People like a fright, and some of the most popular movie franchises of all time are based on horror stories. The same can be said for video games, and long before the graphically detailed video games of today, horror arcade games were big business. The 1980s and 90s saw some of the best horror, or spooky, arcade games ever produced and below you will find 5 that we think are some of the best.
Splatterhouse
This is one of the most popular horror arcade games of all time. Ask anyone over the age of 40 to name a horror arcade game and Splatterhouse will surely get a mention. Developed by Namco, Splatterhouse is a side scrolling, beat ‘em up game with plenty of guts and gore. You control the character Rick, and having been killed and resurrected, you must guide Rick through the evil mansion, killing every monster on the way.
Chiller
Two years earlier than Splatterhouse, horror fans were playing Chiller. This horror arcade game was developed by Exidy and released in 1986 to a mixed reception. The gameplay is simple, you must shoot and throw weapons at people and creatures that appear on the screen in what looks like an old castle. There are people strapped to medieval torture equipment and you can shoot each limb, with blood pouring out of the victim. This was a controversial horror game, and one that became quite notorious back in the day. Perhaps it wouldn’t be considered as edgy today, but people today have a much wider range of games available. Anyone looking for more modern horror-themed games, in a different genre, should maybe play slots online in the UK such as Horror House.
House of the Dead
The House of the Dead series is hugely popular around the world and is renowned for being a great arcade shooter. House of the Dead 2 and 3 are considered the best of the series but players were not given an easy ride. In fact, the House of the Dead series is known to be one of the toughest horror arcade games ever produced. However, it comes with plenty of violence and gore, making it the perfect choice for horror gaming enthusiasts. The way the evil characters move towards you on screen is terrifying and you would not want to play this arcade on your own, in the dark. Alternatively, if you are looking for the ultimate in scary gaming experiences. Turn the lights down and enjoy.
Night Slashers
Developed by Data East and released in 1993, Night Slashers is a sidescroller beat em’ up, like Capcom’s Final Fight series. If you are searching for an arcade horror game that features classic monsters, look no further than Night Slashers. You will find mummies, Frankenstein’s monster, vampires, zombies, and mad scientists, all looking to bring you harm. You must fight and kill all the horrible creatures in the game to prevent the evil King Zarutz from taking over the world.
Ghosts ‘N Goblins
Capcom have produced some of the best arcade games of all time, including Street Fighter. However, one of their earlier games was Ghosts ‘N Goblins, a spooky arcade game featuring Sir Arthur on a quest to rescue Princess Guinevere. Perhaps not genuine horror but there are still plenty of monsters to kill on the journey, including demons, ogres, zombies, dragons, and cyclops’s. Ghosts ‘N Goblins is an extremely difficult horror arcade game and if completing it once proves a challenge, you must complete it twice to win.
Conclusion
The 1980s and 1990s saw some of the most gruesome horror arcade games ever produced. Some of them required the use of a gun for added realism and have since been ported to modern computers and gaming consoles. The top horror arcade games may not have the fantastic visuals of modern video games, but they offer some of the gruesome and most difficult gameplay in the history of gaming.