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Ghostbusters for Apple II FAQ/Walkthrough
by BHodges
Version 1.0
Created 01/18/10
This document Copyright 2010 by Brian Hodges. It may not be placed on any
web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission.
Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is
strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.
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Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Getting Started
III. Shop
A. Cars
B. Equipment
1. Overview
2. PK Energy Detector
3. Image Intensifier
4. Marshmallow Sensor
5. Ghost Bait
6. Traps
7. Ghost Vacuum
8. Portable Laser Confinement System
C. Recommendations
IV. Map Screen
V. Driving
VI. Ghost Busting
VII. Zuul
VIII. Accounts
IX. Game Review
X. Special Thanks
XI. Version History
XII. Contact Information
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I. Introduction
This is a FAQ for the Apple II game Ghostbusters. It contains information on
how to play the game, winning strategies, and a mini-review.
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II. Getting Started
Press Spacebar on the Title Screen to proceed to the Franchise Screen. The
first thing you do is enter your name and press Return. Then you will be
asked if you already have an account, input YES or Y if you do, you'll then
have to input your account number. If you don't have one, type NO or N. After
you are done setting up your franchise, it's on to the shop.
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III. Shop
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A. Cars
________________________________________________________
| # | Car | Price | Top Speed | Capacity |
|---|------------------|---------|-----------|-----------|
| 1 | Compact | $2,000 | 75 MPH | 5 Items |
|---|------------------|---------|-----------|-----------|
| 2 | 1963 Hearse | $4,800 | 90 MPH | 9 Items |
|---|------------------|---------|-----------|-----------|
| 3 | Station Wagon | $6,000 | 110 MPH | 11 Items |
|---|------------------|---------|-----------|-----------|
| 4 | High-Performance | $15,000 | 160 MPH | 7 Items |
--------------------------------------------------------
To buy a car, type in the number and press Return. To view the car stats,
type a Space and press Return.
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B. Equipment
..............................................................................
1. Overview
While you are really only required to buy a car and a trap, having the correct
equipment can make all the difference between success and failure. Press the
1, 2, or 3 keys to cycle through the different types of equipment available.
To buy an item, press up/down on the joystick to move the forklift to the item.
Press the button to put it on the forklift, press right to move it to your car,
and press the button again to purchase it. Be careful, once you drop an item
on your car, it's bought and cannot be returned! The number of items you can
carry depends on your car (and wallet!).
When you are done purchasing equipment, press E to go to the Map Screen. Make
absolutely sure you are ready before you leave, once you do, you CANNOT
re-enter until your next game!
..............................................................................
2. PK Energy Detector
Cost: $400
The PK Energy Detector is a bit of a misnomer, it does NOT keeps track of the
PK level. What it does is warn you of a future Slimer haunting by turning a
building pink as you drive by.
..............................................................................
3. Image Intensifier
Cost: $800
The Image Intensifier will prevent Slimers from being camouflaged by the
buildings.
..............................................................................
4. Marshmallow Sensor
Cost: $800
The Marshmallow Sensor will warn you of an impending attack by the Stay Puft
Marshmallow Man.
..............................................................................
5. Ghost Bait
Cost: $400
Ghost Bait is actually one of the most critical pieces of equipment in the
game! It is used to keep the Roamers from combining to form Stay Puft.
Use it has soon as you see the Marshmallow Alert, if you are successful you
get paid $2,000. If you don't stop Stay Puft, you are actually fined $4,000!
Ghost Bait is used by pressing 'B' and you only get five uses before you run
out.
..............................................................................
6. Traps
Cost: $600
Traps are used to capture Slimers. Each trap can hold only one Slimer and once
all your traps are full, you must empty them at Ghostbuster HQ before you can
catch any more ghosts.
..............................................................................
7. Ghost Vacuum
Cost: $500
The Ghost Vacuum is used to capture Roamers during driving sequences. To
capture a Roamer, press the button while it is touching your car. Captured
Roamers do NOT earn you cash nor do they take up space in your traps.
..............................................................................
8. Portable Laser Confinement System
Cost: $8,000
The Portable Laser Confinement System allows you to empty your traps without
returning to Ghostbuster HQ. It can hold a total of ten Slimers.
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C. Recommendations
I recommend that first time players buy the 1963 Hearse, Image Intensifier,
Marshmallow Sensor, Ghost Bait, Ghost Vacuum, and 4 Traps.
In subsequent playthroughs, if you have at least $12,000 dollars, I recommend
upgrading to the Station Wagon.
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IV. Map Screen
The Ghostbuster logo represents your current location. You use the joystick to
plot your route. To go to a particular building, you move your icon next to it
then press the button while holding the joystick towards the building.
Buildings currently being haunted by Slimers will flash red. If you have the
PK Energy Detector, buildings that will soon be haunted will turn pink and
if you have the Marshmallow Sensor, a building will turn white if it is about
to be attacked by Stay Puft.
The ghosts you see are called Roamers. They will make their way towards the
temple of Zuul in the center of the map. Every time a Roamer reaches Zuul,
the PK Level will increase by 100. If you touch a Roamer with your icon, it
will freeze, frozen Roamers will appear during the next driving sequence and
can be captured with the Ghost Vacuum.
Ghostbuster HQ is located in the lower left of the map. You will have to go
here whenever you have no empty traps, your packs run out of power, or if two
or more of your Ghostbusters become incapacitated.
