Play Ghosts and Goblins Online

Ghosts and Goblins came out on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, developed and published by Capcom. It was one of those games that felt right at home on the NES, sitting alongside other tough platformers that didn't hold your hand. You knew what you were getting into just by looking at the box art; it promised monsters and a challenge, and it delivered exactly that.

You control a knight named Arthur, working your way through six stages of haunted forests, graveyards, and castles. Your goal is to rescue the princess from the demon king Astaroth, but the path is littered with zombies, demons, and flying creatures that spawn endlessly. You throw lances (or occasionally other weapons you pick up) at enemies, but a single hit knocks your armor off, leaving you in your boxers and vulnerable to instant death on the next hit. The game scrolls from left to right, screen by screen, and you have to memorize enemy patterns and jumps to have any chance. It feels tense and demanding, a game that asks for your full attention and punishes any lapse in focus.