Ghost Manor - Atari 2600

This is one game I've had on my Halloween Countdown list for years and never got around to it. When you're talking spooky games on the 2600, the obvious choice is Haunted House (which I love!) but I discovered this one while researching games for Halloween. I was a big Atari kid growing up but never played this one.

Ghost Manor was released in 1983 by Xonox, which was famous for producing double-ended 2-in-1 game cartridges. In the game you can play as a boy or girl who has to rescue the other kid from a haunted castle, which would actually be a better, and more accurate name, than Ghost Manor.

The game has 5 levels which was pretty unusual for a 2600 game. 

Screenshots from MobyGames.com

Level 1 has you running around a graveyard chasing a rainbow colored ghost or skeleton. Touching them nets you points but touching them while moving over a gravestone also awards you one spear needed for the next level. That graphic at the top of the screen is an hourglass, you only have 4 minutes!

 

Level 2 brings you the Manor gate, guarded by 7 Spooks and an ax wielding Mummy! You move along the bottom of the screen and have to shoot the Spooks with your spears while avoiding the Mummy's ax. Once the Spooks are gone, shoot the Mummy to go to the next level. If you run out of spears or get hit by the ax, it's game over!

Levels 3 & 4 are similar and have you creeping around searching coffins for crosses to use in the boss fight with Dracula. Why you'd find crosses inside of the coffins is anyone's guess. Oh, and there's also a vertical wall that moves across the level trying to crush you.

 

Level 5 is the final showdown with Dracula to rescue your friend! To defeat the black blob that is Dracula, you have to lure him the right side of the screen below the other prison cell, get below him and activate your cross to force him away from you to trap him in the cell. Then you have to lead your friend (who moves in slo-mo) to the stairs before time runs out.

The game is a little fun and can be frustrating at times, which I guess can be said for more than one Atari 2600 game. If you want to try your hand at it head over to JavaAtari. Be warned, you may want to check your volume before clicking the link. Controls are the arrow keys for movement and space bar for button. You can toggle the Color/BW switch to change between boy/girl character.

If you get to the point where you want to throw your virtual controller at the wall, you can check out The No Swear Gamer's video.

Did you dare to visit Ghost Manor?

Let me know what you thought, and if you finished it, in the comments.

 

Be sure to click below to see all the Countdown Cryptkeepers!