Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a quirky action game from Rare, the studio known for Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country. The story follows Cooper, a young man whose girlfriend Amber gets kidnapped by the villainous Baron Von Ghoul inside a creepy haunted mansion called Ghoulhaven Hall. Players guide Cooper through room after room of the mansion, fighting off hordes of cartoonish monsters like zombies, skeletons, mummies, and imps. The game uses a simple yet satisfying combat system where players punch, kick, and grab enemies using directional inputs. Each room presents a small challenge, such as defeating all enemies, surviving for a set time, or avoiding certain ghoul types. The art style mixes cartoon visuals with spooky humor, giving the game a Halloween cartoon feel that appeals to both kids and adults. Music shifts between jazzy tunes and tense horror motifs depending on what monsters appear. Rare designed the title as a love letter to old school beat em up games, with bright colors and a goofy tone throughout.
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Screenshots
2 MB · GB / GBC ROMs
External mirror link — Roms Portal hosts no ROM files. Always verify a file's checksum against the known-good hash before use.
Specifications
| Platform | GB / GBC ROMs |
|---|---|
| Genre | Fighting |
| File Size | 2 MB |
| Developer | Rare |
| Updated | Jun 22, 2026 |
Overview
Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a quirky action game from Rare, the studio known for Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country. The story follows Cooper, a young man whose girlfriend Amber gets kidnapped by the villainous Baron Von Ghoul inside a creepy haunted mansion called Ghoulhaven Hall. Players guide Cooper through room after room of the mansion, fighting off hordes of cartoonish monsters like zombies, skeletons, mummies, and imps. The game uses a simple yet satisfying combat system where players punch, kick, and grab enemies using directional inputs. Each room presents a small challenge, such as defeating all enemies, surviving for a set time, or avoiding certain ghoul types. The art style mixes cartoon visuals with spooky humor, giving the game a Halloween cartoon feel that appeals to both kids and adults. Music shifts between jazzy tunes and tense horror motifs depending on what monsters appear. Rare designed the title as a love letter to old school beat em up games, with bright colors and a goofy tone throughout.
The single player adventure spans multiple chapters across Ghoulhaven Hall, with each chapter ending in a boss fight against famous monsters like the Mummy, the Crow, or the Vampire Pumpkin. Cooper picks up special items called Super Ghoulies and Super Cooper, which boost his strength or make him temporarily invincible during fights. Books scattered across the mansion act as power ups, healing items, or instant attacks against weaker enemies. The game tracks player skill through a medal system, rewarding fast clears and clean fights with bronze, silver, gold, and platinum medals. Players who chase high scores can replay rooms to perfect their performance. While the title does not feature traditional multiplayer modes, secret challenge rooms and bonus levels add hours of replay value for completionists. The mansion contains over 100 rooms in total, each with its own goblin types and rules. Overall, Grabbed by the Ghoulies delivers a charming, silly horror romp that stands apart from other action titles thanks to its cartoon style and creative room based combat puzzles.