Common Sense Media Review
By Paul Semel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mobile version of tough arcade game has tricky controls.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Ghouls'n Ghosts MOBILE
What's It About?
Set three years after Ghosts 'n' Goblins, GHOULS'N GHOSTS MOBILE has the brave knight Arthur (no relation) fighting his way through the forces of darkness so he can save all the people who were killed by Lucifer, including his beloved Princess Prin Prin. A side-scrolling action game that originally hit arcades in 1988, this has players using a variety of weapons, including swords and throwing axes, to take down a pantheon of scary monsters.
Is It Any Good?
While this app faithfully recreates the notoriously difficult '80s arcade game, the awkward button layouts make it even more challenging. Ghouls'n Ghosts MOBILE is the sequel to 1985's Ghosts 'n' Goblins (available on tablets as Ghosts 'n' Goblins MOBILE) with all the pixelated visuals and old-school sound effects intact. As a knight trying to save his girlfriend and others from the clutches of Lucifer, you have to use swords, throwing axes, and magic to defeat a seemingly endless army of monsters. This isn't easy, since this side-scrolling arcade game also has you dealing with deadly doorways, irritating vultures, and other hazards. But while this game, like its predecessor, is known for being really, really tough, this version also has you contending with awkward touch controls. Because the on-screen buttons are so big, they often cover up the action, making it hard to see when there's a skeleton with a scythe coming up behind you. That said, there are multiple control options, and some don't block as much of the screen as others. This also corrects one of the previous game's more irritating mistakes, as it doesn't reset back to the default controls every time you start a new game. This is why, if you're a fan of the original arcade game and you don't need 20/20 vision when it comes to spotting evil skeletons, Ghouls'n Ghosts MOBILE is like going to an arcade with a whole roll of quarters.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Do you feel differently about the violence in the game given that it's against monsters and not people?
Talk about violence against animals. Along with monsters, you also get attacked by vultures, so how does it make you feel to kill an animal in this game? Would it be different if it weren't a vulture but a bunny?
Discuss monsters. Do the creatures in this game scare you? Why do we get scared? What does it teach us?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Release date : May 22, 2017
- Genre : Arcade Games
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Publisher : CAPCOM
- Version : 1.00.00
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 8.0 or later; Android 4.1 and up
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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