June 29, 2021
DotEmu

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol

A game as good as Zombies Ate My Neighbors deserves a stronger package than this one, which feels in parts like a bit of a hack job. We're sure it isn't, but the lack of extras or even meaningful settings to change (again, you can't remap the controls) are a huge bummer. We could complain about the lack of the Mega Drive version, as while most favour the SNES game there is something to be said for the Sega port's always-visible status screen, but overall we still recommend this package to anyone who simply wants a slightly inferior version of a bloomin' brilliant game on their Switch, plus its much worse, but kind of okay sequel. This is — shockingly — probably the worst way to play Zombies Ate My Neighbors ever, but it's still a way to play Zombies Ate My Neighbors. So it gets the slightest of thumbs-ups.

60%Game Brain Score

music

graphics, gameplay

60% User Score Based on 222 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $3.88

Buy NowGet on Steam Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

About

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol is a single player and multiplayer arcade platformer game with a horror theme. It was developed by DotEmu and was released on June 29, 2021. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

The cult classic Zombies Ate My Neighbors and its sequel make their long awaited return in Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol! Play these classics from the golden age of 16-bit gaming with new enhancements and never before seen museum features.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol screenshot

Skip User Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 222 reviews

music8 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The nostalgia kick is CRAZY, bringing back childhood memories and providing a fun experience.
The game looks fantastic on modern displays and works well on platforms like Steam Deck.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a timeless classic with engaging gameplay and a variety of enemies and levels.

The port is poorly optimized, lacking crucial features like controller support and customizable controls.
Audio issues are prevalent, with music sounding off and higher pitched compared to the original.
The game lacks online multiplayer and remote play options, making it less enjoyable for co-op play.

music
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
80%
9%
The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players criticizing the higher pitch and distortion compared to the original soundtrack, as well as the removal of iconic tracks and the lack of options to switch between different versions. While some users still appreciate the nostalgic value of the original SNES music, others find the new compositions unsatisfactory and poorly fitting with the game's aesthetic. Overall, the changes to the music have detracted from the experience for many players.
- “One of the best SNES soundtracks.”
- “With its catchy soundtrack and fun gameplay, it draws you in.”
- “Especially the soundtrack is eargasm.”
- “The music is off, the controls are absolutely terrible (and unchangeable).”
- “The original start screen has been changed and the music is not the same.”
- “Audio issues: the music is higher pitched than it should be, and cuts out where it didn't on the original SNES version.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
72%
21%
The graphics have received mixed feedback, with some users noting slight bugs and graphic tearing, while others find them acceptable but lacking in options like fullscreen and filters. The overall visual presentation remains similar to the original games, but the removal of iconic elements and limited sprite animations in the gallery have disappointed many. Additionally, the aesthetic changes, particularly in the audio, have detracted from the overall experience for some players.
- “Graphics are fine but some filter options would be nice as the pixel look isn't for everyone.”
- “Not fullscreen, doesn't have the original title screen, new songs added sound like trash, they removed the bonus level at the start of the game, they made all the music higher pitch and crappy, controls are garbage, graphics are slightly buggy, do not buy.”
- “- audio is pitched higher and there is some graphic tearing in zamn.”
- “Aside from that change regarding the visuals, they're the same old games.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The gameplay is generally well-received, with players appreciating its fun mechanics and co-op functionality, which enhances the overall experience. However, some users express frustration with new menu changes and the lack of online co-op, as well as minor distractions like screen borders. Despite these issues, the engaging gameplay remains a strong draw for fans.
- “I am always more inclined toward gameplay rather than music or visuals, so if a game plays well, I'll like it.”
- “The overall game may not be the same, but at least the gameplay is; you can use a controller and it's co-op.”
- “With its catchy soundtrack and fun gameplay, it draws you in.”
- “While some parts of the new menus are good, the rest are bad: the start button will bring up the pause menu at any point in gameplay, even during score tallies. This is a change from the original, and since the pause menu is different, it's a con. It should have probably used a shoulder button for the 'emulator' pause like in the Contra collection and kept the regular button for the 'console' pause.”
- “Yes, on this version you can adjust your screen to full screen or windowed (I own it on the consoles as well, that big a fan), but you can't adjust the size, you can't use cheats (if you look closely at the trailer, the developers are using cheats to showcase gameplay), and worst of all, there is no online co-op.”
- “The borders, while somewhat irritating, don't distract from the gameplay too much.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs including screen glitches, audio issues, and lagged controls. Many have experienced freezing and poor controller support, particularly in co-op mode, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Overall, the presentation and functionality of the ports have been deemed unsatisfactory, making them a poor investment.
- “The saves are awful and other features could have easily been added - nearly £15 for ports which still have screen glitches. Pretty poor presentation is a bit steep.”
- “Audio is wonky, controls are lagged/off, I've had times where it just freezes for no reason. I wish they did better on the co-op offer aspect; it would've been nice to have a list of what the controls actually are.”
- “The port is overall buggy.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with reviewers expressing disappointment over its lack of meaningful updates and the feeling that it was hastily released to capitalize on nostalgia rather than offer genuine value. Many suggest that the content could have been better served through community-driven tools or additions instead of a standalone purchase.
- “A quick cash grab, you'd be better off emulating it instead of buying this.”
- “Love the games but this is a horrible and blatant cash grab.”
- “Again, it feels like these types of things could have been easily implemented through something like a Steam Workshop addition or a Steam tool, but instead, the game was just lazily thrown out to get nostalgia-tinted glasses cash grab sales.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
Players consistently highlight the game's high replayability, noting that it offers significantly more enjoyment compared to keyboard controls. The emphasis on replay value suggests that the game is designed to be engaging and rewarding through multiple playthroughs.
- “This really needs its own thing since the game's replay value weighs heavily and significantly upon it.”
- “This really needs its own thing since the game's replay value weighs heavily upon it.”
- “It has lots of replay value.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game's atmosphere is noted for its strong sense of immersion, effectively drawing players in despite its relatively simple design by modern standards. This combination of playability and atmospheric depth enhances the overall experience.
- “Lessons in playability and atmosphere are present in this game.”
- “The game creates a strong sense of immersion and atmosphere, even though it may be considered simple by today's standards.”
- “Lessons in playability and atmosphere are lacking in this game.”
- “The game fails to create a compelling atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
- “Despite its attempts, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly noting that inventory management becomes cumbersome. Many feel that after reaching level 30, the gameplay becomes excessively tiring and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience.
- “But after a few hours and from level 30 onwards, the game becomes too tedious and too tiring to play.”
- “Finally, inventory management is really tedious.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its poor optimization, leading to performance issues and a subpar experience for players.
- “The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to frequent frame drops.”
- “I experienced poor optimization throughout my playthrough, which really affected my enjoyment.”
- “The poor optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”

Skip Critic Reviews

60%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews

Skip Game Offers

Buy Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol

82%1.4kreviews

Castlevania Anniversary Collection

2019

Arcade Role Playing

79%2.8kreviews

Mega Man X Legacy Collection

2018

Platformer

79%781reviews

Contra Anniversary Collection

2019

Arcade Platformer

75%227reviews

GEX Trilogy

2025

Platformer

75%2.3kreviews

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection

2018

Arcade Fighting

More games like Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol is a arcade platformer game with horror theme.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol was released on June 29, 2021.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol was developed by DotEmu.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol for its music but disliked it for its graphics.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Mega Man X Legacy Collection, Contra Anniversary Collection, GEX Trilogy, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection and others.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol

Platforms