Ghostbusters

General FAQ/Walkthrough
Written by Vegita, Guardian Of Destiny (VegitaBOD@aol.com)
Version 3.145


Sections:

I    - Introduction
II   - Game Story
III  - Controls
     A   - The City Map
     B   - Driving
     C   - The Shop
     D   - Ghost-Busting
     E   - Climbing Zuul's Stairway
     F   - Battling Gozer
IV   - How to Play
     A   - How to Win
     B   - How to Lose
V    - Various
     A   - Revision History
     B   - Thanks
     C   - No Thanks


----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------
     ---------------------I:  Introduction---------------------
----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------

Welcome!  I am Vegita, Guardian Of Destiny, and I see you want help for the 
Nintendo game "Ghostbusters".  Wellsir, I'd say I'm fairly qualified to write 
the guide for this game.  I've owned the game for years, and I believe I've 
actually survived it a few times.  This is not to say that it's a BAD game, 
I'm just saying that when you're somewhere around the age of 12 and really 
aren't THAT good at things like coordination or rational thought, games that 
require both tend to kill you.  However, since my earlier gaming days I HAVE 
acquired both, so I think I can handle not only the game but the FAQ as well!

First off, let's get one thing straight: Even though I am Vegita, I will try 
to write from an un-biased point of view (although I still think I'm the best 
at everything).  Second of all, if I catch anyone copying all or part of this 
FAQ, ANY part of this FAQ (not counting little, inconsequential sentences like
"First off, let's get one thing straight), I will destroy you.  I will rip you
limb from limb like the excessively weak individual you are, and then I will 
sue you for copyright infringement.  Well, ok, maybe I'll just sue you, but if
I got the chance I'd certainly go for the ripping of limbs from other limbs.  

Third of all, I do not own the rights to this game, the names of the 
characters in this game or FAQ, or have any ownership whatsoever of this game 
(except for the cartridge sitting in my room, that is).  Those are the 
property of their respective owners.  If I find a website with this FAQ on it,
and it has been changed in any way, does not give me proper credit, or is 
selling it without my knowledge and consent, then I WILL have my lawyers 
contact that site.  Are we clear (this means YOU, Vertsk8!)?

Hey folks, if you're going to write me about this game, I must insist that you
put, in the subject header of the e-mail, the name of game that you are writing
about.  I am tired of having people write me, asking about games that I've 
written for, but they never tell me WHAT game they need help with.  This will 
help me in identifying what game you are talking about, and will also help me 
weed your e-mails out from the Spam I constantly receive.  If you do not put
the name of the game in the Subject header, then I may not read your e-mail at
all; I get a lot of spam, and people like trying to send me viruses, so if you
don't do something that will actually help me in determining whether or not
your e-mail is legitimate, you can only blame yourself.


----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------
     ----------------------II: Game Story----------------------
----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------

In 1984, the movie "Ghostbusters" premiered.  The premise was simple - 3 
rather oafish scientists, who study paranormal events, have their funding cut 
by the local university.  Thus left to fend for themselves, the 3 Scientists 
decide to persue a career in the very field they were studying - by catching 
Ghosts!  The movie was an impressive hit, followed by a sequel, a couple 
cartoon series (and a couple knock-offs), and a few video games.  This is one 
of those games.

----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------
     ----------------------III:  Controls----------------------
----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------

The controls for the game are actually really simple, no matter where you are 
in the game.  I should mention, though, that the premise of the game is so 
simple that you really only need the control guides to find your way through 
the game.

 ========================
_~A~  The City Map Screen______________________________________
 ========================

A BUTTON        - Press this to entera a Building (in conjunction with 
                  the Directional Pad).
B BUTTON        - Try as hard as you like, pressing the B BUTTON will do nothing.
SELECT          - Press this to pause the game.
START           - Press this to see what's currently in your inventory.
DIRECTIONAL PAD - Use the Up, Down, Left and Right Directional Pad 
                  buttons to move your "Ghostmobile" (symbolized by the 
                  Ghostbusters Logo) throughout the streets of 
                  Manhattan.

