Ultimate Ghost 'n Goblins trailer materialises on PSP

The masochists will tell you games these days are too soft, and how they long for a return to a time when you were handed three lives and set off on a challenge demanding impossible android-like eye-hand coordination which, in those of nervous disposition, inevitably resulted in a joystick-smashed-against-the-wall moment.

Of all the games able to conjure forth such moments, Ghosts 'n Goblins was right up there. Which is why, when news reached us earlier in the year that a new version being created by some of the original team was set to appear on Sony's handheld, we feared for the sake of PSPs across the globe.

Particularly – as you'll note from the screenshots and trailer (download the latter by clicking on "Watch It!" above) – the game retains its classic 2D side-scrolling perspective (though 3D effects have been deftly added) and, crucially, the merciless gameplay.

Well, almost. New features such as new moves (double jump, dash, grab onto ledges), weapons, armour, extra lives, upgradeable magic and attacks, a carry-on-from-where-you-died structure, as well as three difficulty levels and a save feature (yes, the original game forced you to play through in one sitting!) bring things more in line with the 21st century, though anyone wishing to replicate the intense demands of the original game will be able to – the development team has already promised as much.

Everyone else will no doubt be having a better time uncovering new sub-missions courtesy of the now non-linear progression, or replaying past levels in search of hidden items and weapons to help with the challenges and bosses that still lie ahead.

But enough typing. Check out the video to get a beautiful glimpse of an era gone by and, by definition, an unusual and therefore welcome addition to the PSP family.

Whether or not we'll play it on 'Ultimate' mode is another matter…