Grab Rare's Ghoulies from XBLA

By Robert Purchese Published 19 February, 2009

Developer debating sequel possibilities.

Cute and cuddly British developer Rare has plenty of enthusiasm for a Grabbed by the Ghoulies sequel, but needs an equal amount of enthusiasm from you to warrant one.

"Yes, we had plans in place for a sequel which was actually quite different and probably would have had an openworld setting," said Rare's Gavin Price during an enlightening and light-hearted retrospective of Ghoulies' development.

"I'd make one tomorrow!" chirped artist Ed Bryan, before software bod James Thomas blurted: "Personally I love the thought of that. Just imagine how much more we could do with it!"

"No," stamped a sombre Gregg Mayles. "The lack of sales and promise of worldwide fame that I was certain Ghoulies would bring has reduced me to a spiritually broken recluse."

Grabbed by the Ghoulies - a silly, haunted-house beat-'em-up - recently joined the ranks of Xbox Originals for sale on Xbox Live. These cost 1200 Microsoft Points (GBP 10.20 / EUR 14.40), which is quite a lot.

But, when asked why people should bother, Gavin Price added: "You could trigger a sequel."

"Here's a fourth reason, too: there's a finished copy of Killer Instinct 3 hidden in the game that will only unlock once a million people have downloaded Ghoulies," he teased, tip-toeing along the is-it-isn't-it-in-development Killer Instinct 3 tightrope.

Grabbed by the Ghoulies was Rare's first piece of work for Microsoft, which we thought was very good.

"[Grabbed by the Ghoulies is] a rollercoaster ride through a zombie-infested house, battling over-friendly vampire chicks and Ninja Imps with help from a rather camp skeleton and a shifty-looking groundskeeper," surmised Ed Bryan, succinctly.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (27) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • cymro #1 3 years ago

    FFS

    BLAST CORPS

  • MyPointIs #2 3 years ago

    I can't believe you gave this crap an 8/10.

    As good as Halo then.

    :-/

  • Dezm0nd #3 3 years ago

    When you consider that MS put DEATH TANK up on the Marketplace, a game which I swore I played on a BBC micro except with slightly better graphics, for 1200 points, GBTG doesn't seem like a rip off

    The game is actually good fun, it's just people are too hung up on other titles and just flat out ignored it.

    Try it, you MIGHT like it. Imagine that.

  • DonnieDarko333 #4 3 years ago

    I loved this game when it came out! Though does it work on Xbox BC's? Might be cheaper to actually purchase the original game then download it..lol

  • Aretak #5 3 years ago

    They're not going to make a sequel, but I guess tantalising fans with the possibility will net the original a few more sales on XBL.

  • Lexx87 #6 3 years ago

    Will it work on VGA?

  • videogangs #7 3 years ago

    Agreed, a Jet Force Gemini sequel could be immense on the 360. I loved the cuddly yet ultraviolent style and the waves of enemies. The multiplayer had potential too but we soon resorted back to Perfect Dark and Smash Brothers :-P

    GBTG just leaves a sour taste in my mouth as it was the product of Microsoft's financial muscle flexing. I'd forgive Rare properly if they release PD2 either towards the end of the 360's lifespan or as a launch title for new hardware, and make it as addictive and groundbreaking as the original.

  • Darren #8 3 years ago

    Grabbed by the Ghoulies was a bit rubbish really.

    I hated the controls with a vengeance, the dual-analogue controls just never felt comfortable, and the room-by-room structure of the game got very repetitive only a few hours into the game. It felt very rushed and slight to me. The only good thing about the game was the humour, the graphics (as you'd expect from Rare anyway) and the audio otherwise it was a very bland experience IMO.

    I can think of several Rare games I'd like to see sequels to such Jet Force Gemini, Blast Corps. or Conker's Bad Fur Day but Grabbed by the Ghoulies isn't one of them. Sorry.

    P.S. Death Tank is s**t IMO... I was apalled at how basic the game is for the price... you'd be better off buying Worms as it is cheaper and offers more variety and better presentation.

  • Xerx3s #9 3 years ago

    I thought the game was quite good but there you go. :/

  • kinky_mong #10 3 years ago

    I'm probably repeating myself here but I'd love a new Killer Instinct or Blast Corps game, I just don't trust Rare in their current state to make it.

  • videogangs #11 3 years ago

    @Xerx3s

    It wasn't a bad game per se, it was just after back to back classics on the 64, everyone had very high expectations (or deep resent) for the amount of cash Microsoft had showered Rare in to work their magic on their ugly black box. As a result anything less than a title that noshed you off before serving you an iced tea was not going to be received well. Ah well, such is life 8-)

  • FreakyZoid #12 3 years ago

    > Try it, you MIGHT like it. Imagine that.

    Hey, Johnny Patronise, I did try it, and I thought the controls were awful and the game was about as average as they come. Imagine that.

  • Penguinzoot #13 3 years ago

    I quite liked Ghoulies TBH, although the controls were cack.

  • woodnotes #14 3 years ago

    It's not on XBLA, it's on XBLM.

  • Retroid #15 3 years ago

    It's a decent enough game and works quite well under BC (and yes, it's 60hz / VGA compatible)

  • charliemouse #16 3 years ago

    Make it a bit cheaper and maybe stick achievements in it and people'll buy it.

    Well I would, not willing to shell out a tenner for something I can pick up on disc for a few quid.

  • Dezm0nd #17 3 years ago

    > Hey, Johnny Patronise

    Sorry mate you got the usernames muddle up with mine, but I didn't say you would like it, just that you might. Well done for trying it out, gold star for you!
    Edited by 2 at 19/02/09 @ 12:21

  • hoster #18 3 years ago

    I played JFG a few years ago and found rather annoyingly that there's no option to invert the control scheme: since Halo-CE I've gone with the up-to-look-up configuration and now if I play JFG my hands get confused and I end up shooting the floor whenever one of the galaga style waves of flying enemies come on screen

  • Entity #19 3 years ago

    Give me a second Ghoulies or the kitty gets it!

  • Toadie48 #20 3 years ago

    Rare = acting like bastards right now. Instead of teasing the hell out of YOUR OWN FAN BASE try making games that'll please us on a more regular basis

  • sifujames #21 3 years ago

    JFG is a game begging for a sequel. Would be great to play that in HD with dual analogue control.

  • Xerx3s #22 3 years ago

    Toadie48: You mean like the 3 games they released in the past 6 months?

  • Cannibal #23 3 years ago

    More Kameo please.

  • cawley1 #24 3 years ago

    Stick Mire Mare in there as an unlockable and I am all over it...

  • GiarcYekrub #25 3 years ago

    What are the four games in development?

    Perfect Dark 2
    Blast Corps 2
    Killer Instinct 3
    Conkers Bad Fur Day 2


    Would buy all on day 1

  • sifujames #26 3 years ago

    Would be nice if Rare stopped with the whole "hush hush, isn't it amusing how secretive we are" thing and just announced the games they're developing like any normal developer does. My money's on KI3, an new Perfect Dark game and 2 new titles, though I'd like to see a new Blast Corps or Jet Force Gemini...

  • Triggerhappytel #27 3 years ago

    Over ten quid is a fucking lot for this on download, though - particularly if the game is BC like some people have said.