October is the spookiest month of the year with plenty of ghouls, glitz and glamour to look forward to on Halloween night. This year, Halloween is looking a little bit different with social distancing rules still in place and some Australian states firmly stuck inside. But just because you’re at home this year doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some spooky, good times.
Here are all the best spooky video games you can play to celebrate the Halloween spirit safely.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the strangest entry on this list because for the most part, it’s a wholesome and cutesy adventure. But once October hits this game, all the spooky goodness starts. In addition to celebrating Halloween night with a candy-swapping mini-game, New Horizons also lets you collect spooky furniture, try on new costumes and even dye your hair fun, new colours in October.
It’s not quite the same as going outside, but it perfectly replicates the fun and excitement of Halloween night.
Mansions of Madness
Mansions of Madness is a solo or co-op adventure where players explore a haunted house (or town) using an app to control all the action. (It’s halfway between a video game and a board game, so it totally counts!) It’s based on the writing of H.P. Lovecraft, so expect all kinds of Cthulian horrors and eldritch beings when you kick off a game. It’s easy to learn, great for adults and should keep the party pumping. It’s also got a very creepy soundtrack for the perfect Halloween vibes.
Mysterium and Betrayal at House on the Hill are also very fun board game alternatives that keep with the haunted mansion theme.
MediEvil Remastered
MediEvil Remastered is a fantastic game that perfectly encapsulates the Halloween spirit. There’s big, scary monsters, ghosts, talking statues and giant topiary elephants — everything you need for the ideal Halloween evening. If you’ve never played it before, the game is a mix of fun puzzling, adventure and classic 1990s platforming, all in a shiny new package.
MediEvil is great, and a true classic of the original PlayStation lineup. It’s perfect for Halloween.
Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp
Monster Camp is the first of multiple planned sequels for the smash hit dating sim, Monster Prom. Once again, you’ll be able to romance your fellow monsters, discover special items, find hidden endings and have a bunch of fun with your monster pals. Monster Prom was a pure delight, so this spooky, camp-themed adventure should be no different.
Monster Camp is releasing on October 23, just in time for some fantastic, smooch-filled Halloween romances.
Pumpkin Jack
Pumpkin Jack is a new MediEvil-like 3D platformer releasing on October 23. Early trailers looked absolutely stunning and the game continues to impress with every glimpse we get. It’s set to be this year’s definitive Halloween game and features an aesthetic filled with creepy pumpkins, ghouls and gorgeous, horror-filled lands.
Expect plenty of creepy coolness when Pumpkin Jack launches this week (just in time for Halloween!) If you’re not sold yet, you can check out eight minutes of sweet-looking gameplay here.
Kingdom Hearts 2 (Halloween Town)
Kingdom Hearts II is a great game, but it’s at its absolute best in Halloween Town. Here, Sora, Donald and Goofy get to don their Halloween best, team up with Jack Skellington and take down Oogie Boogie in an adaptation/sequel to A Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s totally silly, but it’s Kingdom Hearts at its best.
It’s a real shame Kingdom Hearts III didn’t return to this world. It’s arguably an all-time great for the franchise and definitely worthy of a return.
Friday the 13th: The Game
If you really want to get into the spirit of Halloween this year, you can’t go past a solid hack-and-slasher. Friday the 13th is a schlocky good survival horror where players must escape eternal killer Jason Vorhees and keep their camp safe. If it’s high-stress, high-anxiety and high-scare factor you’re looking for, Friday the 13th is the perfect Halloween-themed treat.
Make sure you keep the lights on, though. You never know what’s waiting for you outside.
Have any great Halloween games to recommend to your fellow Kotaku Australia readers? Share all the spooky goodness below.
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