Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a beat 'em up action game developed by Rare and published for handheld play on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color systems. Players step into the shoes of Cooper, a young hero who arrives at the spooky Ghoulhaven Hall in search of his kidnapped girlfriend Amber. The mansion is packed with ghosts, zombies, skeletons, mummies, and other monsters, each with its own quirks and attack patterns. The core gameplay focuses on room by room combat, where Cooper must clear out waves of enemies before the next door opens. What sets this title apart is its blend of cartoon horror and slapstick humor, giving it a tone that feels closer to a Saturday morning cartoon than a traditional scary game. The game also rewards quick thinking, since each room presents specific challenges or restrictions, such as avoiding a certain enemy or finishing the fight within a time limit. This mix keeps the action fresh from start to finish.
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Screenshots
2 MB · GB / GBC ROMs
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Specifications
| Platform | GB / GBC ROMs |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action |
| File Size | 2 MB |
| Developer | Rare |
| Updated | Jun 22, 2026 |
Overview
Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a beat 'em up action game developed by Rare and published for handheld play on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color systems. Players step into the shoes of Cooper, a young hero who arrives at the spooky Ghoulhaven Hall in search of his kidnapped girlfriend Amber. The mansion is packed with ghosts, zombies, skeletons, mummies, and other monsters, each with its own quirks and attack patterns. The core gameplay focuses on room by room combat, where Cooper must clear out waves of enemies before the next door opens. What sets this title apart is its blend of cartoon horror and slapstick humor, giving it a tone that feels closer to a Saturday morning cartoon than a traditional scary game. The game also rewards quick thinking, since each room presents specific challenges or restrictions, such as avoiding a certain enemy or finishing the fight within a time limit. This mix keeps the action fresh from start to finish.
The handheld version condenses the experience into bite sized levels well suited for portable play, while keeping the personality of the original release. Players move through a series of themed chapters set across different parts of the haunted mansion, including the kitchen, the library, the attic, and the gardens. Cooper can pick up makeshift weapons like frying pans, pool cues, and chairs to fend off the creatures, and special soup pots grant temporary boosts such as super strength or fast feet. A scoring system tracks combos and clean clears, giving players a reason to replay rooms for better results. There is no multiplayer mode, but the single player campaign offers plenty of variety through boss fights against larger monsters and bonus stages hidden behind secret doors. The pixel art style captures the spooky charm of the source material, and the chiptune soundtrack adds to the playful mood. Fans of arcade style action and old school horror themes will find this pocket sized adventure a fun and rewarding ride from beginning to end.