-naked state, he loses one of his lives and must go back to the beginning of the level.\r\n\r\nGhouls 'n Ghosts on the ST is an extremely faithful conversion of the coin-op. Most of the original's features have been retained and, although the graphics aren't pixel perfect, they're easily recognisable. The game itself is at first frustrating, with death knocking on the door almost immediately after play has commenced. Once you start to get further and further into each though, annoyance turns into satisfaction with each inch gained. Sound must also be given a mention, the music being some of the best I've heard on the ST for a long time - it's very atmospheric!\r\n\r\nGhouls 'n' Ghosts is about as good as anyone could hope for. Practically everything which made the coin-op such a delight to play is in there, right down to the pouring rain on the forest level. Getting your armour rusty has never been so much fun!","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"The graphics are a bit on the titchy side, but it's still a faithful conversion and an enjoyable game which provides plenty of challenge and excitement.","Page":"76,77","Denied":false,"Award":"C+VG Hit","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Paul Rand","Score":"85","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"CHAAAARRRRGE!"},{"Text":"Ooh! A nasty tree!"},{"Text":"Running through the rain in your kex; not recommended."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"AMSTRAD SCORES\r\n\r\nOverall: 85%\r\n\r\nMasses of colour and loads of playability make up for the shortfalls apparent in the Amstrad version of Ghouls 'n Ghosts, most notably the push-scroll. As with the others though, it's as good a conversion as could be sensibly expected and you can't ask for more than that."},{"Text":"ATARI ST SCORES\r\n\r\nGraphics: 89%\r\nSound: 87%\r\nValue: 88%\r\nPlayability: 89%\r\nOverall: 88%\r\n\r\nAn accurate conversion of the hit coin-op that's tough, but very addictive. Go for it!"},{"Text":"UPDATE\r\n\r\nAmiga and C64 Ghouls 'n' Ghosts aren't too far behind the others. The Amiga version should look and play much like its ST cousin, and the C64 version promises to be the best of the 8 bit conversions!"}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"85%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"The Games Machine Issue 26, Jan 1990","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-12-11","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL OFFICE\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Roger Kean\r\nFeatures Editor: Dominic Handy\r\nTechnical Editor: Robin Candy\r\nStaff Writers: Mark Caswell, Warren Lapworth\r\nEditorial Assistants: Vivien Vickress\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson (Assistant)\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION DEPARTMENT\r\n[redacted]\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nSenior Designer: Wayne Allen\r\nReprographics: Matthew Uffindell (Supervisor), Robert Millichamp, Tim Morris, Jenny Reddard, Robert Hamilton\r\nDesign: Mark Kendrick, Melvyn Fisher\r\nSystems Operator: Ian Chubb\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executives: Christian Testa, Caroline Blake\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris [redacted]\r\nGroup Promotions Executive: Richard Eddy\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: [redacted]\r\n\r\nDesigned and typeset on Apple Macintosh II computers running Quark Xpress, Adobe Illustrator 88, with systems support from Digital Print Reprographics, [redacted]. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted] and Newsfield. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset [redacted] - a member of the BPCC Group.\r\n\r\nDistribution effected by COMAG, [redacted].\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of TGM. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop Viv Vickress a line at the PO Box 10 address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions.\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into TGM - including written and photographic material, hardware or software - unless it's accompanied by a suitably stamped, addressed envelope. We regret that readers' postal enquiries cannot always be answered. Unsolicited written or photographic material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. Colour photographic material should be 35mm transparencies wherever possible. The views expressed in TGM are not necessarily those of the publishers.\r\n\r\n©1989 TGM Magazines Ltd 1989\r\nA Newsfield Publication ISSN 0954-8092\r\n\r\nCover Design Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Spectrum 48/128 Cassette: £9.99, Diskette: £14.99\r\nAmstrad CPC Cassette: £9.99, Diskette: £14.99\r\nAtari ST £19.99\r\n\r\nIt's been three years since Arthur last lobbed a lance in the classic Ghosts 'N' Goblins, and now he's finally about to make an honest woman out of the lady he rescued - Princess Hus. But just when the lovely woman starts going down the aisle up pops a demon and spirits her away.