Creepy and spooky NES games
Posted by CorruptYou know, Dexter's post about the NES game "Taboo: The Sixth Sense" inspired me to do my own google search and try to find similar games. You know, ones that are meant to be played with the lights out at 2 AM in the morning with the sound turned all the way up. Games that, even with their 8-bit limitation, still manage to produce a creepy aura with images and music. Especially music. During my google search I found a few NES games that definitely have that "spooky" quality about them, and I would absolutely love to get my hands on them. The main ones are Uninvited, Sweet Home, Gargoyle's Quest II, and Shadowgate. Other honorable mentions (and games that I haven't played in years) include the first two Castlevania games, Fester's Quest, Kabuki: Quantum Fighter, Xexyz, and Zanac. Okay, I know how the last two games mentioned aren't necessarily spooky, but they were often the subject of my nightmares when I was a little kid. (why, I don't know) I still love both the games to death, though, and it's one of my priorities to buy them for myself again. I love the feeling of being creeped out by an old, seemingly forgotten video game. I think part of it is the nostalgia of it all; 8-bit is incredibly appealing to me; something I love to just get lost in for a night.
Anyway, I was wondering if any of you NES gurus could list any other games that give off that definite "creepy" aura, and possibly tell me where I could find them. I'm assuming they're pretty obscure (although I might be mistaken), but either way, any help on finding these games would be very appreciated. And also if you've played any of the games I've mentioned (which I know some of you have), feel free to share your experiences with them, whether you found them scary or not. You can also list games that terrified you as a kid if you'd like! :amy:
Posted by nichIll tell you about a creepy game, although its for Sega. Micheal Jackson's Moonwalker. freakshow.
Posted by PhlyntheKTTry Friday the 13th for NES, it is pretty scary, especially if you get chased. It can also get kinda of confusing and stuff too,but that that's only due to its map system. Its just something you have to learn to deal with when you are playing this game.
Posted by KlarthNightshade scared me a lot when I was younger, and maybe around the age of four or five, Final Fantasy did the same somehow. :(
Taboo officially rocks, though.
Posted by Last FogI cant imagine an 8 bit game being creepy
Posted by Colonel
Quoting nich: Ill tell you about a creepy game, although its for Sega. Micheal Jackson's Moonwalker. freakshow.
Amen to that
Posted by ZEN
Quoting nich: Ill tell you about a creepy game, although its for Sega. Micheal Jackson's Moonwalker. freakshow.
Yeah really. The cemetary level has "zombies", and when you get really close to them they start jumping. It's especially freaky (seeing as how in real life, zombies don't jump like that).
For NES, Uninvited and Shadowgate are the main creepfests do to their sense of apprehension about doing anything, as the next wrong move or decision you make can result in DEATH! There was a third game in the Kemco/Seika text adventure line called Déjà Vu which has the most interesting plot. You're someone who has lost their memory and wake up to find yourself the prime suspect in a murder case that you have no memory of. The game's lack of a horror theme is made up for by its intense sense of urgency and confusion. I was reminded of 'Déjà Vu' from playing a more recent game with startling similiarities, 'Indigo Prophecy'.
Maniac Mansion deserves mention. Try turning off the character music themes and walking around with just the sound effects. Then jump out of your seat when one of the hostile members of the crazy maniac family discover you and give chase.
I glad Sweet Home got an English translation for the ROM community. It truly is a disturbing experience considering its limitations. Some could argue that in many ways 'Sweet Home' is a "survival horror" game of sorts, although the game play is strictly 8-bit RPG formula.
For "creepy" and "spooky" music, listen to the sound test on Castlevania III and play the song "Nightmare". Wicked.
Also the "[url=http://www.azenthing.net/media1/Within_These_Castle_Walls.mp3]Within These Castle Walls[/url]" tune from Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (Dracula's castle music) is a horror music masterwork.
Posted by S0LID 5NAKEone game that tripped me out was platoon. the first level wasnt all that bad. but once you got in the underground tunnels things got pretty hecktik
Posted by StalolinI actually thought that, though incredibly simple, Halloween was kind of scary. You start out with Jason or whoever chasing you and then you dash left/right/up and try to find the kid and get him out of the house (I think).
