Ghostbusters (Genesis)

The Genesis Ghostbusters is a pretty fun run'n'gun platformer featuring a cutesy, super deformed artstyle, bizarre original monster designs (even by the franchise's standards, and that's saying something), and Winston being MIA (seriously, he's not even mentioned anywhere).

Sub-Pages#

Prerelease Info

Notes

Unused Item?#

This needs some investigation.
Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.
Specifically: Look into this, since it appears to not be the last item on the list

The string DRILL can be found at address $23636 in the first version of the ROM and $23668 in the second, which is in the middle of the item shop inventory text. The drill was likely meant to be used to break the ice blocks in the Apartment stage at one point. In the final version, the pick-bearing enemies can clear them away.

Unused Item Slot#

This needs some investigation.
Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.
Specifically: See if the text string for this item can somehow be loaded while it's selected. This is speculative, but there's a high possibility that this slot once held the unused DRILL item.

Ghostbusters_(Genesis)_DummiedOutItemSlot.png

There is an unused item slot that can be selected while the game is paused. First use the Pro Action Replay code FFFE18:007F to have every item in the player's inventory, then use FFFF11:0007 while on the pause screen to force the cursor to select the seemingly blank slot.

It appears that the item in this slot's programming is entirely dummied-out as when it's equipped the address that holds the current selected weapon sets itself to an invalid value. This results in strange behavior where the player character object gets multiplied, among other odd glitchy occurrences before the current level automatically finishes itself within seconds.

It should be noted that this slot shows item graphics within it in prerelease screenshots.

(Source: Independent TCRF research)

Revision Differences#

Player Select Stats#

Japan, both versions	International, version 1	International, version 2 (REV01/1.1)
It's because he's black, isn't it??

At the player select, if the system is a Japanese system, both versions of the game refer to the "defense" stat as "Armer" (sic). On all other Genesis regions, the earlier revision of the game calls the stat "Endurance", while the later revision changes it to "Stamina".

In both versions, "PUSH TRIGGER" in the Japanese region setting becomes "PRESS TRIGGER" in the international settings.

Text Changes#

Several typos and grammatical errors were fixed up in the revision.

Cheat Codes#

The Japanese version contains three cheat codes that can be entered at the Sega logo screen:

Code	Effect
Press A+C+Left+Start	$12,321
Hold B+Start and power on the Genesis. Release the buttons at the Sega logo and press A+B+Right+Start	Max Weapons, Energy, & Bombs
Press A+C+Up+Start	Region Switch

These codes are programmed into the international version as well, however the buttons are not checked. Game Genie code A2GA-AA2E will allow the codes to be entered.

(Source: genhoaxer)

References#

Compile - GDRI :: Game Developer Research Institute ↩︎
ソフトウェア一覧（セガ発売） | メガドライブ｜セガ SEGA ↩︎
Megadrive Review: Ghostbusters - Mean Machines, Issue 3, Deember 1990↩︎
Chuva de lançamentos "Release shower" - Ação Games, Issue 1, May 1991↩︎

v · t · e The Ghostbusters series
Arcade	The Real Ghostbusters
NES	Ghostbusters (Prototype) • Ghostbusters II • New Ghostbusters II (US Prototype)
Genesis	Ghostbusters
Game Boy	Ghostbusters II • The Real Ghostbusters
Game Boy Advance	Extreme Ghostbusters: Code Ecto-1
Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360	The Video Game • Sanctum of Slime