\r\n\r\nBeing the sort of chap he is, Art isn't about to shrug his shoulders and say 'c'est la vie'. His penguin suit is swiftly swapped for armour, and a clutch of lances is promptly pocketed for the upcoming battle. The brave, not to say suicidal, adventure begins in a graveyard complete with vultures, zombies and guillotines. Being careless with these villains reduces Art to his boxer shorts. After a bit of flashing, during which you're invulnerable, another hit sends you back to the last trigger point - usually a long, long way back. This is irritating, but it's part of the game's appeal that forces you to learn the sadistic attack patterns by heart.\r\n\r\nThe second part of level one features whirling demons, which can be shot only when they're briefly not whirling, skull-spitting fires and pig-headed guardians. Beat these and it's face-to-face with a fire-breathing monster who has the key to level two.\r\n\r\nTo provide some help on your (virtually) impossible quest there are chests which can be opened by firing at them. Sometimes a magician will spring out who, if you don't shoot him first, will turn you into a helpless duck for a few seconds. But if you're lucky you'll find a weapon like mega-armour. Hold down fire when you're in this blue armour and a special weapon is activated, such as a another knight to mirror your every move, or a ray which shoots out in three directions. Alternatively there might be a normal weapon to swap for your lance, such as a fast-firing dagger, an arcing axe or a fiery torch which sets alight the ground where it lands. These weapons can also be found in sacks carried by the baddies, as well as treasure for bonus points.\r\n\r\nLevel two takes place in a ruined city complete with bouncing metal skulls, firebats, collapsing ground and a feline end-of-level monster. The next level has Art whizzing upwards on a magical carpet, mixing horizontal and vertical-scrolling for a bigger challenge. This is the ruined tower and stopping to chat with baddies will see you crushed against the roof.\r\n\r\nThe penultimate level takes you to the skeleton caves where the bones of massive creatures make up the scenery, and the resident denizens make you feel as unwelcome as their pals in previous levels. More vertical scrolling takes you down slippery slopes to a fearsome sea monster and much, much more besides.\r\n\r\nBut the worst is saved to last, and the evil red knight's castle is one of the toughest tests around. Lethal clouds with eyes at their centre, huge bullet-spitting skulls and a seemingly endless supply of winged demons are all out to get you. Clearly this is one massive challenge, but the imagination of Capcom makes it all worthwhile. Unlike so many lesser games, the later levels are virtually new games in their own right, rather than pale rehashes of the first level with different graphics.\r\n\r\nThe original game, converted by Elite, was great, so it's good to see that US Gold have more than lived up to the high standards it set. The sheer playability of the coin-op has been transferred to all the computer versions thanks to top programming house Software Creations, right down to the rib-tickling duck and boxer short sequences. Ghouls 'N' Ghosts is a great platform romp that will appeal to fans of the arcade game and the uninitiated alike.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Beautifully detailed sprites and bouncy title tune blend together to create a first class conversion of a very playable coin-op. The only slight moan is that some of the sprites are a little difficult to see at times.","Page":"22","Denied":false,"Award":"The Games Machine Star Player","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Mark Caswell","Score":"85","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"AMSTRAD CPC\r\n\r\nOverall: 79%\r\n\r\nThe bright, colourful, chunky Amstrad sprites do their best to entertain, but sadly this is the worst of the versions reviewed. The game is quite playable, but only with a pair of sunglasses."},{"Text":"ATARI ST\r\n\r\nOverall: 90%\r\n\r\nGraphics and sonics are both up to scratch in this first 16-bit version. The sprites are small, but great attention to detail has been paid and rewards close inspection. In fact TGM has no hesitation in recommending that you go out and buy Ghouls 'N' Ghosts now!"},{"Text":"OTHER FORMATS\r\n\r\nC64 (£9.99 cass, £14.99 disk) and Amiga (£24.99) versions should be appearing about now."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"85%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]