Analysing the Game That 'Killed' Rare

On the 20th anniversary of Microsoft's historic buyout of British studio Rare, we analyse their flagship Xbox release: 2003's Grabbed by the Ghoulies.

🥁 See CCs for Music Used
🎙 Written, Edited and VOed by @hotcyder
🎧 Audio Mastering by @HeavyEyed

[TheCartoonGamer]

Best Ghoulies analysis I’ve ever seen, on what has become one of my absolute favourite games from Rare. Great stuff, dude.

[whenisdinner]

Rare is the one game Studio that makes it their mission to make at least one game in every genre that has ever existed in video games. Like seriously, they never stay with the same formula for too long and they always just try something new and sometimes invent entirely new genres.

[EdmacZ]

Grabbed by the Ghoulies was a Nintendo-Rare game on a non-Nintendo console.

In an alternate reality, GbTG is a Gamecube hit and Cooper becomes a star in Smash Bros.

[Enterim]

Some players call Doom slaughtermaps "combat puzzles" as well to emphasize how they (good ones, anyway) are not just about mindless slaughter, but strategic use of certain weapons, targeting certain enemies first, clearing space to establish a foothold, etc. I'd never heard that term outside of the Doom community but it looks like it applies here as well.

[VirtuallyReality]

I briefly worked for Rare during the Kinect period. I was lucky enough to work with many devs who went on to make Sea of Thieves. What struck me was the passion for games, and the level of care put into even the Kinect Sports titles. Your video clearly shows how much went into Ghoulies.
The games industry, both developers and publishers, are trying to run a business, so there's inevitably a tug of war between creating a product vs creating a work of art. Rare has always produced something tipping the scales towards "art".
Fantastic video on a fantastic company!

[floydstephman]

This was easily one my most played games on the original Xbox as a kid. I was shocked to find out much later in life that basically everyone hated it on launch.

[chickenbouilloncube]

My dad got the xbox for himself, but Grabbed by the Ghoulies for me. I never realized it did so poorly in terms of sales, but given the kind of marketing the system had, that makes sense. Rare did an amazing job, and made a great game, regardless

[gigastrike]

Rare's story behind the game is so incredibly them.

"We think testicle puns are funny. Also new Scooby-Doo is dumb."

[MINI_]

I loved Grabbed by the Ghoulies back then. I tried a demo in a store and I loved it. Got my own copy of the game later and I still have my original copy.

[NexVoidGaming]

I know that Rare isn't what it used to be, but it still fills me with pride to see that company kicking around.

Thank the video game lords EA didn't get it's grubby hands on Rare and snuff out that flame forever.

[JRHainsworth]

This was one of my favorite games as a kid, and I was shocked to hear that no one else had played or heard of it back then. It's why, as a new game dev, my current project is recreating this game's mechanics and style.

[Wavecheckfoo]

I always wanted this game as a kid. I would watch the trailer over and over on a Cartoon Network dvd that came out of a cereal box

[sencrowe]

I've probably played this game at least 20 times and each time I never got bored.
could be me but i'll never understand how this game got bad mouthed so much

[THICCTHICCTHICC]

Finding out the game was Ghoulies came as a surprise. I think it's an awesome game that fits pretty perfectly into Rare's overall output.

[Mallerd]

I am a huge Grabbed by the Ghoulies fan and defender and am always trying to get people to play it. This is hands down the best video Ive ever watched of this wonderfull game and the little retrospective of Rare under Microsoft throughout it was also a joy to watch seeing as I dont see a lot of people approach it with positivity. Spectacular work!

[PunchFaceChamp]

If I'd trust anyone to give me an analysis of Grabbed by the Ghoulies, it'd be you. This was fantastic!

[sirreginaldfishingtonxvii]

There was a lot to learn from this, surprisingly. (And until today I didn't even know it existed!) I'll make sure to keep some of this game design analysis in mind in the future.

Also learnt about new testicle slang today. That's also useful.

Many thanks, HotCyder!

[kewlkat]

I'm always happy to see people talk about Grabbed by the Ghoulies. I remember playing it when I was in elementary school after my dad traded our old Win98 computer for a box of Xbox games. I recently went back to play it after wondering if I would still like it all these years later. Glad to say that it's as comfy and charming as I remember.

[TBoneTony]

RARE is no longer the developer I used to remember.

1992 to 2002 from Battletoads and Donkey Kong Country to Dinosaur Planet's Starfox Adventures.

The game that killed RARE isn't Grabbed by the Ghoulies, but I think it was Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts.
Because I know of RARE's best game from the Microsoft era was Kameo Elements of Power and I loved that game from start to finish, kinda wished there was more to do in the post game content.

[XxicewolfxX]

This was one of my main games I played when my brother handed his OG Xbox down to me before the 360 released. The 'Jessie & Clyde' enemy used to scare me as a kid, especially in the room where you need to fight 2 or 3 at once 😆