Grabbed by the Ghoulies
Grabbed by the Ghoulies was a video game released in 2003 by Rare for the Microsoft Xbox gaming console. It was historic in that it was the first Rare game to be released under the Microsoft banner (discounting the Game Boy Advance release ) after being bought out from Nintendo. The name is a pun on the British slang grabbed by the goolies, meaning grabbed by the testicles. Ghoulies starred a young teenager named Cooper who set out to rescue his girlfriend, Amber, from Ghoulhaven Hall. This mansion was full of supernatural and otherwise unpleasant creatures, and Cooper would receive help along the way from the many hired hands that worked there. Ghoulies also had a mini-crossover with another Rare franchise, Banjo-Kazooie, via the small cameo by Roysten the goldfish.
Characters Cooper: The hero of the game, Cooper bravely enters Ghoulhaven Hall after his girlfriend Amber is kidnapped by a couple of ghostly gargoyles. Amber: Cooper's girlfriend is a headstrong young lady, but that doesn't mean that she won't get kidnapped! Crivens: The mild-mannered butler of Ghoulhaven, Crivens offers Cooper his assistance wherever he can, although there may be more to him than it seems... Ma Soupswill: An eccentric chef who has left samples of her stews around the mansion. Mr. Ribs: The sole good Ghouly in the mansion, Mr. Ribs is Ma Soupswill's helpful assistant. Fiddlesworth Dunfiddlin: The groundskeeper of Ghoulhaven, who's afraid to do his job thanks to the resident Ghoulies! Babs Buffbrass: A hard-nosed housekeeper who gets furious at all the mess that she has to clean up throughout the mansion. Dr. Krackpot: An insane genius who's the source of all the Ghoulies, and the Baron's right-hand man. Baron von Ghoul: The Baron is partly eccentric, partly evil, and wholly insane! The aristocratic heir to Ghoulhaven, Baron von Ghoul spends his days in his pajamas imagining himself as a pilot. The Reaper: An agent of death who roams Ghoulhaven's halls to bring the souls of the undead ghoulies, and anybody who gets in his way, into the afterlife. Hunchback: A disfigured ogre of a man who Baron von Ghoul has taken in. He's very protective of his (perceived) handsome face. Warlock: An elderly practician of black magic who resides in Ghoulhaven and likes to hide in cupboards and other assorted tight spaces. The Captain: The leader of the pirate zombies, The Captain was a drunkard who couldn't defend himself in a fight with Cooper and was "done in." Roger the Cabin Boy: A tiny imp who was recruited by The Captain to serve in his fleet. He met a violent end when he decided to pester Fiddlesworth. Dropper Shocker: A gelatinous blob who drops down from the ceiling to give one of the game's button-mashing Super Scary Shocks. Gwenyth: A green-haired ghastly spectre who is known to appear outside of windows and frighten passer-bys. Clive: A giant red serpent who was turned to stone and became part of the decor of Ghoulhaven's walled garden. Roysten the Goldfish: This long-suffering goldfish gets a bit of peace and quiet in Ghoulhaven Hall's classroom.
Trivia
Grabbed by the Ghoulies began life as a name before anything else. The developers came up with the name as a title for a game, and then decided to create a game from that title. Most games are created with a concept first, then get a finalized name later in the design process. This game was initially going to be released on the Nintendo GameCube. After the Microsoft buyout, Rare began the task of porting the game over to the Xbox, along with a couple of minor graphical additions such as adding an Xbox package in the Games Room. Grant Kirkhope, the composer for this game, admits to sneaking in a live guitar solo in the soundtrack. It can be heard in the Ballroom Disco track. The end of the game is left wide open for a sequel, but due to the game's poor sales at retail, this will most likely never eventuate and the cliffhanger will remain unresolved.
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