Based on the cartoon based on the movie, Data East's The Real Ghostbusters delivered exactly what it promised: the busting of ghosts. Up to three players could join in on the spirit-snatching fun, each equipped with both a regular fire button and a special proton-fueled beam, perfect for sucking in those hard-to-reach phantasms.

The action took place on a scrolling field, seen from a near-overhead view. As a blue-, yellow- or red-suited Ghostbuster (possibly Peter, Ray and Egon, though no names were given), your job was to clear stages of troublesome ghosts-blasting them into spirits, then catching those spirits with the beam. Power-ups for both the regular gun and the beam were available, as were temporary shields and a circling Slimer, who protected his Ghostbusting buddies from harm.

The otherworldly menaces came in several grotesque forms, from flying gremlins to hooded wizards, burrowing worms, purple-snouted beasts, the walking undead and more. Each stage was capped off by a boss ghost, starting with a pair of long-robed wraiths who exuded what looked like deadly sheets of paper (don't ask). Between stages (and with a funky transition), the Ghostbusters dumped their captured spirits into the containment unit back at GBHQ.

New types of monsters made each level a new challenge, but even with this kind of variety, The Real Ghostbusters wasn't able to keep up with the phenomenal success of its cartoon companion, which ran on Saturday mornings until 1992.