FA+
Shop
THE 10 SCARIEST SNES GAMES!
8 years ago
SUPER CASTLEVANIA IV
This is the first title that jumps to mind right away when I think of SNES Halloween games. And why not, seeing as it has practically every creature of the night represented
on its monster roll call. Featuring a sick, stunning soundtrack, great graphics (for its time specifically) and satisfying gameplay mechanics, it is a bloody sin not to, at the very least, pop this game in for a quick go every October. Turn off the lights, grab that ancient magical Belmont whip, and hack away at mummies, frankensteins, and oh yeah, Dracula himself, as you try to eviscerate the Prince of Darkness and his minions one more time. It doesn’t get any better than that, folks
CASTLEVANIA: DRACULA X
Best to get this out of the way early… OK so it isn’t nearly as epic as Super Castlevania IV. And yes, you can’t help but wonder what if Konami had made a proper sequel using their SNES know-how by 1995. Got you drooling a bit there, eh? Well, Drac X isn’t quite up to those standards, BUT it is a pretty solid (and damn difficult) action game, with Konami’s signature stellar soundtrack. In my book, Dracula X is just good enough to warrant firing
up every October...
Dracula X is capable of haunting you for a few nights on end…
ZOMBIES ATE MY NEIGHBORS
It’s impossible to talk about Halloween SNES games and not think of ZAMN (love that acronym!) almost immediately. When this relatively unhyped game dropped on our collective laps back in late 1993, man none of us knew what had just hit us. It goes along perfectly with all the horror movies you’ll watch throughout October, as many of its enemies are knock-offs of various horror movie villains. From evil Chucky to Jason to cheerleader snatching aliens, it’s a who’s who
of horror movie icon lore. ZAMN is most fun when playing with a well-skilled friend. And that’s one major bonus for ZAMN. Most of the games on this list are one-player only. ZAMN may feel mighty cheap at times but with a skilled friend in tow it’s a hoot and a half, BABY
GHOUL PATROL
Konami tried to reinvent the magic of ZAMN with this oddly different name sequel. Unfortunately, they didn’t succeed on that end. But, not all is lost. Ghoul Patrol has some decent things going for it. It’s just nowhere as good or fun as the original. However, this game is much more forgiving, allowing you to advance much further in the game even when you go at it alone. All in all, not a shabby sequel but it is missing considerably the fluidity / charm of ZAMN
SUPER GHOULS 'N GHOSTS
Long before Resident Evil, this was Capcom’s first original “horror” franchise. And a mighty fine one it is, too. Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts sports a high difficulty. Featuring stunning graphics (mind, for 1991 standards) and sound, this game always delights and is a reminder of the Super Nintendo’s early GLORY days. You absolutely can’t go wrong giving this one some October play time
DEMON'S CREST
One of the most underrated SNES games around, once upon a time, anyhow. In the past six years, I’ve seen enough people recommend and praise Demon’s Crest that I don’t think it’s actually “unknown” or “underrated” anymore. Everyone loves this game… NOW. On top of excelling in all the basic video game categories, Demon’s Crest exudes atmosphere and coolness like very few other SNES games do. Playing as a winged no BS demon that collects orbs and changes form accordingly is too damn bad-ass, y'know?
DOOM
You can’t mention Wolfenstein 3-D without bringing up Doom. Wolfenstein wasn’t the first FPS (first person shooter) around, but it was the first B-I-G one. Doom later exploded onto the scene and with it the FPS genre shot right through the roof in both popularity and demand. I guess you could say the two games, respectively, were not unlike Street Fighter and Street Fighter II in terms of impact and legacy. The story for Doom was simple. You are a marine, on the shores of Hell, fighting against an army of undead soldier zombies, vicious imps and assorted nasty demons. It doesn’t get much better than that. The SNES version is one that I’ve come to appreciate over the years. Initially, in ’95, not so much (I was so used to playing the PC game). However, in the past several years I’ve come to enjoy the SNES version for what it is. While it’s kind of lame that there is no save or password option, at the same time, being forced to beat all 22 gut-wrenching levels in one sitting makes
it quite a lengthy quest, and one that somehow feels epic due to its tall challenge. It took the normal intensity of PC Doom and upped it by giving you no wiggle room for error. If you make a mistake, fail to grab a weapon or don’t use your ammunition wisely, there is no net to fall back on. I’ve come to enjoy my 4+ hour marathons with the SNES port. Starting at the witching hour with the lights turned off, it’s a sadistic rush to see what comes first: the butt crack of dawn, or the Cyber Demon‘s grand demise, thanks to the good ole trusty BFG 9000! Damn good times...
