It says a lot that even five years after Ghostbusters: The Video Game was released that we’re still discovering new tidbits, even if it’s now at a trickle.
The deleted Thanksgiving Day Parade level is a well-known element of the game’s production, having been intended to showcase the crowd mechanics which had served as one of the game’s promo trailers, as well as providing a bit of video footage for one of the “action” trailers closer to the game’s release.
Less known, however… is that Ray’s Occult would’ve made a brief appearance during this segment.
Pictured with a work in progress of Ray’s shop is a selection of parade floats and a stage from the deleted level which I found over on VGFacts:
Cool! I just replayed the game for the first time in a while and this level would have been so cool. I remember that crowd mechanics being heavily touted before the game was released but then we never really saw much of it.
Paul Rudoff found the artwork in the PC version. There’s 17 images total; more floats, ghosts, etc. and one more image for Ray’s Occult. an interior shot. http://www.theraffon.net/~spookcentral/games_gbvg_unlart.htm Click on the Parade tab. I think Ray might have thrown a fit having the guys detour through his store with the packs equipped. heh.
Shame that this level was never finished, it seems like it would have been really fun to play. Ironically in the Nintendo DS version of the game their is a level at the Macys Thanksgiving day parade, although the possessed balloon you fight is a giant Turkey, rather than Blinkers the science pup.
Yes the Parade level is present in the DS version of Ghostbusters: The Video Game and is a little bit different then the aborted parade level for Xbox 360. Rather then detour through Ray’s Occult bookstore, you detour though the sewers chasing the Chiarman ghost from the Museum level.