REV00	REV01	Notes
Shop
`AS FOR THAT, I,VE` `ALREADY GOT ONE!`	`AS FOR THAT, I'VE` `ALREADY GOT ONE!`	Spoken when selecting an item that's already sold out. The comma between "I'VE" was corrected to an apostrophe.
`BY FORMING A THIN` `CURTAIN AROUND ONES` `BODY, THE DAMAGE FROM` `GHOSTS CAN BE REDUCED.`	`BY FORMING A THIN` `CURTAIN AROUND ONE'S` `BODY, THE DAMAGE FROM` `GHOSTS CAN BE REDUCED.`	The description for the Special Suit. An apostrophe was added between "ONES".
Stage Dialogue
`THERE'S SOME SORT OF` `STRANGE ENTITY IN MY` `MANSION. WELL, YOU BEING` `GHOSTBUSTERS, CAN'T YOU` `HURRY UP AND FIND THEM?` `IF THINGS STAY LIKE` `THIS MY MANSION'S VALUE` `WILL FALL.`	`THERE'S SOME SORT OF` `STRANGE ENTITY IN MY` `PENTHOUSE. WELL, YOU` `BEING GHOSTBUSTERS,` `CAN'T YOU HURRY UP AND` `FIND THEM?` `IF THINGS STAY LIKE` `THIS, THE VALUE OF MY` `PENTHOUSE WILL FALL.`	Spoken by the woman at the beginning of the High-Rise Building stage. "MANSION" was changed to "PENTHOUSE". The text was also expanded from two text boxes to three.
`DO YOU KNOW HOW` `GOOD TOASTED` `MASHMALLOWS TASTE?` `I LOVE MARSHMALLOWS.`	`DO YOU KNOW HOW` `GOOD TOASTED` `MARSHMALLOWS TASTE?` `I LOVE MARSHMALLOWS.`	Spoken by the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man before the boss fight at the High-Rise Building. "MASHMALLOWS" was corrected to "MARSHMALLOWS".
`EVEN ARTHUR, THAT` `RAT, I'LL EAT HIM` `FEE, FI, FO, FUM.`	`I'LL EVEN EAT` `ARTHUR THAT RAT!` `FEE, FI, FO, FUM.`	Spoken by the plant boss before the boss fight at the Castle. The line was rewritten to flow better.
`THIS TIME, TO RESTORE` `ARTHUR'S GOOD NAME,` `I'LL PAY YOU FOR YOUR` `YOUR COSTS.`	`THIS TIME, TO RESTORE` `ARTHUR'S GOOD NAME,` `I'LL PAY YOU FOR` `YOUR COSTS.`	Spoken by the weapons shopkeeper after the completion of the Castle stage. An extra "YOUR" was removed.
Cutscenes
`HELLO.` `HELP ME GHOSTBUSTERS!` `GHOSTS APPEARED MY HOME!`	`HELLO.` `HELP ME GHOSTBUSTERS!` `GHOSTS HAVE APPEARED` `IN MY HOME!`	Spoken by an anonymous person on the telephone during the intro scene. More words added make good English.
`ONE MORE AND WE'LL SEE` `ONE MORE PIECE AND` `WE'LL HAVE THE WHOLE` `THING.`	`ONE MORE AND WE'LL` `HAVE THE WHOLE THING.`	Spoken by a Ghostbuster in the scene following the completion of the third stage. A confusing and superfluous line was removed. Perhaps a leftover from an earlier script?
`WE'VE FINALLY GOT ALL` `THE PIECES TOGETHER! NOW` `LET'S TRY TO SLOVE THE` `MYSTEY.`	`WE'VE FINALLY GOT ALL` `THE PIECES TOGETHER! NOW` `LET'S TRY TO SOLVE THE` `MYSTERY.`	Spoken by the player character in the scene following the completion of the fourth stage. "SLOVE" and "MYSTEY" were corrected to "SOLVE" and "MYSTERY".
`HEY! HAVE A LOOK AT THE` `TV. THE EARTHQUAKE MADE` `A GLANT HOLE IN THE` `CENTER OF THE CITY.`	`HEY! HAVE A LOOK AT THE` `TV. THE EARTHQUAKE MADE` `A GIANT HOLE IN THE` `CENTER OF THE CITY.`	Spoken by a Ghostbuster in the scene following the completion of the Castle stage. "GLANT" was corrected to "GIANT".
`AND DECIPHERING THE` `STONE TABLET, I'VE` `LEAMED IT'S SECRET.`	`AND DECIPHERING THE` `STONE TABLET, I'VE` `LEARNED ITS SECRET.`	Spoken by the player character during the same scene. "LEAMED IT'S" was corrected to "LEARNED ITS".
`CALLED` `'THE STORM'S CALM'INTO T` `HE TABLET.`	`CALLED` `'THE STORM'S CALM'` `INTO THE TABLET.`	Spoken by a Ghostbuster during the same scene yet again. A line break was added to fix a spacing issue.
`IF YOU HAVE SEEN TELE-` `VISION REPORTS OF GHOSTS` `SPRINGING OUT OF A GIANT` `HOLE IN THE GROUND.`	`IF YOU HAVE SEEN TELE-` `VISION REPORTS OF GHOSTS` `SPRINGING OUT OF A GIANT` `HOLE IN THE GROUND?`	Spoken by the mayor's representative during, surprise, the same scene. The period was corrected to a question mark.