Ghostbusters II (NES video game)

Last updated
Ghostbusters II
Ghostbusters2nes.jpg
North American box art
Developer(s) Imagineering
Publisher(s) Activision
Director(s) Dan Kitchen [1]
Producer(s) Tom Sloper [1]
Designer(s) Dan Kitchen [1]
Programmer(s) Dan Kitchen [1]
Rob Harris [1]
Tony Chung Lau [1]
Alex De Meo [1]
Artist(s) Mike Sullivan [1]
Composer(s) Mark Van Hecke [1]
Platform(s) Nintendo Entertainment System
Release
  • NA: April 1990
  • UK: March 1991
Genre(s) Action
Mode(s) Single-player

Ghostbusters II is a 1990 action game for the NES, developed by Imagineering and published by Activision. It is based on the 1989 film of the same name, and was released in the United States in April 1990, [2] followed by a United Kingdom release in March 1991. [3] [4]

Contents

In Europe and Japan, HAL Laboratory released its own Ghostbusters II game called New Ghostbusters II .

Gameplay

Ghostbusters II is a side-scrolling action game. [5] [6] It features various levels, including one in which the player, as a Ghostbuster, must avoid giant spiders and ghosts in a sewer. The game also allows the player to drive the Ectomobile, which must avoid obstacles and can shoot at oncoming ghosts. The player can also control the Statue of Liberty. In the final level, the player faces off against Vigo the Carpathian. [4] [7]

Reception

Computer and Video Games wrote that the game has bad graphics and average sound and recommended to avoid it. [3] Reviewers for Electronic Gaming Monthly criticized the gameplay, believing it to be inadequate. [6]

Mean Machines praised the variety and considered the game to be adequately difficult, but criticism was directed at the graphics, sound, and lack of originality. [4] In a later review, Skyler Miller of AllGame criticized the graphics and called the game's difficulty as grueling, but stated that the Ghostbusters theme music was well done. [5]

Notes

  1. In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review, two critics gave it a 4/10, one a 3/10, and another a 5/10. [6]
  2. Nintendo Power gave Ghostbusters II 3.1/5 for graphics/sound, 2.9/5 for theme/fun, and two 2.6/5 scores for play control and challenge. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Super Mario World</i> 1990 video game

Super Mario World, known in Japan as Super Mario World: Super Mario Bros. 4, is a platform video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released in Japan in 1990, North America in 1991 and Europe and Australia in 1992. The player controls Mario on his quest to save Princess Peach and Dinosaur Land from the series' antagonist Bowser and the Koopalings. The gameplay is similar to that of earlier Super Mario games: players control Mario through a series of levels in which the goal is to reach the goalpost at the end.

<i>A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia</i> 1989 NES video game

A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia is a puzzle-platform game developed by Imagineering and published by Absolute Entertainment for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The video game was released in North America in 1989, in Europe by Nintendo in 1991 and in Japan by Jaleco in 1991. A Boy and His Blob follows an unnamed male protagonist and his shapeshifting blob friend on their adventure to save the planet of Blobolonia from the clutches of an evil emperor.

<i>Battletoads/Double Dragon</i> 1993 video game

Battletoads/Double Dragon is a 1993 beat 'em up developed by Rare and published by Tradewest. It was originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and later ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super NES, and Game Boy. Retro-bit Publishing has re-released the 8-bit NES version in early 2022 with plans to release the 16-bit versions later this year.

<i>Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II</i> 1991 video game

Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II is a platforming action-adventure video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) developed by UK-based company Zippo Games, a subsidiary of Rare. The game was published by Acclaim and released in North America in December 1989 and in Europe on March 27, 1991. It is the sequel to Rare's 1987 title Wizards & Warriors. In Ironsword, the player controls the knight warrior Kuros as he ventures in the land of Sindarin. He must defeat the evil wizard Malkil, who has assumed the elemental forms of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. Kuros must collect the parts of and assemble the legendary "IronSword" in order to defeat Malkil, who resides at the top of IceFire Mountain.

<i>Journey to Silius</i> 1990 video game

Journey to Silius, known in Japan as Rough World, is a side-scrolling run and gun video game developed and published by Sunsoft for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990.

<i>Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos</i> 1990 video game

Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, known in Europe as Shadow Warriors II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, is a side-scrolling platform game developed and published by Tecmo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). This is the second installment in the Ninja Gaiden trilogy for the NES and was released in North America and Japan in 1990, and in Europe in 1992. An arcade video game version was also introduced by Nintendo for their PlayChoice-10 system in 1990.

<i>Equinox</i> (1993 video game) 1993 video game

Equinox is an action adventure puzzle video game developed by Software Creations and published by Sony Imagesoft for the Super NES. A sequel to Solstice (1990) for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Equinox depicts Glendaal saving his father Shadax, the previous game's playable character, from the imprisonment of Sonia, Shadax's apprentice. The player acts as Glendaal, exploring 458 rooms in eight underground dungeons. The player collects 12 blue orb tokens while solving puzzles, killing enemies, collecting keys, navigating platforms and blocks, and battling bosses. It continues Solstice's isometric puzzle game style, with greater emphasis on action adventure and Mode 7 overworld map.

