Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins USA

Twenty one years ago, Capcom rehashed the age old yarn about a damsel in distress. Instead of sending a plumber to do a man's job however, a more traditional hero archetype was summoned to perform the rescue. Jumping and throwing weapons like a banshee, a knight in shining armor went on a mission to save his betrothed from a demonic kidnaper.

The PSP version of Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins recreates the original adventure but with rich and vibrant visuals along with a revamped game engine that runs in 2D but also features 3D sequences as well. In the first level of the game, the action is reminiscent of the classic Makaimura where the knight battles a crowd of enemies that approach on the ground and from the air. A spitting Venus flytrap sends deadly kisses through the air and a gruesome mid-level boss shoots squishy eye creatures. Arthur only has a single jump at the outset of the game but defeating the first boss grants him a pair of winged shoes which add the double jump to his repertoire. Arthur lofts even higher when he picks up a special power-up later in the game...

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