5 Nintendo Switch Games Perfect for Halloween (2022 Edition)
With Halloween just under a week away a lot of people are preparing and getting into the spirit of the season, and what better way than playing some spooky games.
Even though Nintendo holds a children friendly persona, the Nintendo Switch hosts a bountiful array of great creepy and spooky games for people to enjoy. I will be listing a few of my favourite games that I like to play during the Halloween season on the Nintendo Switch.
Little Nightmares I & II
PEGI 16
In Little Nightmares you follow the journey of Six, a hungry girl in a yellow raincoat who is trying to escape the Maw, a giant metal vessel that holds many creepy and strange beings.
The second game is from what we know is a prequel for the first game, but I will always recommend playing the first game before the second. In Little Nightmares II you play as Mono, a young boy who together with Six must figure out what is behind some weird TV transmission signals.
The Little Nightmares franchise holds a lot of love in my heart. I remember my first introduction to the first game was at EGX and Bandai Namco held probably one of the most interacting and amusing stalls I have ever seen, and I just knew this would be a fantastic experience. Since then, the first game is my top game to speed run, and even though I have completed the game multiple of times, it is still just as fun as the first time.
Luigi’s Mansion 3
PEGI 7
I feel like it is impossible to make a list of Halloween games on the Nintendo Switch without mentioning Luigi’s Mansion.
Luigi’s Mansion 3, as you can guess, is the third title in the Luigi’s Mansion series, however while the game references past events and characters, the game does not need any context from the other games, which makes this game great for people to pick up and play straight away.
In the single player mode you play as Luigi and capture ghosts across a large hotel to help rescue your friends who have been captured. The game also incudes a very fun multiplayer mode called Scarescraper, in which you and 3 friends must complete floors by capturing ghosts in the hotel to progress to the final boss.
This game has become a quick favourite in the community and has featured in every Halloween event we have hosted since the game released.
Penko Park
PEGI 3
Penko Park has quickly become a part of my Halloween season this year. The game only recently released on Nintendo Switch just last month and I am already head over heels in love with the game and art style.
Penko Park is an on rails photography game where you explore an abandoned wildlife park which is home to a multitude of creatures called Penko. It is inspired by the Pokemon Snap franchise and the art style gives me very strong Tim Burton vibes.
While I wouldn’t call this game scary, its creepy/cute aesthetics has landed it in my Halloween game pile, and I believe if you love this sort of experience in a game you should definitely consider giving it a gander.
Doki Doki Literature Club
PEGI 18
Do not be fooled. This is not a dating sim game you would expect from the name and art. This is the psychological horror game, Doki Doki Literature Club.
If I told someone who didn’t know this game that at one point I had to ask my partner to stay in the room with me because I was too scared to carry on playing this cute looking school sim game, I would be laughed at, but this game hits you in ways you don’t expect. It eases you into a false sense of security with its cute story and characters, and it makes you easily forget you are in fact playing a horror game.
The story is told from the perspective of a high school student who reluctantly joins the school’s literature club on the insistence of his best friend from his childhood, and is given the option to woo three of its four female members. It plays just like a standard gating visual novel game, but with the twist that it is a psychological horror.
This game is 18+: A warning appears before you play that said, “This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.” The creator of the game, Salvato, has also opened up a website that lets people know about four “themes” that come up in the game and could negatively affect people. If you are interested in this game, but want to know the trigger warnings, I recommend visiting: http://ddlc.moe/warning.html
Omori
PEGI 18
Omori is an RPG and another psychological horror game that loves to ease you into a false sense of security before it swiftly reminds you it is a horror game, and it achieves this so effortlessly that it can give you whiplash. The art style and game plays very similar to the Earthbound/Mother series.
In this game, you follow the story of a boy called Sunny, and his dream world alter-ego Omori as you explore both the real world and the dream world as you overcome their fears and uncover the secrets they hold.
Waiting for something to happen?
This game is an 18+:This game contains depictions of depression, anxiety, and suicide, and may not be suitable for all audiences. It also contains bright flashing imagery that may cause discomfort and/or seizures for those with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
These are just some of my personal favourites that are available on the Nintendo Switch, but there are honestly so many other amazing games, including the Resident Evil series, Project Zero (Fatal Frame), and even Dead by Daylight.
Whatever games you love to play, I hope you enjoy this years Halloween season.