At a time when we weren’t talking about “survival horror”
Let's go back to the era of 8 and 16-bit consoles to rediscover some action, beat'm all, RPG and horror-themed platform video games... A time when the survival-horror genre was not yet defined, we could still sit on the edge of our chair with sweat on our foreheads. Despite the technical limitations and the predominance of 2D graphics on 3rd and 4th generation consoles, Immersion in the more gothic-themed environment and gloomy music of these classic games can be just as captivating and fun as distressing and frustrating. Arm yourself with patience; you will die and start over many times!
Top 10 8-Bit and 16-Bit Best Retro Games for Halloween
10 - Haunting Starring Polterguy (Sega Genesis, 1993)
Developed by Electronic Arts, Haunting Starring Polterguy is a rather original and comical horror-themed game of its kind. Playing as a vengeful ghost, you will have to scare the occupants of various houses by bringing unusual objects to life. Simple and friendly; it's perfect for getting you in the Halloween mood early in the evening.
9 - Decap Attack (Sega Genesis, 1991)
This time, put yourself in the shoes of a headless zombie, created by a mad scientist, who must save the world from an army of monsters. Although the level is rather easy for a platform game, Decap Attack will surprise many with its fun and very colorful side.
8 - Alien 3 (SNES et Genesis, 1993)
Defend yourself against aliens with an impressive arsenal of weapons; that's what awaits you in Alien 3. You will play as Lieutenant Ripley, the sole survivor of a spaceship crash, on a desert planet inhabited by former inmates from a maximum security prison. Get ready to unload your gun magazines! Note that this side-scrolling game is very different from the versions available on NES and Game Boy.
7 - Sweet Home (Famicom, 1989)
Often considered as one of the beginnings of the survival-horror genre for the following generations of consoles, Sweet Home will keep you on the edge of your seat. Moreover, many consider that Capcom team would have been greatly inspired by several aspects of this RPG to create Resident Evil later. The game features a team of researchers who must escape from a haunted mansion populated by monsters and puzzles to solve. Although it was only available on the Famicon in Japan, this retro game is worth a look!
6 - A Nightmare on Elm Street (NES, 1990)
A phenomenal cult movie from the 1980s, the adaptation of A Nightmare on Elm Street into a video game honors the haunted nightmare provided by Freddy Krueger. Although short, this platform game manages to entertain us through different challenges. The goal is simple: find all the bones of the demoniac killer Freddy Krueger across several levels in order to destroy him for good ... or not!?
5 - Demon's Crest (SNES, 1994)
Developed by Capcom on Super Nintendo, Demon's Crest is a brilliant sequel to Gargoyle's Quest on GB and Gargoyle's Quest II on NES. You will play as the Demon Firebrand in an adventure filled with devilish creatures in order to collect precious stones and defeat the Demon Phalanx. This action platformer game will certainly please Metroidvania fans. The music, the level of difficulty and the many possible endings make it an excellent choice for your main course of the evening!
4 - Splatterhouse (TurboGrafx-16, 1990)
A popular 2D arcade game from the 80s, Namco's Splatterhouse is a great choice to get you in the mood before tackling something more robust. Although the game is rather short, the presence of violent and gory animation makes it a very nice mature game for Halloween. You will play as a student possessed by an evil mask who must save his girlfriend in a haunted mansion. The sequel, Splatterhouse 2, is very similar for those who would like to play on Sega Genesis.
3 - Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES et Genesis, 1993)
Despite its mixed success upon release, Zombies Ate My Neighbors had everything to become mythical and make the top 3 of this list .... What's better than saving neighbors from numerous monsters and evil creatures from horror movie classics to get in the Halloween mood? For the time, the graphics, the difficulty level, the touch of humor and the music make it a superb game where replayability is very interesting. Don't hesitate to take out this masterpiece with your friends, the co-op mode is a great way to rediscover it!
2 - Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (SNES, 1991)
Although it is a sequel, I prefer Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts to its predecessors because of the much improved graphics and sound quality for the time. This “side-scroller” from Capcom perfectly imbues the gothic and medieval spirit of Halloween. Step into the shoes of the brave knight Arthur to save Princess Guinevere from the demon Sardius!
1 - Super Castlevania IV (SNES, 1991)
What's more Halloween than a vampire hunter in a spooky castle filled with evil creatures? The mega-franchise Castlevania, published and developed by Konami, leaves no one indifferent. I could have still chosen the first NES opus, an undeniable classic, but the SNES one is undoubtedly more spooky. The visual effects, the soundtrack and the diversity of bosses make Super Castlevania IV a must for Halloween. You will need precision and speed to be able to beat this retro game!
Some extra games
In every Top 10, we unfortunately have to leave out some games that still deserve consideration. For example, Doom on SNES, which stands out greatly for its gameplay. It may have aged a bit, but it remains one of the precursors of its genre ("first-person shooter") and remains a classic of horror and science fiction. For fans of "point-and-click", Uninvited and Maniac Mansion on NES can be entertaining. Still on NES, Monster in My Pocket, made and produced by Konami, explores all the possibilities and technical prowess of this console at the time. Both short and entertaining, this platform game with "co-op" mode is ideal to start the Halloween evening. Finally, released in 2000 on the NEO GEO MVS arcade terminals, Nightmare in the Dark unfortunately never had an official release on console. It is a platform game that embraces the Halloween theme very well and is worth discovering.
Last word
You've probably seen titles like Ghostbusters, Friday the 13th and Bram Stoker's Dracula at the video store when you were younger? Despite their popularity in cinema, these video game adaptations were somewhat disappointing compared to others of the same genre... Repetition, playability, difficulty level, fluidity of movements, music; many things don't work and leave us with a bitter taste. This is why you should never trust the cover of first-generation games!