What makes it a little frightening is that THERE IS A GUY WITH SOME HUGE BLADE FOLLOWING YOU EVERYWHERE. MOVING INTO DIFFERENT ROOM WILL NOT HELP OH *** HE'S HERE **** GOTTA FIND THE KID AND GET THE **** OUT OH *** AH KNIFE IN BACK
Posted by Dexter
Quoting Corrupt: Shadowgate.
This was one of the recent adventures I went through. I finished it in late 2005. I purposely only played it at night because of the aura of the game. Lights off, candles burning, "Dunkel, still von Ewigkeit" by Urfaust playing quietly in the background of the actual game noise, and I left the window open to give me the chills. The game had its moments of creepiness, but I really put myself into that willing suspension of disbelief.
Quoted post: Ill tell you about a creepy game, although its for Sega. Micheal Jackson's Moonwalker. freakshow.
That wasn't freaky, that was hilarious.
I have to say that no NES game, with the exception of Taboo, scared me more than Willow. The game seriously freaked me out. Those dungeons were terrifying. Oddly enough, the game also had a pleasant aura to it. When you start off, you're in a happy, colorful town with the Theme from A Summer Place playing. But once you make progress and enter the dungeons, you'll get chills. At least I did. I believe I had several dreams during my first experience through the game that awoken me in a anxious wreck. I would be terrified like a captive hare. The great thing about it was that it was 8-bit. Things weren't too detailed, giving me a paranoiac's imagination, which would always be inventing scenarios to torture itself. I believe, overall, I've had more frightening experiences with the NES than any other system.
Posted by neofreak91I cant imagine an 8 bit game being creepy
the only game was creepy for me was resident evil 1 for ps1
Posted by juliebriggsthe dungeons in zelda were scary i suppose
Posted by Proto ManHeck, if you want outright creepy, try playing Uninvited in the dark! I was sitting there in my dad's house. There was no one home, and it was midnight. I had the lights turned out, and headphones on. I was playing the game Uninvited, and was wandering around the abandoned house. I turned a corner, and suddenly something like this monster here (not sure if it was THIS one)
[IMG]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/games/coverg/80/607780.jpg[/IMG]
popped up out of nowhere! It certainly gave me a jolt! That game, along with Deja Vu certainly gives me the chills when playing.
Posted by TEAMBAJA
Quoting nich: Ill tell you about a creepy game, although its for Sega. Micheal Jackson's Moonwalker. freakshow.
Believe it or not, I have the fullsize ARCADE game Moonwalker. Still has the original sideart with Michaels face. Its a funny game actually. The object is to "Save the Children" by touching them!
Posted by Dexter
Quoting Corrupt: You know, Dexter's post about the NES game "Taboo: The Sixth Sense" inspired me to do my own google search and try to find similar games.
No game is scarier or seemingly more spiritually filled, which is scary in itself, than Taboo. The other day I teasingly had my girlfriend play it and she swears that the little skull up on the right side of the screen flashed her face from when she was 7 after she finished playing one round. She said the message she got was about her pass too and she said that the face felt like someone else from her childhood watching her using her 7-year old face as a hiding method. She hasn't even gone back into that room since and I don't think she'll ever play that particular game again. I don't easily turn it on and I only get the guts too when I'm goofing off with someone else.
Posted by The Hate[IMG]http://www.theoldcomputer.com/Libarary's/Pictures/NESGameCovers/D/Dr.%20Jekyll%20'n%20Mr%20Hyde.jpg[/IMG]
O gawd the horror!
Posted by Colonel
Quoting TEAMBAJA: Believe it or not, I have the fullsize ARCADE game Moonwalker. Still has the original sideart with Michaels face. Its a funny game actually. The object is to "Save the Children" by touching them!
I lol'd.
MICHEAL!!!
Posted by iluvgirlswithglassesSplatterhouse 3's in-between cutscenes freaked me out when I was a kid. Especially when it showed Jennifer's bloated head...:O oh man. And some of the stage backgrounds as well.
EDIT: Gah, something must be wrong with my eyes. I thought I was in the SNES board. Apologies