Ghosts n DJs is a free ‘80s-style videogame that lets you play as deadmau5 and battle ghost producers and ‘fake’ artists

If you’re a big fan of ‘80s video games, but not so keen on 21st century DJ culture, Ghosts’n DJs could be the entertainment experience you’ve been waiting for. 

Inspired by Capcom’s classic Ghosts ‘n Goblins platformer, this satirical new pixel-art run and gun side-scrolling action platformer is set in a parallel universe in which the music scene is being dominated by ‘fake’ artists and DJs. 

The story is that these people have risen to fame because of ghost producers, who create their music for them, and “a dangerous power brought from the Pit of Averno,” otherwise known as ‘MONEY’.

This cast of ne’er-do-wells includes such characters as Devil Goata, Paul Douchebag, Paris Sheraton, Steve Karaoki and Pete Bullshit. Any resemblance to real-life DJs in our own world is, we assume, entirely coincidental.

These people have a common goal: “to destroy the love for the music in this universe by making all of it to sound the same and stupid, using a terrifying and malicious artifact known as THE TEMPLATE.”

However, we’re told that there’s still a chance for real music to survive; you have to help Spanish house producer Dr Kucho!, whose company is responsible for programming the game, as he seeks to “fight the fake and avoid cheesy music to poison the weak minds. Find the template and destroy it so ghost producers won't be able to make music for anyone and fake artists will be forced to live by their own merits… if they can.”

In an extra twist, you have the opportunity to play as deadmau5, who hasn’t been shy about sharing his own opinions on his fellow DJs in the past. What’s more, Dr Kucho! says that you can rest assured that “no ghost programmers were used in the making of this video game”.

You can download Ghosts’n DJs for PC and Mac via Steam. Although it’s free, Dr Kucho! suggests that, if you like it, you might consider donating to one of various videogame charities, as detailed in his Tweet below.