NOSFERATU
This is one of those tantalizing games I studied and drooled over in gaming mags way back in the day... only to finally play some 15+ years later and find out that, sadly, it fell short of the gem my mind had built it up to be. Nevertheless, it’s not all bad. In fact, it’s decent (at least, for the first couple levels before the difficulty becomes far too daunting). It’s not the superb smooth playing Castlevania meets Prince of Persia mix I was hoping for, though. Darn...For a game that was delayed years and years on end before finally being released in 1995... one can’t help but feel quite disappointed that this isn’t one of those games often placed on people's “Most Underrated / Overlooked Super NES Games” list. Instead, I would place it perhaps even #1 on my “Most Disappointing SNES Games” ranking. My high hopes for this game were sadly dashed when I first played it a couple years ago. So much potential… and such disappointing execution. Nevertheless, Nosferatu joins the rather short list of dark, mature-themed SNES titles, and that is never a complete loss. One simply cannot deny its intensely intriguing macabre atmosphere. And that makes it worthy to be played every Halloween season
SHADOWRUN
Gritty, grimy, and great for October. For goodness sake, you start the game out by waking up on a slab in a morgue... suffering from amnesia. Talk about morbid and sordid. The control takes some getting used to, but the game's cyberpunk feel is what makes it special. Shadowrun is a very unique game and something I wish the SNES saw more of
CLOCK TOWER
You cannot talk about Halloween SNES games without bringing up Clock Tower. Hands down the most frightening game on the system, this is where the epic Scissorman origin and villain began. You’d never think an SNES title can make your heart skip a beat... but I dare you... double dare you to try this at 2 in the morning home alone with all the lights out. The game has an uneasy feel to it and Scissorman popping up randomly is the main reason why! Just an awesome survival horror game that is a MUST PLAY for the Halloween season. Buy a copy now Scissorman's TERROR began on the SNES. Not one to be missed.
djsnowfang
This is the first title that jumps to mind right away when I think of SNES Halloween games. And why not, seeing as it has practically every creature of the night represented
on its monster roll call. Featuring a sick, stunning soundtrack, great graphics (for its time specifically) and satisfying gameplay mechanics, it is a bloody sin not to, at the very least, pop this game in for a quick go every October. Turn off the lights, grab that ancient magical Belmont whip, and hack away at mummies, frankensteins, and oh yeah, Dracula himself, as you try to eviscerate the Prince of Darkness and his minions one more time. It doesn’t get any better than that, folks
CASTLEVANIA: DRACULA X
Best to get this out of the way early… OK so it isn’t nearly as epic as Super Castlevania IV. And yes, you can’t help but wonder what if Konami had made a proper sequel using their SNES know-how by 1995. Got you drooling a bit there, eh? Well, Drac X isn’t quite up to those standards, BUT it is a pretty solid (and damn difficult) action game, with Konami’s signature stellar soundtrack. In my book, Dracula X is just good enough to warrant firing
up every October...
Dracula X is capable of haunting you for a few nights on end…
ZOMBIES ATE MY NEIGHBORS
It’s impossible to talk about Halloween SNES games and not think of ZAMN (love that acronym!) almost immediately. When this relatively unhyped game dropped on our collective laps back in late 1993, man none of us knew what had just hit us. It goes along perfectly with all the horror movies you’ll watch throughout October, as many of its enemies are knock-offs of various horror movie villains. From evil Chucky to Jason to cheerleader snatching aliens, it’s a who’s who
of horror movie icon lore. ZAMN is most fun when playing with a well-skilled friend. And that’s one major bonus for ZAMN. Most of the games on this list are one-player only. ZAMN may feel mighty cheap at times but with a skilled friend in tow it’s a hoot and a half, BABY
GHOUL PATROL
Konami tried to reinvent the magic of ZAMN with this oddly different name sequel. Unfortunately, they didn’t succeed on that end. But, not all is lost. Ghoul Patrol has some decent things going for it. It’s just nowhere as good or fun as the original. However, this game is much more forgiving, allowing you to advance much further in the game even when you go at it alone. All in all, not a shabby sequel but it is missing considerably the fluidity / charm of ZAMN
SUPER GHOULS 'N GHOSTS
Long before Resident Evil, this was Capcom’s first original “horror” franchise. And a mighty fine one it is, too. Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts sports a high difficulty. Featuring stunning graphics (mind, for 1991 standards) and sound, this game always delights and is a reminder of the Super Nintendo’s early GLORY days. You absolutely can’t go wrong giving this one some October play time
DEMON'S CREST
One of the most underrated SNES games around, once upon a time, anyhow. In the past six years, I’ve seen enough people recommend and praise Demon’s Crest that I don’t think it’s actually “unknown” or “underrated” anymore. Everyone loves this game… NOW. On top of excelling in all the basic video game categories, Demon’s Crest exudes atmosphere and coolness like very few other SNES games do. Playing as a winged no BS demon that collects orbs and changes form accordingly is too damn bad-ass, y'know?