The trick to navigating the game effectively is to know what you're trying to 
do - you can visit whatever building you want by simply moving next to it, 
holding the DIRECTIONAL PAD in its direction, and pressing the A BUTTON.  
However, you're the Ghostbusters, and sight-seeing is not what your job is - 
you're here to bust some ghosts!  Therefore, you need to enter the affected 
buildings and nab the Ghosts.  In order to do that, move around the city until
you find a building that is flashing red (they only flash red when you're next
to it, unless you have a Ghost Alarm).  When you find one (assuming you've 
already purchased your equipment), enter it, go through the driving scene, and
capture some ghosts!

Map Synopsis - Just so you don't feel foolish, the overview of the map is 
simple.  The Building at the bottom labeled "GBHQ" is the Ghostbuster's Head 
Quarters.  When you need to empty your traps, go here.  The Buildings at the 
Top of the Screen, labeled "GAS" and "SHOP" are (obviously) the Gas Station 
and the Shop, respectively.  Finally, the building in the middle of the screen
is Zuul's Building, which you will worry about later on in the game.


   =======================
___~B~  The Driving Screen_____________________________________
   =======================

A BUTTON                   - If you have a Ghost Vacuum, by pressing 
                             the A BUTTON you can suck up Ghosts that 
                             are on the streets.
B BUTTON                   - Press this to switch the information on 
                             the bottom of the screen (Gas Left and 
                             Distance Remaining switches to Money 
                             Accumulated, and vice versa).
SELECT                     - Press this to pause the game.
START                      - Press this button if you REALLY want to 
                             waste your time.
DIRECTIONAL PAD UP         - Speeds up the Ghostmobile.
DIRECTIONAL PAD DOWN       - Slows down the Ghostmobile.
DIRECTIONAL PAD LEFT/RIGHT - Although impossible for a 1976 Hearse, by 
                             pressing LEFT or RIGHT the Ghostmobile 
                             travels horizontally left or right.  I 
                             don't see how this is possible, but hey, 
                             it's just a game...

The object of these scenes is simple - you are given a random distance to your
destination, and you have to get there.  You control your car as you drive 
towards your destination, all the while dodging other vehicles.  If you 
collide with another vehicle, you lose 200 Dollars (stupid collisions...why 
doesn't the OTHER guy pay for it?  Doesn't he have insurance?).  Also, while 
driving along you will come across Oil Drums and Ghosts.  To save time on 
refueling, nab an Oil Drum.  If you have room in your trap(s), run over the 
Ghost to pick up for some quick cash.  Eventually, you'll arrive at your 
destination...however, if you happen to run out of gas on the way there, 
you'll be forced to get out and push Ecto-1 to the Gas Station, and then 
you'll have to go all the way back to the building again!

Remember - the longer you drive around without actually going into a building,
the further you have to drive when you actually pick a building.  Save fuel - 
make your drives short by making your decisions early..

SPECIAL NOTE - When you speed up, you move a lot faster but also use more gas.
When you slow down, you move slower but use less gas.  The funny thing is, the
programmers must have gotten the mathematical formula wrong for this 
particular equation because if you travel as fast as possible (meaning your 
car is at the top of the screen), you travel many times faster than normal 
while expending marginally more gas than you would at an average speed.  
You're actually SAVING gas by speeding as fast as possible!  Of course, this 
DOES have a downside...if you're going that fast, there's no way to stop quick
enough to grab a Ghost or Oil Drum (or get out of the way of another car).


     ====================
_____~C~  The Shop Screen______________________________________
     ====================

Ah, shopping.  For a lot of people, shopping is a great way to relax and have 
fun.  Other people realize that they'd have more fun for their money's worth 
if they simply flushed it down the drain.  However, as a Ghostbuster, you need
to do some shopping if you're going to get anywhere in this game.  The shop's 
controls are simple:

A BUTTON        - Make a Purchase or Sell an Item.
B BUTTON        - Switch from the list the items you have purchased 
                  (and vice versa).
SELECT          - Pressing Select while in the shop does so little, it 
                  hurts.
START           - Leave the shop.
DIRECTIONAL PAD - Select different items from the shop.

Now, let's talk about the items located within the shop, their prices, and 
what they do.

ITEM               COST.           WHAT IT DOES.

