Ghostbusters

About

Ghostbusters is a run-and-gun platformer where you control three Ghostbuster agents navigating city streets and supernatural hotspots. The goal is to defeat ghosts through rapid fire and careful trap placement, with each level featuring mid-bosses that shrink into catchable spirits after a defeat. Players collect cash to upgrade weapons and health between stages, progressing through an increasing number of levels as they unlock. The controls are straightforward but demand precise timing to avoid hazards and enemy attacks. The game distinguishes itself by omitting Winston, focusing instead on a trio of agents who piece together a cursed tablet that unleashes a dark realm. A lack of complex story delivery keeps the focus on chaotic combat, though later levels introduce larger threats like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and a final battle against a godlike antagonist. While the 1990 release predates modern platforming standards, its direct mechanics and escalating difficulty curves offer a nostalgic pick for fans of arcade-style shooting games.

Storyline

The Ghostbusters are down on their luck due to lack of ghost activity, when suddenly several calls begin to pour in from around the city, including the eventual reappearance of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (although dialogue indicates it is not the same one from the movie). After each case, a piece of a stone tablet is collected. The three Ghostbusters piece together the mysterious tablet, inadvertently opening a portal to "the evil world" and releasing a horde of ghosts. In the end, though, the Ghostbusters manage to defeat Janna, the God of Darkness, and retrieve a mystical gem from the evil world. They combine the gem with the tablet to close the portal, and save the city.