Stranger Things returned for Season 5 Vol. 1 last month, and the series is taking one last bow in the ’80s before concluding later in December. Usually, the show is pretty sharp about not making major mistakes in the time period or anachronisms that shouldn’t be there. But this time, the show made an apparent goof with an old-school Nintendo game.
As spotted on Time Extension, Hawkins’ latest home-grown bully, Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly), was playing the notoriously difficult Ghosts ‘n Goblins on his NES. However, the version of the game playing on the screen was actually the original arcade game that was released by Capcom in 1985.
I love Stranger Things, but Season 5 just committed a cardinal sin. They show a kid playing ‘Nintendo’ in his room… but the TV is clearly running the arcade version of Ghosts ’n Goblins, NOT the NES port. My retro heart can’t take it! 😫 pic.twitter.com/LRZJOOjCTM
— My Retro Life (@myretrolifeshow) November 29, 2025
On the face of it, this seems like an easy mistake to make for anyone who didn’t grow up in the ’80s. That said, it’s also possible that this isn’t a mistake and the arcade version of Ghosts ‘n Goblins was used on-screen because it’s simply a better looking version of the game.
To demonstrate, this is what the NES port looks like:
The original Nintendo was a good home console for its era, but it couldn’t make the game look as good as it did in the arcade. This version also had better music and sound effects.
When it comes to goofs, this isn’t quite on the same level as the coffee cup that was left on set in Game of Thrones Season 8 or HBO Max’s recent mix-up with Mad Men which featured shots that included crew members who were supposed to be hidden. Netflix may not even bother to acknowledge or fix the Ghosts ‘n Ghouls mix-up.
Earlier this year, Wizards of the Coast released a Dungeons & Dragons/Stranger Things TTRPG. And the Stranger Things kids are also coming to Fortnite.
Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 1 is streaming on Netflix. Vol. 2 will drop on Christmas, and the final episode will premiere on December 31. The finale will also be available to watch in select theaters that day.
