If you've ever played Ghostbusters on the C64 or Spectrum, you'll immediately recognise this console-ised Sega version, which plays in similar fashion to the computer games, but has had its gameplay spruced up to make it even more playable!

You start the game with £10,000 to set up your Ghostbusters franchise, which means getting some transport and equipment. As you might expect, you have to pay heavy bread for the best gear, but every ghost busted brings in cash from satisfied exorcismees.

When you're geared up, a map of the city with the Temple of Zuul at the centre is shown. For the evil god Gorra to get back into the world, the city has to be saturated with psychokinetic (PK) energy, and ghosts are flocking to Zuul to build up the PK level. Gorza's servants, the Keymaster and the Gatekeeper, are also wandering around town, waiting for maximum PK so that they can join and release their master.

Your first call comes when a building flashes red. You have to plot your route through the streets with a Ghostbusters cursor. When you've selected your destination, you're shown an overhead scrolling view of the road and you have to steer your "bustermobile between other cars and around roadworks while a meter ticks down to show how far you have to go.

Once you've arrived, you're shown a street scene with ghosts flying about above the pavement. Two Ghostbusters appear, and once you've positioned both the trap and the men you can activate their ion beams and try to guide the ghosts over the trap. Once they're there, you can spring the trap and they're sucked inside.

If you let too many ghosts escape, the city's PK soon reaches a critical level and the city is prone to Marshmallow Man attack, which can only be halted by dropping ghost bait as the huge Mr Staypuft is taking shape. Any delay and he stomps buildings into the ground and you have to pay for the damage!

When Gorza finally makes it, you have to get two Ghostbusters past Staypuft, then zap Gorza with your ion ray before he zaps you with his magic.

On the whole it's a jolly game. Sega have added quite a bit to the old Activision game, and you'll certainly be hooked until you can at least afford to start with the best equipment. The graphics are fine and colourful, but I must warn you about the awful music. Still, if your TV has a volume control that works, there's every likelihood that bustin' will make you feel very good indeed.

PAUL GLANCEY

Sega £29.99

GRAPHICS
79%
SOUND
35%
VALUE
80%
PLAYABILITY
86%

The action might get a bit same/after a while, but apart from that, Ghostbusters is a very entertaining game.

OVERALL
85%
Rating
85
Reviewer
CVG magazine
Region
UK
Scans
CVG-Magazine-Issue093b?gallerypage=100

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