At the bottom of the screen you will see the City's PK Level and your current
cash. The PK Level will constantly increase, once it reaches 9999, the game
automatically enters the final phase. Pressing Spacebar will display your
current status: number of empty traps, backpack energy, and men remaining.
Once the PK Level breaks 5000, you'll need to be on guard for Stay Puft
attacks. The Roamers will occasionally try to merge together to form Stay
Puft. To prevent the attack, you need to press the 'B' key to drop some Ghost
Bait. Thwarting a Stay Puft attack nets you $2,000 while failing to stop him
will result in a $4,000 fine!
You'll notice a key and a lock wandering around the map. These represent the
Key Master and Gate Keeper. You can't interact with them in any way, so just
ignore them.
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V. Driving
Driving is definitely the least interesting part of the game, there are no
other cars or obstacles to worry about, you don't even have to bother with
gas! You steer your car using the joystick, there is no accelerator/brake,
the amount of time it takes to arrive at your destination depends on the type
of car you're driving and the distance you plotted on the Map Screen.
Any Roamers that you froze on the Map Screen will appear. To capture a Roamer,
maneuver your car so it is touching the ghost and press the button to suck it
up with the Ghost Vacuum.
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VI. Ghost Busting
When you arrive at a haunting, you'll see the Slimer hovering around the top
of the screen. If you don't have the Image Intensifier, he may blend into the
building in the background and be difficult to see, particularly if the
building is white.
The first order of business is to set the trap. Move your Ghostbuster to the
middle of the screen and press the button to place the trap. Next you need to
get your man in position. Move him to the far left of the screen and then tap
right to turn him around, then press the button to lock him in position. Then
move your second Ghostbuster to the right of the screen, have him face left,
and press the button.
To catch the Slimer, wait until he is between your Ghostbusters, then press the
button to turn on your Proton Pack. Press left/right on the joystick to move
your men closer together and herd the Slimer over the trap. DON'T CROSS THE
BEAMS! If you do, your packs will overload and you'll have to go back to
Ghostbuster HQ to reequip. Once the Slimer is over the trap, press the button
to spring it and hopefully capture the ghost. Capturing the Slimer will earn
you a variable amount of cash depending on how quickly you responded to the
call. If you miss, the Slimer will slime one of your men and head off, adding
300 points to the PK Level.
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VII. Zuul
Once the PK Level reaches 9999, one of two events will occur. If you did not
manage to earn more money than you started out with, you'll default on your
loan and the bank will foreclose on your franchise, ending your game.
If you did earn enough money, you'll automatically head to Zuul. The goal here
is to sneak two of your three Ghostbusters past the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
The method that works best for me is to stand on the edge of the sidewalk,
then make a run for it as soon as Stay Puft LANDS after a SMALL hop.
If you succeed, you get a short cutscene showing your team closing the portal.
You'll be rewarded with a $5,000 bonus. Whether you succeeded or not, because
you earned more money than you started with, you'll be given an account number
that you can use the next time you play.
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VIII. Accounts
________________________________
| Name | Number | Balance |
|-------|------------|-----------|
| BRIAN | 30402400 | $11,800 |
|-------|------------|-----------|
| BRIAN | 30712700 | $15,800 |
|-------|------------|-----------|
| BRIAN | 06055700 | $24,600 |
|-------|------------|-----------|
| GOO | 11111111 | $244,900 |
--------------------------------
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IX. Game Review
Ghostbusters for the NES is the stereotypical movie-based game, a thinly veiled
piece of shovelware that was hobbled together in order to make a quick buck.
What most gamers don't know is that the NES version was actually a port of the
Ghostbusters game released years earlier on most home computer platforms.
You have two objectives in this game: to stop Gozer and to earn enough money
catching ghosts to pay back your bank loan.
The ghost catching mechanics are a little different than in the NES version.
Instead of capturing the ghosts, your beam "repels" them. The object here is
to use your beams to herd the Slimer so it is over the trap, then spring it at
the right moment to capture him. Unfortunately you have no control over the
angle of your beam, more often than not the Slimer will escape from between
your two Ghostbusters and you have to try to get a lucky shot off with the
trap.
The driving sequences are nowhere near as frustrating as in the NES version.
There are no other cars or obstacles to collide with, you don't even have to
worry about fuel! The only thing you have to do is catch the occasional
Roamer with your Ghost Vacuum.
The Zuul stage is COMPLETELY different from the NES version, There are no
tedious stairs or battle with Gozer, all you have to do is sneak two of your
three Ghostbusters past the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man to win!
Ghostbusters was one of the first movie-based video games to feature gameplay
similar to the action in the movie and more importantly to actually be
enjoyable. If you ever come across a copy, I strongly recommend you check it
out!
Pros
+ Much better than the NES version!
Cons
- More control over your proton streams when capturing Slimers would have been
nice.
- Driving sequences are kind of boring, especially when you have a slow car.
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X. Special Thanks
Special Thanks go to Cobra1 for his FAQ of the Commodore 64 version of the
game!
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XI. Version History
1.0 01/18/10 Completed FAQ.
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XI. Contact Information
You can contact me at
[email protected]
I would appreciate hearing what you thought of this guide and any thoughts
you have for improving it. Be sure to let me know if I have missed anything.
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End
