Ghostbusters Review / Walkthrough


This is a fantastic little game, so typical of the "early" C64 games in that it has simple ideas, yet is addictive and challenging (especially the end).

From the excellent Ghostbusters logo and the stunning music (with karaoke bouncing ball), this game makes you feel like a Ghostbuster (and yes, I wanted to be one when I was a kid - had the t-shirt and everything). You start the game by setting up your own Ghostbuster franchise.

You then choose and equip your vehicle. I would recommend the following choices for a beginner:

  1. 1963 Hearse (they used it in the film so you should too)
  2. PK Energy Intensifier
  3. Marshmallow Sensor
  4. Ghost Bait
  5. Vacuum
  6. Traps x 5

Part 1 - The "Easy" Bit

Now I am not really saying that the main part of the game is easy - it isn't. However, once you have learnt all the skills required then the game becomes possible to complete.

The purpose of this part of the game is to earn enough money by the time that the keymaster and gatekeeper are combined (this will be around the 10000 PK energy level). To proceed to the "hard" part, you need to pay off your loan (ie $10,000 if you have started a new game).

You earn money by catching ghosts (and averting marshmallow crises), and you can "slow" down the rate of increase of PK energy by sucking up ghosts during travelling.

There are 3 parts to the main game:

  1. The map view

    2. The purpose in map view is to get to the flashing red buildings as soon as possible. Your course can be seen as dots. If you can stop the ghosts with your ghostbusters icon then this is a bonus, but do not waste too much time doing this.

    When positioned above or below the flashing building, pull up or down on the stick and press fire.

    During the latter parts of the game, you will have to avert marshmallow crises. This is very important as failure to deal with a marshmallow man will lose you $4000 each time. To stop the marshmallow man, spot when the 4 ghost converge on a point other than Zuul, and QUICKLY press the "B" key. This will activate the ghost bait and draw the marshmallow man to you. NOTE: do not waste ghost bait, as you ONLY JUST have enough to see you through. I usually place my finger by the "B" key every time you jump back to the map view (as this is when it will happen most).

  2. The travelling view

    3. When travelling to the next red flashing building, the object is to suck up as many ghosts as possible with the vaccuum (move the car towards the ghost and press fire). This slows down the increase of PH energy in the city and gives you more time.

  3. The busting view

    4. To "bust" a ghost, do the following:

    Move the first ghostbuster to the centre of the building, and press fire to drop the trap. Now position the ghostbuster to the left, turn the ghostbuster around so he is facing right, and press fire to activate the beam.

    Now place the second ghostbuster to the right, facing left and press the button again.

    You should have a situation like this:


    NOTE: I active the right ghostbuster's beam in such a way as to trap the ghost underneath it, and I push him over the trap.

    Then move the joystick right, then left to trap the ghost, like this:


    NOTE: Important safety tip: Don't cross the streams, as it would be exceedingly bad!

    You can adjust the two beams in short steps if you like, but make sure that the ghost does not escape. If the ghost does escape, you will have to guess when to activate the trap and hope that you catch the ghost.

    Once you have the ghost trapped, you have an excellent chance of actually catching the ghost. NOTE: no matter how well you perform the above steps, it is possible for you to miss, but this should not happen very often.

    Here is a successful capture:






    That's it. Just do things as quickly as you can, catch as many ghosts and marshmallow men as you can and you will have plenty of time to get the required amount of money (earning $20,000 is not that difficult when you get good). Now on to the end game...

Part 2 - The "Hard" Bit


Now this is called the "hard" bit for a reason. If you are being a good boy and playing this game without infinite lives or the use of a "state-saving" function (emulator or action replay-type cartridge), then this part might send you to an early grave.

Imagine wasting days and days playing the "easy" bit only to fail every time on the "hard" bit. Welcome to my world during the 80's...

I am not a good boy, so I would STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you save the state of the game RIGHT NOW. I will not warn you again. Even with the ability to save the state and re-load, you could be here for 30 minutes or so trying to get two ghostbusters past that bloody marshmallow man!!! The end game is really simple to explain yet infuriatingly difficult to achieve. I suppose it is typical of many early C64 games, and that's why we love them.

If you are lucky and manage to get one of your first two ghostbusters past the marshmallow man (you have to get 2 out of 3 through), then I would recommend that you save the state again. Once you have got two ghostbusters through, then you are "rewarded" with an end game sequence where you cross the steams and close the portal, sending Zuul back from whence she came:


by Richard Mace 2007

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