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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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