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Halloween-Inspired Video Game Themes

It’s that time of year again when it’s socially acceptable to dress up like our favorite movie characters, video game heroes, and monsters. We’ve already suggested full games that would be perfect to play this week, as well as mobile options, but some games have smaller Halloween sequences that you may have forgotten. Here are some excuses to revisit some of your favorite titles this week in the name of Halloween.



Kingdom Hearts- Halloween Town

The aptly-named Halloween Town appears in the majority of Kingdom Hearts games, but it makes its debut in the original installment. Sora and his friends arrive at Jack Skellington’s home in their fight against Maleficent and her Heartless, subsequently the evil Oogie Boogie, a giant burlap sack filled with bugs, draws them into battle. From Jack’s ghost-dog Zero to the Frankenstein-esque Dr. Finkelstein, everything about this macabre area screams Halloween; even the music would be perfect for a real-life costume party.

Bully- Prank Fest

Halloween is a day tailor-made for Jimmy Hopkins and his cohorts, providing the perfect setting to pull off a slew of pranks. Set in the first chapter of Bully, the Halloween sequence opens on the boys’ dorm room and Jimmy sporting a skeleton costume. He and his friends can toss stink bombs, trip fellow students with marbles, and throw itching powder while the teachers and prefects are distracted by the Halloween festivities. Alternatively, you can explore the area for tombstones and pumpkins that unlock new masks. The Halloween chapter of Bully is one of the more memorable in any game due to the sense of mischief that it successfully captures.



inFamous- Pyre Night

Festival of Blood is a standalone game in the inFamous series narrated by Zeke from the previous titles. Protagonist Cole MacGrath is tasked with thwarting the plans of vampires as they descend upon the southern town of New Marais, blending in easily during the costume festival taking place. The intensity is heightened by the fact that Cole is fighting against time to stop himself from becoming a full-fledged vampire. Before the credits roll you’ll even fight your way through bloodsuckers using a stake in place of your trusty amp weapon.



Borderlands- Jakobs Cove

The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned isn’t specifically Halloween themed, but the lumbering zombies and haunted house on the hill definitely showcase inspiration from the holiday. The first DLC add-on for the first Borderlands tasks vault hunters with investigating the bizarre occurrences around Jakobs Cove. It turns out that Dr. Ned (who is definitely not Dr. Zed in disguise) is doing more harm than good with his experiments on the locals. New enemies such as the Pumpkinhead boss and Tankensteins add more variety to the gameplay, while an endless number of flesh-eating monsters keep your trigger finger busy. 



Banjo-Kazooie- Mad Monster Mansion

The seventh world in Rare’s platformer isn’t the biggest in the game, but it’s more complicated than the majority of the others. Each jigsaw piece requires alternative routes or clever thinking. You’ll encounter Napper the Sleeping Ghost, enter a haunted church, and even transform into a pumpkin. Organs and howling wolves help the music stay true to the Halloween theme, while the animated skeletons and living gravestones make it their mission to stop you in your tracks. 



Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game- Halloween Party

The Night of Terror level opens on a Halloween party where Scott Pilgrim has to fight through enemies sporting a plethora of different costumes. As the protagonist you’ll beat up dinosaurs, robots, pumpkinheads, and skeletons on your mission to confront the Katayanagi Twins. With retro party music and grim decorations lining the whole level, the Halloween party in Ubisoft Montreal’s beat-em-up nails the holiday theme. 



Super Mario World- Ghost Houses

First appearing in Super Mario World, these residences housed dozens of Boos that prevented Mario’s friend Yoshi from accompanying him. Upon entering, you’re tasked with finding the exit.  Although the ghosts become shy when you face them, the misleading doorways and branching paths don’t help your cause, and each house can become a twisting maze of wrong turns and dead ends.



Diddy Kong Racing- Haunted Woods

The entrance to the Halloween-inspired course of Diddy Kong Racing rests in the Dragon Forest of the game’s open world. After exiting a castle courtyard, the cast of kart racers find themselves on a twisting path through a haunted swamp. Inhabited by several ghosts, this ghoulish raceway leads to a tunnel filled with even more of the apparitions. The game’s soundtrack doesn’t come up often in video game music conversations, but the score deserves credit for setting the tone of each individual course; especially the Haunted Woods

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Comments
  • NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!! Still got the VHS, haha.
  • Nice, I'm thinking RDR personally. That and Simpsons Treehouse episodes.
  • Where's the love for team fortress 2???

  • That was such a great level in Banjo-Kazooie. All the levels were awesome, but that one always stands out for me.

  • Donkey Kong Country 2 Gloomy Gulch section FTW!

  • Freaking Mad Monster Mansion. That place creeped me out. It was all the invincible things and the tomb stones. I really need to play Bully again...
  • BANJO!!! I bought the XBLA version and I'm in love with it. I do suck at it though. Right now I'm an hour into the desert world and I don't have 5 jiggies yet... And yes, I'm going for 100%.

  • I would like to add Luigi's Mansion.
  • I absolutely loved the Prank Fest in Bully. That was just so amazing. I may not have care for the movie, but the Nightmare Before Christmas portion in KH was fantastic. Borderlands was a letdown for me, but Jakobs Cove was awesome. And how can you not like Banjo-Kazooie?
  • Those darn shy ghosts in Super Mario Bros were always a pain in the harder levels. There were so many of them!

    I have fond memories of Halloween Town and Jakobs Cove. Gotta love video games.

  • The music from Halloween town is burned into my skull. Not that that's a bad thing.
  • The haunted mansion in Super Mario 64 is another one.

  • Love Banjo & Kazooie series. Great Pick!

  • I loved Bully. The Halloween part was particularly awesome as well. Great article.

  • Another great feature! Nice job Mike.

  • how could you forget ___________??? ahahaha loved this artical because it had my favorites like KH and Banjo!!!

  • conkers bad fur day-Graveyard/Draculas Castle.

  • Nightmare is great.

  • Festival of Blood was pretty fun.  I liked the new powers and the alternate storyline.