Spooky Retro Games to Enjoy This Halloween

      Andrew Newton returns with his annual selection of eerie 8-bit retro game suggestions for Halloween.

      Halloween has arrived once more, bringing with it the knocks on doors, shaving foam splattered on door cameras, and children dressed as frightful characters shouting "trick or treat!" through your letterbox. Instead of answering the door, why not indulge in some classic spooky (and not-so-scary) 8-bit games? There are plenty of hidden retro gems from the early gaming era, and here are five of those titles.

      **Frightmare – Cascade Games 1988 – Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum**

      The terrifying eyes on the cover are enough to frighten anyone, reminiscent of a cat that has partied all night! Frightmares lurk deep in the subconscious; countless ancient creatures wait for you to sleep and then slowly advance. The blurb on the inlay sums it up nicely. Essentially, Frightmare is a platformer where players leap from platform to platform, evading (or battling) various monsters to gather items and stay alive long enough to wake up.

      Our weary hero falls asleep at midnight and must survive until 8 AM, which is no easy feat. Players will need to evade the numerous enemies and transition to the next screen to progress time by a mere six minutes. Merely passing the time isn’t enough; there’s also the goal of reaching the higher levels of the dream state, indicated at the top of the screen, starting with 'Bad Dream' and advancing to 'Nefarious Frightmare'. Curious about how to improve this? Just use one of the many weapons scattered throughout the game to defeat the various monsters.

      Our little character (top left) must navigate past three ghosts and two demons to acquire the white pot and make his escape. – ZX Spectrum

      Players can choose from several weapons against the monsters, including Holy Water, a Crucifix, Clocks (which slow down enemies), a regular Pistol (which requires bullets), and a special Silver revolver to tackle the ultimate antagonist, Satan. There’s a diverse array of creatures to avoid, with threats ranging from disembodied hands and zombies to demons springing from the ground; even Satan himself makes an appearance.

      Frightmare might not terrify you like Dead Space does, but it serves as a solid platformer. The folks at C&VG rated it 8/10.

      **Nosferatu the Vampyre – Piranha 1986 – Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum**

      Nosferatu the Vampyre is an isometric 3D game that immerses players into the world of Dracula. The notorious Count has transitioned from his cold castle to a mansion in Wismar, where the story begins. The game comprises three sections, the first of which involves retrieving the deeds to the mansion from the Count. Assuming the role of Jonathan Harker, players explore the castle to uncover the deeds while avoiding the numerous hounds, rats, and spiders that serve Dracula.

      In the second section, Dracula has already moved to Wismar and started converting the townsfolk into vampires. Players can take on the roles of Jonathan Harker, Lucy Harker, and Van Helsing, who must fend off the rats and townspeople to protect Lucy. The Count's strength depends on whether you managed to retrieve the deeds. Lastly, as Lucy, players must find a way to trap Jonathan and Van Helsing and entice Dracula to her home, where she can kill him with sunlight.

      Despite the questionable color choices in the Spectrum version, this is a solid game. The movement is appropriately paced, enemy collisions are fair, and item collection is swift and simple. It's challenging enough to keep you engaged without being so difficult that you feel defeated.

      I enjoy well-crafted isometric 3D games, and Nosferatu the Vampyre certainly fits the bill (although it's not as exceptional as Head over Heels). It achieved a Crash Smash with a score of 91%, and Zzap 64 rated it 88%.

      **Go To Hell – Triple Six 1985 – ZX Spectrum**

      Go To Hell is a maze game with a moral... of sorts. In this game, your character has dismissed someone close to them with "go to Hell," and lo and behold, that’s precisely what has happened. Now consumed by regret, our despondent protagonist ventures into Hell to rescue them. Players are tasked with navigating a vast maze comprising 50 screens to find seven crucifixes before confronting the Devil, who strikingly resembles Alice Cooper on the cover of his album "Alice Cooper Goes to Hell."

      The Devil looks like Alice Cooper, but he could be a bit more red-faced. – ZX Spectrum

      Developer John George Jones excels at incorporating unsettling visuals into his games, such as his 1987 title Soft and Cuddly (check out our previous Halloween special for more).