With Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire being one of the hottest movies of the year, what better time than now to look at my top 5 Ghostbusters video games? I grew up as a huge fan of Ghostbusters from the movie to the animated series and of course all of the toys! There have been a few Ghostbusters video games over the years and today I am sharing with you what my favorites are.
Do not worry, I did not get slimed or possessed by a tyrant from the 16th century either when putting this list together. Just remember, this is my list! If you have a different opinion, be sure to leave your own favorite Ghostbusters video games in the comments section.
Number 5
Ghostbusters, Sega Master System
As a kid I played Ghostbusters on the Atari 2600… it sucked, I also played it on the NES…. It sucked, but a friend of mine had Ghostbusters for the Atari Master System and it was so much better, the best version of the original Activision Ghostbusters game by far. It has bright and colorful graphics and the game plays a tad better too. Do not get me wrong, this is not a great game by any means, but I also do not think that it is terrible either. Hey, I had to have a game to prop up this list and this one I think deserved to be mentioned on here.
Number 4
The Real Ghostbusters Arcade
I have very fond memories of The Real Ghostbusters animated series, I had a whole bunch of the toys, even the Fire House! When I saw The Real Ghostbusters arcade game, I would always play it. It is a fast paced shooter where you can also trap the ghosts to score more points. It has a great rendition of the Ghostbusters song and it is a fun time. I also have fond memories of playing this at a friend’s house. They had this for the Amiga and they had a huge box of pirated games and this was one of them. Apart from the character’s sprites being way smaller, it is a damn solid recreation of that fun arcade game. There is also a version for the ZX Spectrum which I feel is pretty impressive too.
Number 3
Ghostbusters, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
I already talked about my top 5 Sega Mega Drive/Genesis games and Ghostbusters did not make the cut, but if I were to do a top 20, maybe even top 10 this would have been on there. I love this game as it is such a fun platform shooter. You can play as one of three of the Ghostbusters (Winston was snubbed here) and you have to select different houses to try and clear of ghosts with each one having a boss ghost. You can buy new equipment and the game is way more challenging than you would think. I love the cartoon visuals, this game just has a ton of personality and it is the kind of game I can fire up and always have a fun time with.
Number 2
New Ghostbusters II
If you check out my top 5 NES games article, you will see New Ghostbusters II on there. I adore this game, it is one of the best licensed games on the NES and I have lost count of the number of times that I have played through this. Made by Hal, this is so much better than the Activision Ghostbusters II game. You can play as all of the Ghostbusters, even Louis which is awesome. You control two at a time with one using the proton beam and the other using the trap. It follows the events of the movie in a fun and humorous style and the game is just a joy to play. I would say that New Ghostbusters II verges on being classed as a hidden gem on the NES!
Number 1
Ghostbusters The Video Game
I originally played Ghostbuster The Video Game on the PlayStation 3, but I have also played this on the Nintendo Wii and the remastered version for the PlayStation 4! No matter what, Ghostbusters The Video Game is awesome. This is the third movie that we always wanted, hey Ghostbusters Afterlife was great, but this feels far more like a sequel than that did. You play as a new rookie Ghostbuster and the story with the Ghostbusters unfolds around you. It manages to have many elements from the two movies, but it expands the lore and tells a fantastic story. The game looks like a million bucks and the voice acting is some of the best ever! You actually feel like you are with the Ghostbusters as you progress through the epic adventure!
So those are the Ghostbusters video games that I have loved, but what about you? I have not played any of the newer Ghostbusters games so be sure to let me know in the comments section if any of those are worth checking out.