Ghost Vacuum       $2,500          Sucks up Ghosts you drive past on 
                                   the street.
Sound Generator    $100,000        Slows down the Ghosts in Zuul's 
                                   Stairway.
Capture Beam       $3,000          You use these in the "Ghost-
                                   Busting" scenes to nab ghosts.  It's 
                                   a weaker Proton Pack,
                                   but it gets the job done.
Hyper Beam         $12,000         You use these in the "Ghost-
                                   Busting" scenes to nab ghosts.  They 
                                   have a better range than the Capture 
                                   Beam.  It's the stronger of the 2 
                                   Proton Packs.
Ghost Food         $2,000          Distracts the Ghosts in Zuul's 
                                   Stairway.  You get 2 uses.
Ghost Alarm        $2,000          Shows you which buildings are 
                                   currently haunted.
Anti-Ghost Suit    $20,000         Gives you 6 added hits from the 
                                   Ghosts in Zuul's Stairway.
Capture Trap       $1,000 (each)   For every Capture Trap you buy, you 
                                   can hold 1 Ghost.  After that, they 
                                   have to be emptied.  You can hold up 
                                   to 3 Capture Traps.
Super Trap         $6,000          Unlike the Capture Trap, you can 
                                   only hold one Super Trap at a time.  
                                   However, each Super Trap has an 
                                   unlimited Ghost-packing capacity, so 
                                   you never have to stop and unload
                                   ever again.  Saves time, no?

In order to sell something, simply select the item you wish to sell from your 
inventory and press the A BUTTON.  You'll only get half of what you paid for 
it, so think about what you want to sell before you sell it.  When you want to
leave the shop, just press Start.

       ===============================
_______~D~  The "Ghost-Busting" Screen_________________________
       ===============================

This is where you make your main money, so make it count, Ghostbusters!

A BUTTON            - Drop the Trap.
A BUTTON (2)        - Once the Trap is dropped, Pressing the A BUTTON 
                      makes your Proton Packs come alive, sending the 
                      beams out.
A BUTTON (3)        - Once the beams have been extended, pressing the A 
                      BUTTON yet again makes the trap suck up ghosts.
B BUTTON            - Switches from the left and right Ghostbusters.
DIRECTIONAL PAD     - Moves your Ghostbusters to where they can drop 
                      the Trap.
DIRECTIONAL PAD (2) - LEFT and RIGHT move your Ghostbuster(s) left and 
                      right, while UP and DOWN change the angle of the 
                      Proton Beam.

Now, how do you make money this way?  If you're familiar with the movie, 
you'll know that you should hold the Ghosts in place with the Proton Beam 
while the trap sucks 'em up.  So set down the Trap, ignite your beams, try to 
nab a ghost or two, move it over the trap, and press the A button to suck it 
up.  Congrats, you just nabbed a ghost!

Now, the trick to making money quickly off of catching ghosts is simple - 
every time you manage to catch a Ghost, you get $200 dollars.  If you managed 
to nab 2 ghosts at once, you'll get $200 for the first one and $400 for the 
second.  Not bad, you've made twice as much as the first one.  If you manage 
to get 3 Ghosts at once, you'll be awarded $200 for the first, $400 for the 
second, and $800 for the third.  If you can somehow get all 4 Ghosts in one 
try, you'll get $200, $400, $800, and $1600 for your efforts - you just made 
$3000 bucks off of one trip!  Considering the fact that if you get them one at
a time the most you can get is $800 for all four Ghosts, getting more than one
at once is CLEARLY the way to go.

SPECIAL NOTE - you can change the angle of your beams by pressing UP or DOWN.
The important thing to remember is this - remember what Egon said about 
Crossing the Streams?  Well, that doesn't exactly happen in the game, but it 
DOES make you immediately leave the Ghost-Busting screen and returns you to 
the Map screen.  Be careful where you're wavin' that thing!

         =============================
_________~E~  Climbin' Zuul's Stairway_________________________
         =============================

Ah, the final area(s).  This is what it all boils down to, folks - you getting
to (and defeating) Gozer, the Traveller.

A BUTTON        - By pressing this repeatedly to move.
B BUTTON        - Press this to open the door to each floor.
SELECT          - Pauses the game.
START           - If you have any Ghost Food with you, pressing start 
                  will make you set it down.
DIRECTIONAL PAD - In conjunction with the A BUTTON, this determines 
                  which direction you move.

