Released in 1990, Sega’s Ghostbusters is considered one of the franchise’s better video game adaptations, and for a good reason, boasting an original story, solid gameplay, and a unique animated visual style. However, this isn’t to say the game was perfect, as whenever discussed, there’s always a justified asterisk, that being one noteworthy omission; WINSTON!
Truth be told, this wasn’t the first Ghostbusters game not to include the character. However, this was 1990, and a year prior, not only had Winston been seen in the slime-filled sequel, but during this time, he was also an integral part of The Real Ghostbusters animated series and the highly popular Kenner toy line, so not having him playable alongside Peter, Ray, and Egon, even for the time, felt erroneously outdated.
Now, some 33 years after the game’s initial release, a completed fan project titled Ghostbusters: Special Edition is available to download, adding Winston as a fully playable character, in addition to a host of customization options, secrets, and extras!
If you’d like a complete overview of the project, including how to download, install, and play today, check out today’s feature video:
Being selectable from the game’s main menu, fans will be happy to find that Winston, while ranked medium in stats, has been given the unique attribute of a high jump that REALLY comes in handy! Players will also be treated to a character specific “I’ve Got It” graphic that gives us a perfect 16-bit take of actor of Ernie Hudson!
As a total surprise, the update also includes Louis Tully as a playable character, complete with his earmuffs, as seen in Ghostbusters II. Louis will likely become the go-to for those looking for a challenge, being ranked low to really low in abilities. For some added “fun,” we’d recommend pairing him up with the game’s now-added Nightmare Mode, which removes continues and only starts players with one life.
Regarding customization options, there are now a wide array of colorful uniforms to choose from, which includes the standard blue, as seen in the game’s retail release, along with khaki tan and charcoal grey. There are also a few secret colors, including green, pink, and red, which can all be accessed through unique button presses on the player select screen.
Seriously, there’s so much here, especially given that we have yet to mention the added SRAM save function, allowing you to return to your game quickly, and a plethora of cheats and secrets, among them giving access to a Proton Pack that deals double damage, a new ending screen, and a surprise appearance by Vigo the Carpathian!
Made possible thanks to modders BillyTime! Games and Linkuei, along with Danilo Dias, who handled the graphics, Ghostbusters: Special Edition, can be downloaded here.
