Ghoul Panic is a 1999 light gun shooter arcade game developed by Eighting/Raizing and published by Namco. A version for the PlayStation was released in 2000. Players used lightguns to complete a series of minigames, done by firing at on-screen targets. In these minigames are a quota that must be fulfilled before the time runs out to progress such as shooting a certain amount of enemies or protecting small, yellow cats from projectiles. It ran on the Namco System 12 arcade hardware.
The game was produced by Raizing artist Shinsuke Yamakawa, whose previous works include Battle Garegga and 1944: The Loop Master, with sound effects by Manabu Namiki. It is heavily based on Namco's Point Blank series of games, with a focus on thrill and adventure. Yamakawa recalls the game being in development when Raizing's development staff had dramatically increased in number. Ghoul Panic was liked by critics for its gameplay, graphics and multiplayer features, although its lack of additions to the traditional gameplay of lightgun shooters was the subject of criticism.
Plot[]
Ghoul Panic is a light gun shooter video game, often compared to similar titles such as Time Crisis. Players use lightguns attached to the arcade cabinet to fire at enemies in a series of minigames. These minigames feature a quota that must be fulfilled before the time limit ends, such as shooting a certain number of enemies or protecting small, yellow cats from projectiles. Completing minigames will allow the player to progress, while losing will cause the player to lose a life; losing all lives will result in the game being over. A life will also be lost if the player shoots the yellow cats or "bomb ghosts". The game is divided into three different stages, each featuring eight minigames to play that become gradually harder as it progresses. Finishing all the minigames in a stage will have the player face off against a boss, including: Frankie, a Frankenstein's monster that will toss projectiles at the player; Vladie, a vampire that launches a barrage of deadly bats; Witchina, a witch that attacks with her spell-casting broomstick; and Mama Mia, a massive dragon-like monster that hurls fireballs.