This stage is nuts!  You have to tap the A BUTTON repeatedly to make the 4 
Ghostbusters run up the stairs.  When you come to a door, press the B BUTTON 
to open it.  All the while, Ghosts will be homing in on your position, hoping 
to touch you (yeah, I know, it doesn't sound as bad as it really is).  If they
touch you 3 times (5 times with the anti-ghost suit), you fall down.  If you 
fall down 3 times, Gozer wins...apparently you break your necks during the 
last fall, and everyone decides that death is certainly much better than 
standing and walking.

To make your trip of the stairs easier, you can purchase some Ghost Food, 
which will distract the Ghosts from you.  A Sound Generator causes the Ghosts 
to move slower and thus easier to avoid, but it is extremely expensive!  
Finally the Anti-Ghost Suit gives you 2 extra hits (per fall) from the ghosts.
The most important item you can have to make this easier, though, is a turbo 
controller - after a while, your thumb REALLY starts to hurt!

Oh yeah, on Final Note - you're heading up those stairs to beat Gozer, right?
What're you gonna use, harsh language?  You HAVE to take a Proton Pack with 
you, or else you can't even enter!

           ===================
___________~F~  Battling Gozer_________________________________
           ===================

Finally, Gozer herself!  How do you deal with her?  Let's find out!

A BUTTON -                   Fires your Proton Pack.
B BUTTON -                   Diddly.
DIRECTIONAL PAD LEFT/RIGHT - Moves you left and right.
DIRECTIONAL PAD DOWN       - Allows you to see the Stay Puft 
                             Marshmallow Man climbing the Building.

Now here's the trick, folks - blast Gozer until she's dead.  Got it?  If the 
Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (SPMM) climbs the building before you've killed 
Gozer, then you lose, go it?  Here's hoping after all that you don't screw up!

...yeah, it's just that simple.


----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------
     ------------------------IV:  How to Play------------------------
----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------

 ===============
_~A~  How to Win_______________________________________________
 ===============

The layout for the game is simple - you have to survive the trip up to the top
of the Zuul's building.  In order to do that, you should save up and buy at 
LEAST a Proton Pack and some Ghost Food.  If you want to make the trip easier,
you're gonna need the Anti-Ghost Suit and the Sound Generator.  In order to 
afford that stuff, you're gonna have to bust a lot of ghosts.  In order to 
bust ghosts, you need to visit the shop anyways.

Step 1 - Go to the Shop.

My personal suggestion for your first purchases is getting the Capture Beam & 
the Super Trap, or the Capture Beam, the Ghost Alarm, and 2 Ghost Traps.  
There is a reason I suggest either:

~~~With the Capture Beam/Super Trap, you won't have to worry about unloading 
your traps (and this saves time on constantly driving back to the Headquarters
and unloading them). 

~~~With the Capture Beam/Ghost Alarm/Ghost Traps, you'll have to deposit the 
Ghosts you collect at the Headquarters, but you won't have to drive around to
find Haunted Buildings.

Step 2 - Start Busting Ghosts.

Ok, so you've got your proton pack and your traps.  It's time to decide what 
you want to save up for.  If you picked up the Super trap, I suggest you save 
up for the Ghost Alarm.  If you picked up the Ghost Alarm, save up for the 
Super Trap.  Easy enough, right?  If you want to make money that much faster, 
purchase a Ghost Vacuum when you can affort it - after all, sucking up spooks 
on the road gets you that much more money!

Step 3 - Think about what you want to buy.

Remember, the entire point of the game is that you take down Gozer.  You gotta
get to Gozer, and that's what counts.  What do you want to save up for to aid 
yourself in reaching The Traveller?  As I said above, I suggest at least 
having some Ghost Food (as well as a Proton Pack).  If you want anything past 
that, you'll be saving for a while.

Step 4 - Take on Zuul's Stairway.

Good GOD, I never want to have this much trouble with stairs!  Honestly, this 
is SO cheesy, I don't know what else to say.  It's bad enough that there are 
always 4 ghosts on the stairs, but the hit detection is so poor it's hard to 
tell if you're going to get tagged or not!  On top of that, if a Ghost is 
STILL on you, you'll take hit after hit after hit until you either fall down 
or one of you leaves.  This is SO ridiculous...

Step 5 - Blast Gozer.