DOOM
You can’t mention Wolfenstein 3-D without bringing up Doom. Wolfenstein wasn’t the first FPS (first person shooter) around, but it was the first B-I-G one. Doom later exploded onto the scene and with it the FPS genre shot right through the roof in both popularity and demand. I guess you could say the two games, respectively, were not unlike Street Fighter and Street Fighter II in terms of impact and legacy. The story for Doom was simple. You are a marine, on the shores of Hell, fighting against an army of undead soldier zombies, vicious imps and assorted nasty demons. It doesn’t get much better than that. The SNES version is one that I’ve come to appreciate over the years. Initially, in ’95, not so much (I was so used to playing the PC game). However, in the past several years I’ve come to enjoy the SNES version for what it is. While it’s kind of lame that there is no save or password option, at the same time, being forced to beat all 22 gut-wrenching levels in one sitting makes
it quite a lengthy quest, and one that somehow feels epic due to its tall challenge. It took the normal intensity of PC Doom and upped it by giving you no wiggle room for error. If you make a mistake, fail to grab a weapon or don’t use your ammunition wisely, there is no net to fall back on. I’ve come to enjoy my 4+ hour marathons with the SNES port. Starting at the witching hour with the lights turned off, it’s a sadistic rush to see what comes first: the butt crack of dawn, or the Cyber Demon‘s grand demise, thanks to the good ole trusty BFG 9000! Damn good times...
NOSFERATU
This is one of those tantalizing games I studied and drooled over in gaming mags way back in the day... only to finally play some 15+ years later and find out that, sadly, it fell short of the gem my mind had built it up to be. Nevertheless, it’s not all bad. In fact, it’s decent (at least, for the first couple levels before the difficulty becomes far too daunting). It’s not the superb smooth playing Castlevania meets Prince of Persia mix I was hoping for, though. Darn...For a game that was delayed years and years on end before finally being released in 1995... one can’t help but feel quite disappointed that this isn’t one of those games often placed on people's “Most Underrated / Overlooked Super NES Games” list. Instead, I would place it perhaps even #1 on my “Most Disappointing SNES Games” ranking. My high hopes for this game were sadly dashed when I first played it a couple years ago. So much potential… and such disappointing execution. Nevertheless, Nosferatu joins the rather short list of dark, mature-themed SNES titles, and that is never a complete loss. One simply cannot deny its intensely intriguing macabre atmosphere. And that makes it worthy to be played every Halloween season
SHADOWRUN
Gritty, grimy, and great for October. For goodness sake, you start the game out by waking up on a slab in a morgue... suffering from amnesia. Talk about morbid and sordid. The control takes some getting used to, but the game's cyberpunk feel is what makes it special. Shadowrun is a very unique game and something I wish the SNES saw more of
CLOCK TOWER
You cannot talk about Halloween SNES games without bringing up Clock Tower. Hands down the most frightening game on the system, this is where the epic Scissorman origin and villain began. You’d never think an SNES title can make your heart skip a beat... but I dare you... double dare you to try this at 2 in the morning home alone with all the lights out. The game has an uneasy feel to it and Scissorman popping up randomly is the main reason why! Just an awesome survival horror game that is a MUST PLAY for the Halloween season. Buy a copy now Scissorman's TERROR began on the SNES. Not one to be missed.
djsnowfang
Nosferatu is a good game but one boss is super hard to kill! It is a puzzle horror game, but the hero didn't need a magic whip to kill vampire butt!
Demon's Chrest - Firebrand is the name, being the toughest baddest demon is the game. Fight hard, gather stuff, and enjoy various endings... but the best ending is hard to get.
Zombies ate my neighbors was better than Ghoul Patrol in my opinion because you actually could understand where doors were and after you finished a level the exit appeared right next to you. Also the game acted like you were put into horror movies as the hero, no wonder Zeke fought wearing his 3-D glasses.
I also liked Ghoul Patrol for what it's worth. I know it gets a tough reputation for being a lesser sequel, but it wasn't originally going to be related, so it's only natural it took some liberties from the first game. It may never surpass the glory of ZAMN or the countless hours you can spend improving at it, but it's still a pretty enjoyable game in its own right. People just have to approach it like its own game and it can be fun.
Here is the 1% problem with using the S-NES mouse. The game requires a button to be pressed at the end of each level to progress. Which means you must hot swap the mouse with a joypad to press that stupid button. Had the programmers only known the mouse could have made it great, they would have altered the buttons that could progress past this one screen. So...for legal reasons... Hot swapping controllers on an active S-NES can permanently damage your hardware. Do so at your own risk.