Ghosts 'n Goblins

"Demon World Village"), is a series of run-and-gun platform video games developed and owned by Capcom.

The series has subsequently been ported to and released on a variety of personal computers, game consoles and mobile platforms and spawned several sequels and spin-offs.

The main series focuses on the knight Arthur's quest to save princess Prin-Prin from the demon king Astaroth.

The games are based on the Ghosts 'n Goblins universe and feature original character designs by Japanese illustrator Susumu Matsushita.

In 1986, Ghosts'n Goblins was adapted into a manga by Sawada Yukio and published by Wan Pakku Comics, released as a five-part story in the anthology series Hisshō Tekunikku Kan Peki-ban (必勝テクニック完ペキ版).

Toshio Arima served as lead programmer and Ayako Mori composed the score for the original arcade release in 1985.

The music developed for the game's first level, entitled "Graveyard, Forest & Ice Palace," has since become recognized as the official theme for the franchise, appearing in a re-mixed form in every entry of the main series as well as making cameo appearances in other Capcom games such as Mega Man 7 and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

With Makaimura, Daimakaimura, and Choumakaimura, the series evolved admirably to refine a dark action-packed orchestral sound that fitted the scenes of the games.

All these factors considered, the series has secured the legacy of being one of the most musically and technologically influential video game franchises.

The main series starring Sir Arthur and Princess Prin-Prin was initially released as an arcade title in 1985 and subsequently re-released and ported to a variety of home computer consoles.

Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins was also the first entry in the series to employ 3D graphics, a fact praised by most reviewers: "The 3D graphics enhance the 2D gameplay by giving the world a sense of depth without interfering with the gameplay, and the whole package simply glows with vibrant color and lighting effects.

The introduction of RPG elements in Gargoyle's Quest was praised, however reviewers noted an uneven level of difficulty.

Demon's Crest was highly regarded as "one of the finest action titles on SNES, and without a doubt the crowning achievement of the Ghosts 'n Goblins line" by critics; however, it went largely unnoticed in terms of sales being labeled a "major flop".