Heading out to see Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire this weekend?
Heading out to see Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire this weekend? Looking for something to get you in the mood, or to keep the ‘bustin’ going when you get home? Well, here’s our list of every Ghostbusters game on Nintendo platforms to help thaw you out…
There have been plenty of Ghostbusters games across all platforms in the years since Egon, Ray, Winston, and Peter first busted onto screens in 1984, and they run the gamut from classic licensed cash-in to carefully constructed homage.
The first Ghostbusters game Nintendo fans got their hands on was a NES port of the David Crane-designed 1984 home computer game, but in the decades since there has been a good selection of spooky emissions on Nintendo platforms, several of which rank among the very best Ghostbusters games anywhere.
Below you’ll find a full list of every Ghostbusters game that has come to Nintendo systems — including the most recently released (on Switch) Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed — as ranked by you, Nintendo Life readers. We’re ready to believe you.
Remember: The order below is governed by each game’s User Rating in our games database and is subject to real-time change depending on its score, even as you read this! Something weird and it don’t look good? No need to call anyone — simply click the star rating and assign a score from 1-10 to exert your personal influence on the ranking. (You’ll have to refresh the page to see any changes take effect.)
Before we begin, it’s worth noting that while Nintendo platforms have arguably cleaned up the town when it comes to the best Ghostbusters games, we also have a lot of affection for the 1990 Genesis / Mega Drive Ghostbusters which, sadly, doesn’t appear below as it has never been released on a Nintendo platform. Feel free to let us know in the comments if there are other games in the series that you’ve enjoyed elsewhere.
So, let’s strap on a Proton Pack, heat ’em up, and make our way through the mass hysteria to take a look at the best (and worst) Ghostbusters games ever to grace Nintendo systems…
Ghostbusters (NES)
Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light. That would be more enjoyable than playing Ghostbusters on NES.
This was a deeply unattractive and unsatisfying NES port of David Crane’s Ghostbusters: The Computer Game. With a heavy emphasis on resource management (including equipment, fuel, and finances), it sees you driving around New York City cleaning up spook-infested buildings for cash, buying upgrades and, eventually, taking on Gozer after an ultra-tedious stair-climbing section which, hilariously, adapts the jump cut in the movie when they’re crawling to the top of Dana Barrett’s building. You know, the bit where the Ghostbusters are demoralised by the exhausting, unending staircase.
This game may not make you throw up, but it tries.
Conglaturation!!! You have completed a great list.
Spooked by that ranking? Who ya gonna call? Us, for a multi-hour discussion about how Ghostbusters II (the film) is an underrated, more-than-worthy follow-up to the original?…
Oh, not us. Ghostbusters. Figures.
Let us know below where your favourite falls, and don’t forget that, even now, you can influence the ranking above by clicking on the stars and rating any of the games. Happy bustin’!