<i>Super Punch-Out!!</i> 1994 video game

Super Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released on September 14, 1994 in North America and again in the same region in 1996. It was released in Europe on January 26, 1995 for the same console and in Japan in 1998 for the Nintendo Power flash RAM cartridge series and the Super Famicom. The game is also included in the GameCube version of Fight Night Round 2 as an extra game due to the inclusion of Little Mac in the game. The game was released for the Wii's Virtual Console in Europe on March 20, 2009, in North America on March 30, 2009, and in Japan on July 7, 2009. The game was also released on the New Nintendo 3DS eShop on May 5, 2016. Nintendo re-released Super Punch-Out!! in the United States in September 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition. It is the fourth game in the Punch-Out!! series, taking place after the Punch-Out!! game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

<i>Batman: Return of the Joker</i> 1991 video game

Batman: Return of the Joker is a 1991 platform video game, the follow-up to Sunsoft's first Batman game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Unlike that game, which was based on the 1989 Batman film directed by Tim Burton, Return of the Joker is entirely self-contained and based more on the modern comic book iteration of Batman, but the Batmobile and the Batwing are featured from the 1989 film. A remake of Return of the Joker, titled Batman: Revenge of the Joker, was released on the Sega Genesis by Ringler Studios in 1992. A Super NES version of Revenge of the Joker was completed but never officially released; a ROM image surfaced online in later years.

<i>G.I. Joe</i> (NES video game) 1991 video game

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a 1991 run and gun game published by Taxan for the Nintendo Entertainment System based on the toyline of the same name. The game was produced by Ken Lobb and developed by the same Japanese team that later formed KID. A sequel developed by the same team, titled G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor, was released the following year, but was published by Capcom after Taxan went out of business.

<i>Cyber Stadium Series—Base Wars</i> 1991 baseball–fighting Nintendo game

Cyber Stadium Series—Base Wars is a baseball video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

<i>Ninja Gaiden</i> (NES video game) 1988 video game

Ninja Gaiden, released in Japan as Ninja Ryūkenden and as Shadow Warriors in Europe, is an action-platform video game developed and published by Tecmo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Its development and release coincided with the beat 'em up arcade version of the same name. It was released in December 1988 in Japan, in March 1989 in North America, and in August 1991 in Europe. It has been ported to several other platforms, including the PC Engine, the Super NES, and mobile phones.

<i>Burai Fighter</i> 1990 video game

Burai Fighter is a shoot 'em up video game developed by KID for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was released in North America by Taxan in March 1990, Europe by Nintendo and Australia by Mattel in 1990, and Japan by Taito on July 20, 1990. The game was also ported to the Game Boy and retitled as Burai Fighter Deluxe, and was released in Japan on June 27, 1990, in North America in January 1991 and in Europe in 1991; this port eventually wound up on the Game Boy Color as Space Marauder, originally released in Japan as Burai Fighter Color, as the original Game Boy version is not compatible with the later models.

<i>New Ghostbusters II</i> 1990 video game

New Ghostbusters II is an action video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy, both developed and published by HAL Laboratory in 1990 in Japan and in 1992 in the PAL region. The NES version was never released in North America due to licensing issues with Activision. As a result, NES players in North America only received Activision's Ghostbusters II game. HAL also developed a Game Boy version of New Ghostbusters II, titled simply Ghostbusters II, which they also published in Japan, while Activision published it in North America and PAL regions.

<i>Digger T. Rock</i> 1990 video game

Digger T. Rock: Legend of the Lost City is a platform game developed by Rare and published by the Milton Bradley Company for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was first released in North America in December 1990 and in Europe in 1991. The game centres around the miner Digger T. Rock, as he spelunks various caves and catacombs whilst searching for the mythical Lost City.

<i>The Real Ghostbusters</i> (1993 video game) 1993 video game

The Real Ghostbusters, known in Europe as Garfield Labyrinth and in Japan as Mickey Mouse IV: Mahō no Labyrinth, is a 1993 action-puzzle video game developed by Kemco and published in Japan and Europe by Kotobuki Systems and in North America by Activision.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (1993 video game) 1993 video game

The Wizard of Oz is a 1993 platform video game released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and loosely based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Developed by Manley & Associates, it was published by SETA Corporation and released in North America in 1993 and in Europe in 1994. The player assumes the role of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, or the Cowardly Lion in a series of levels containing hidden areas, mazes, and puzzles to bring Glinda's magic ruby slippers to the Wizard of Oz.

<i>Ghostbusters</i> (1990 video game) 1990 video game

Ghostbusters is a 1990 platform shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. It features an original story based on the Ghostbusters films, and is unrelated to a 1984 Ghostbusters game by Activision. The game was released in the United States in August 1990, and was released in the United Kingdom later that year. A Brazilian version by Tec Toy was released for the console in 1991.

<i>Ghostbusters II</i> (computer video game) 1989 video game

Ghostbusters II is a 1989 action game based on the film of the same name. It was published by Activision for various computer platforms. British studio Foursfield developed a version for Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum, which also got ported to the MSX by New Frontier. It features three levels based on scenes from the film. Dynamix developed a separate version for the DOS, also based on the film. The non-DOS versions were praised for the graphics and audio, but criticized for long loading times, disk swapping, and the final level. The DOS, Commodore 64 and Amiga versions were the only versions released in North America.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Imagineering (1990). Ghostbusters II (Nintendo Entertainment System). Activision. Scene: Opening credits.
  2. "NES Games" (PDF). Nintendo. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "Ghostbusters 2". Computer and Video Games . March 1991. p. 74. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Ghostbusters II". Mean Machines. February 1991. pp. 58–59. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 Miller, Skyler. "Ghostbusters II Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 "Ghostbusters II". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1990. p. 16. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  7. "Ghostbusters II". Nintendo Power. May 1990. p. 81. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  8. "Ghostbusters II". Nintendo Power. Vol. 12. May 1990. p. 81.
  9. "Ghostbusters II". Power Play (in German). May 1991. p. 130. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  10. "Ghostbusters II". VideoGame (in Portuguese). Brazil. February 1991. p. 32. Retrieved April 24, 2019.