Retro Arena: Halloween Special

[Leon Retro]

Darkstalkers series FTW! .

Yeah, a great series of games. I remember thinking the Saturn versions were stunning back in the day.

my personal choice would be Nightmare in the Dark

A nice single screen platformer that doesn't get mentioned too often.

There were other horror/spooky themed games that I could have included, but I don't like to go over 12 games. It's just a bit of fun -- and nothing to do with me saying any particular games are necessarily the best a genre has to offer. I just try my best to include the usual suspects, a few less talked about titles, and a couple of obscure titles. I think that approach makes things interesting, but I know there will always be titles that some people feel should have been included. The thing is -- I sometimes hold games back for a more suitable Arena thread. Like Symphony of the Night not being included in this thread because I want to do a specific Castlevania thread at some point.

I’ve not played all of those, but of the selection I’d have to go with HOTD 2. A tremendous lightgun game, although the boss rush at the end does get pretty unfair. The second time you fight Magician he’s just ludicrously bullet spongey.

Yeah, it's hard as nails, but definitely a really enjoyable piece of blasting action. I really need to go back to the series and play through them all. I really like #3 on the Xbox.

Clock Tower is a series I really want to get into. Sidebar - which one is considered the best?

From what I've noticed, people seem to talk about the SNES version the most. I have no idea which version is considered to be the best though.

[chopemon]

Anyone else play Nightmare Creatures on the PS One?

That had some spooky whisper chanting in the background that was really unnerving with headphones on!

Absolutely loved this. Didn't own it for ages so I just rinsed the demo over and over as a boy. Really love the look and the atmosphere. Looking back it makes me think of more duel type combat games rather than hack and slash. Like Dark Souls or Rondo of Blood where you face off and back away and side step to get good hits in rather than just run in weapons flailing.

[chopemon]

Think HotD is the winner from this list for me. I really like the games but especially love the atmosphere. I'm big into Resident Evil so mansions filled with monsters created in a shadowy lab is right up my street. Lot of good memories of playing the second one round a mate's as well. Same with Zombie Revenge. Really liked that in the arcade and on Dreamcast.

I played some Darkstalkers recently and the animations are so good. Great designs and great art.

[vanpeebles]

I (mis)spent most of my Uni days on HotD 1, Chariot was an ace boss. One time I got right to the end nearly on one credit, on the bit where they all hoying barrels and axes none stop from the lab bridges/railings. I finally got killed, turned round and there were like 15 ppl all stood watching me

[Leon Retro]

Same with Zombie Revenge. Really liked that in the arcade and on Dreamcast.

I always go back to the Dreamcast version and have a lot of fun going through it. Such a nice looking game with an eerie B-movie atmosphere.

[Neon Ignition]

It's a bit of a three way toss up for me but Darkstalkers is the one I'd be most likely to pick out of the line up to play now.

As a kid I spent a huge amount of time playing Decap Attack - Man the game sucked but for a while it was a go to

[_SD_]

Must say I prefer Magical Flying Hat as it’s so much more colourful and happy, Decap Attack just seemed so bland and dark in comparison.

[Leon Retro]

Decap Attack just seemed so bland and dark in comparison.

Well, it's like a grungy Magical Hat, so perfect for Halloween gaming.