Ghoul Patrol

❧

Wikipedia

Ghoul Patrol
North American SNES box art
Developers
PublishersJVC Musical Industries
Lucasfilm Games (Re-release)
DirectorKalani Streicher
Producers
  • Kalani Streicher (LucasArts)
  • Andrew Carter (Motion Pixel)
DesignerKalani Streicher
ProgrammerAndrew Carter
Artists
  • Harrison Fong
  • Holger Liebnitz
  • Liu Pee Hieng
Composers
PlatformsSuper NES, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
ReleaseSuper NES
  • NA: November 1994
  • PAL: 1994
  • JP: May 26, 1995
Windows, Switch, Xbox One
  • WW: June 29, 2021
PlayStation 4
  • WW: October 28, 2021
GenreRun and gun
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

Ghoul Patrol is a 1994 run and gun video game developed by LucasArts and published by JVC Musical Industries for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is a sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbors (1993). In 2021, both games were re-released as part of Lucasfilm Classic Games: Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows by Disney Interactive.

Gameplay

The game stars Zeke and Julie, the protagonists from Zombies Ate My Neighbors, who must travel through five worlds to save their town from a horror exhibit come to life.

Development

According to Toshiyasu Morita, a programmer and technology manager at LucasArts during the mid-1990s, this sequel was made by a third party that licensed the use of the Zombies Ate My Neighbors engine for this purpose.[1] Despite the good reviews and reception for Zombies Ate My Neighbors from gamers and critics, Konami refused to be involved in publishing the game, giving JVC the opportunity to step in instead.[2]

The game was developed by LucasArts, but most of the development work was outsourced by a small Malaysian studio called Motion Pixel.[2] It serves as a sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbors, although it originally did not begin development as a sequel to the game, but merely as an unrelated game that used the same gameplay engine.

Release

It was released by JVC Musical Industries in November 1994 in North America, and later in the year in Europe.[3] A Japanese version was published by the JVC subsidiary Victor Entertainment in 1995.

It was later re-released digitally on the Wii Virtual Console in 2010, and for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Windows in 2021 together with its predecessor.[4]

A Genesis version was under development, but was not released due to time constraints.[2]

Reception

Ghoul Patrol received generally favorable reception from critics.[7][11][16][18] GamePro's Bro' Buzz said that "Ghoul Patrol is the closest you can get to the acclaimed Zombies Ate My Neighbors, and it's a worthy successor." They particularly praised the "outrageous 360-degree shoot-em-up action" and detailed, cartoony graphics.[19] Electronic Gaming Monthly's Mike Weigand called it "A worthy sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbors" and "A great salute to old, late-night horror movies."[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ Lucasfilm Classic Games version developed by DotEmu.

References

  1. ↑ "Interview: Toshiyasu Morita at Sega-16.com". 22 February 2008. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  2. 1 2 3 Derboo, Sam (January 31, 2011). "Ghoul Patrol". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  3. ↑ "LucasArts Entertainment Company | 20th Anniversary". June 23, 2006. Archived from the original on June 23, 2006.
  4. ↑ Romano, Sal (May 11, 2021). "Lucasfilm Classic Games: Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol announced for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  5. ↑ Ahmet, Deniz; Skews, Rik (December 1994). "CVG Review: Ghoul Patrol". Computer and Video Games. No. 157. EMAP. pp. 70–71.
  6. 1 2 Semrad, Ed; Carpenter, Danyon; Manuel, Al; Sushi-X; Weigand, Mike (December 1994). "Review Crew - Major Mike's Game Roundup: Ghoul Patrol". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 65. Sendai Publishing. p. 38.
  7. 1 2 Halverson, Dave; Des Barres, Nicholas Dean (December 1994). "Viewpoint: Ghoul Patrol; Planet SNES: Ghoul Patrol". GameFan. Vol. 2, no. 12. DieHard Gamers Club. pp. 27, 99.
  8. ↑ Ellis, Les (November 1994). "Reviews: Ghoul Patrol". GamesMaster. No. 23. Future Publishing. p. 70.
  9. ↑ Armstrong, Stretch (June 1995). "Byte Size: Ghoul Patrol". Hyper. No. 19. nextmedia. p. 66.
  10. ↑ Bright, Rob (November 1994). "Review: Ghoul Patrol". Nintendo Magazine System. No. 26. United Kingdom: EMAP. pp. 38–39.
  11. 1 2 Nash, Jonathan (April 1995). "UK Review: Ghoul Patrol". Super Play. No. 30. Future Publishing. pp. 42–43.
  12. ↑ Atkins, Sean; Dyer, Andy (December 1994). "Total! SNES Review: Ghoul Patrol". Total!. No. 36. United Kingdom: Future Publishing. p. 64.
  13. ↑ Feldmann, Maris (January 1995). "SNES Test: Ghoul Patrol". Total! (in German). No. 20. Germany: MVL Verlag. p. 28.
  14. ↑ Perry, Dave; Walkland, Nick; Roberts, Nick; Price, Adrian (January 1995). "4-Play Reviews: Ghoul Patrol". Games World. No. 7. Paragon Publishing. p. 16.
  15. ↑ Pullin, Keith; Butt, Damian; McDermott, Andy (December 1994). "Super NES Review: Ghoul Patrol". Super Gamer. No. 9. Paragon Publishing. pp. 80–81.
  16. 1 2 "Ultimate Review Sector: Ghoul Patrol". Ultimate Future Games. No. 1. Future Publishing. December 1994. pp. 112–113.
  17. ↑ Soria, Gabe (December 1994). "Power Reviews: Ghoul Patrol". VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine. No. 71. Larry Flynt Publications. p. 114.
  18. ↑ Bright, Rob (March 1995). "Super NES Review: Ghoul Patrol". Nintendo Magazine System. No. 24. Australia: Trielle Corporation. pp. 26–27.
  19. ↑ Bro' Buzz (November 1994). "ProReview: Ghoul Patrol". GamePro. No. 74. IDG. p. 148.