Rare Ltd. used to be untouchable. In the late nineties, they were the kings of the Nintendo 64, churning out GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, and Perfect Dark. Then the Microsoft buyout happened in 2002. People expected a revolution. Instead, they got Grabbed by the Ghoulies.
It was a shock. It wasn't a 3D platformer. It wasn't a shooter. It was this weird, cel-shaded brawler about a kid named Cooper trying to save his girlfriend from a haunted mansion. Critics back in 2003 weren't kind. They called it shallow. They hated the fixed camera. But looking back on it today—especially if you've played it through the Rare Replay collection—it’s clear that everyone sort of missed the point.
The Microsoft Buyout Pressure Cooker
Context matters. You can't talk about Grabbed by the Ghoulies without talking about the $375 million check Microsoft cut to buy Rare from Nintendo. Everyone thought the first Xbox game from Twycross would be Kameo or Conker. Instead, we got a game that started life on the GameCube and had to be hastily ported over.
It feels like a GameCube game. It has that clean, chunky Nintendo aesthetic. But the Xbox was the "hardcore" console. It had Halo. Putting out a game with "Ghoulies" in the title felt like bringing a squirt gun to a trench war. The disappointment wasn't necessarily about the quality; it was about the shattered expectations of a fanbase that wanted Banjo-Threeie.
Actually, Grabbed by the Ghoulies was originally intended to be much more complex. Early design documents suggested a more non-linear experience, but the transition between consoles and the need for a launch-window hit forced Rare to streamline the whole thing into a room-by-room combat gauntlet.
Control Schemes That Confused Everyone
One of the weirdest things about Grabbed by the Ghoulies is how it plays. Most brawlers use face buttons. Not this one. You move with the left stick and attack with the right stick. It’s basically a precursor to twin-stick shooters, but for melee.
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If you flick the stick toward a zombie, Cooper swings. It feels loose. It feels almost like you’re not in full control, which was a huge sticking point for reviewers at IGN and GameSpot at the time. But once you get the rhythm, it's actually pretty smart. It allows for 360-degree combat without needing to fiddle with a lock-on system. Most people just didn't give it enough time to click.
Ghoulies, Ghosts, and Super Scary Challenges
The game isn't just about punching skeletons. It’s about the "Challenges." Each room in Ghoulhaven Hall has a gimmick. "Don't break the furniture." "Only use your feet." "Kill the Mummy first." If you fail these, the Reaper shows up.
The Reaper is terrifying. He’s a one-hit-kill mechanic that forces you to move. It turned a simple brawler into a puzzle game. You had to manage the crowd, watch the timer, and adhere to the "rules" of the room all at once. It’s stressful. It’s chaotic. Honestly, it’s way harder than it looks. The difficulty curve is basically a vertical wall once you get past the first few chapters.
The enemy variety is actually pretty impressive too. You’ve got:
- Zombie Pirates that require specific timing.
- Skeletal Maidservants that shriek and stun you.
- Haunted Televisions (a classic Rare touch).
- The Imp which is basically the mascot of the game’s frustrations.
There are over 25 types of Ghoulies. That’s a lot of unique AI behavior for a game people dismissed as "simple."
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The Art Style: Ahead of Its Time?
Look at screenshots of Grabbed by the Ghoulies today. It looks better than almost any other Xbox game from 2003. Why? Because cel-shading is immortal. While Halo: Combat Evolved looks "retro" and muddy now, Ghoulies looks like a crisp Saturday morning cartoon.
The character designs by Ed Bryan are top-tier. Baron Von Ghoul is a fantastic villain. The way the mansion is laid out—moving from the Cinema to the Kitchen to the Conservatory—feels like a real place, albeit a very haunted one. The humor is quintessential Rare. It’s dry, British, and slightly dark. It’s the same DNA that made Conker’s Bad Fur Day a cult hit, just toned down to a PG-13 level.
Why it Failed and Why it Matters Now
So, why did it flop? Sales were lackluster. It didn't move consoles.
Microsoft didn't really know how to market it. Is it for kids? Is it for the "hardcore" Rare fans? The title itself was a bit of a double entendre (a "ghoulie" is British slang for... well, testicles), which might have alienated the very family audience it was trying to court in the US.
But here’s the thing: Grabbed by the Ghoulies paved the way for Viva Piñata. It was Rare experimenting with style over raw power. It was them trying to find a new identity outside of Nintendo’s shadow. Without the lessons learned from the Ghoulies' engine and art pipeline, the later Xbox 360 era of Rare would have looked very different.
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Also, the soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope is a banger. If you like the music in Banjo-Kazooie, you’ll hear those same "oompah" tuba lines and spooky xylophones here. It’s peak Kirkhope.
The 4K Glow Up
If you want to play it now, don't hunt down an original Xbox disc. Play it on Xbox Series X via Rare Replay. The game runs at a native 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. The textures are sharp, the load times are gone, and the "flick-stick" combat feels much more responsive on modern controllers.
It’s a five-hour game. It doesn't overstay its welcome. In an era of 100-hour open-world slogs, there’s something incredibly refreshing about a game that just wants you to punch a mummy and move on to the next room.
Tips for Mastering Ghoulhaven Hall
If you're diving in for the first time, or returning after twenty years, you need a strategy. This isn't a button masher.
- Watch the icons. The game uses a comic-book bubble system to tell you what's happening. If an exclamation point appears over an enemy's head, they are about to attack. It's a precursor to the "Arkham" combat style. Use it.
- Environmental weapons are king. Don't just use your fists. Pick up the chairs, the burgers, the soda cans. These do way more damage and keep you at a safe distance.
- The "Scare" mechanic. Cooper gets scared. If his health turns blue, he freezes. You have to mash buttons to snap him out of it. To prevent this, don't let enemies sneak up behind you. Keep the camera (which you control with the triggers, weirdly enough) centered on the threat.
- Manage the Reaper. When the Reaper appears because you broke a rule, he moves in a straight line toward you. You can actually bait him into touching enemies. It's a pro-strat that makes some of the hardest rooms in the game a breeze.
Grabbed by the Ghoulies isn't a masterpiece. It’s not Ocarina of Time. But it is a creative, vibrant, and genuinely funny brawler that got a raw deal because of the timing of its release. It’s a piece of gaming history that represents a studio in transition, trying to keep its soul while moving into a new corporate world.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your subscription: If you have Xbox Game Pass, you likely already have access to Rare Replay. Download it and skip straight to Ghoulies.
- Toggle the Bonus Features: The Rare Replay version includes a "making of" documentary. Watch it. It features interviews with the developers who explain exactly what went wrong during the Microsoft transition.
- Challenge Mode: Once you beat the main story, try the "21 Challenges" in the bonus menu. They are brutally hard and offer the "Platinum" medals that true completionists crave.
- Listen to the Soundtrack: Even if you don't play the game, find the OST on YouTube. It’s some of Grant Kirkhope’s most underrated work and perfect for Halloween-season background music.