Blast Gozer.  You win.  The end.  Happy now?


   ================
___~B~  How to Lose____________________________________________
   ================

There are 5 ways to lose at this game (you'll probably see 'em all, too).

1 - You run out of gas and don't have any money to pay for it.  Why can't you 
guys just hoof it until you have enough for gas?  Huh?

2 - The Psycho-Kinetic Reading (PK, listed at the bottom of the screen) hits 
9999.  This means New York City officially literally with Ghosts.

3 - The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man appears, and you don't have at least $10,000
in your bank account.  Apparently, the City expects you to be able to pay for 
the damage done.

4 - You are knocked down 3 times while climbing the stairs in Zuul's Building.
("Gosh, this floor is so comfy, I think I'll just lie here and DIE with the 
rest of the city.")

5 - The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man climbs all the way to the top of Zuul's 
Building while you're fighting Gozer.  Next time, don't even bother with the 
stairs - hitch a ride with this guy!

Frankly, I'd just like to complain a bunch about this particular situation.  
C'mon, why are your guys so lazy?  Huh?  HUH?  "Oh no, I fell down, I guess 
I'll just let New York City blow up!"  "Oh no, I'm out of gas, heaven forbid I
WALK somewhere."  "Oh no, The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, an imaginary 
advertising icon, is now a 100 foot tall walking monstrocity that is 
destroying the City!  I think I'll move to China and change my name to Merle!"
C'mon, folks, why don't you actually put some effort into what you're doing?


----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------
     ------------------------V: Various------------------------
----------------------------Ghostbusters----------------------------

 =====================
_~A~  Revision History_________________________________________
 =====================

05-15-01:  Started this FAQ.
05-18-01:  Finished this FAQ.  Go me!
03-22-02:  Almost a full year later, I return to this FAQ so that I 
           might do some updates

   ===========
___~B~  Thanks_________________________________________________
   ===========

~CJayC (CJayC@gamefaqs.com, www.gamefaqs.com) for putting this FAQ up.

~Al Amaloo (www.gamewinners.com) for being such a cool guy, and having a great
site.

~Vertsk8pro@hotmail.com for giving me a heart attack with your childish "I 
stole your FAQ and sold it with my name on it" antics.  Because of that, I now
do dozens of things to make sure people don't steal my work.  If they do, I 
know exactly what to look for to see if they took MY work or not.

~Uh...I can't exactly thank God for the role he's taken in my life, because 
that would seem like I'm trying to force my religious opinions on someone else
(which I'm not).  Therefore, I'd like to thank "Murray" for the role he's 
taken in my life (Murray, you know who you are).

~Yoko Kanno, The Seatbelts, the Warsaw Symphonic Orchestra, and the 
Propellorheads.  I realize they have absolutely nothing to do with this game, 
but Miss Kanno's music (in conjunction with the Seatbelts and the Warsaw 
Orchestra, whom performed her music) and the Propellorheads' "On Her Majesty's
Secret Service" remix were the sounds that kept my soul company while my mind 
was occupied with this guide.  OHMSS played my heart like a harp while my mind
typed the initial guide, and Yoko's amazing soundtracks for Cowboy Bebop and 
Escaflowne guided me as I went through the revisions and updates.  If it 
weren't for them, I honestly don't know if I'd even bothered to finish this 
guide - my mind would have most likely lost interest and moved onto another 
project.  Thus, I heartily thank them for their enduring aid.

     ==============
_____~C~  NO THANKS____________________________________________
     ==============

If you write me asking for help with the game, I'll send you a link to my FAQ.
If you ask for specific help, I'll try to aid you.  However, if you ask me 
about something that is already covered in the FAQ, I will simply refer you to
the FAQ again.  I wrote the FAQ so that your questions would be answered here,
not so I could repeat that FAQ bit by bit through e-mail for the next few 
years.  If you need clarification about something in the FAQ, ask about it - 
but don't ask me to repeat anything.

And if you happen upon this FAQ at sites other than these:

www.GameFAQ s.com
www.Gamewinner s.com

Then please tell me ASAP!

Finally, if you are so bored you want to see a pathetically weak Dragon Ball-
related site, go here:

http://VegitaBOD.tripod.com/Homepage.html


This FAQ Copyright Vegita, Guardian Of Destiny, March 2002