Spooky 64 Skirmishes: 5 games that are more treats than tricks for your Halloween

It’s October 31st. You sit patiently, waiting for little ghouls and hobgoblins to run down the street, seeking treats from your orange plastic pumpkin (excluding the “samples” you’ve sneaked). But what to do to pass the time between groups of gremlins? There’s only so much candy of which to partake, and that Commodore 64 is just sitting there, waiting to entertain.

Here are 5 Commodore 64 games that will keep you in the Halloween spirit all evening:

1. Ghosts ‘n Goblins

Capcom’s classic sidescrolling adventure is a love letter to all the demon-slaying and undead-busting that screams Halloween. You play as Sir Arthur (named for the legendary king), tasked with saving Princess Prin-Prin from the evil Astaroth. You take up your mantle, grab your sword, and start off slaying everything that gets in your way. From spooky graveyards to haunted forests to towering castles, your quest will be arduous.

The commercial release of this game for the Commodore 64 is somewhat cut down from the arcade original. This is due to the system’s resource constraints and the requirement that the entire game be stored in memory, as opposed to loading between levels. Only four of the original seven levels are included, and some character and background details are sacrificed to bring it home. But it is still one of the best home arcade conversions on the 64. In 2015, a homebrew conversion of the game, called Ghosts ‘n Goblins Arcade, was released by developers Nostalgia. The game was completely rewritten, with improved graphics and sound. Two levels were added, and the existing 4 levels of the original were doubled in size, essentially bringing it to the same size as the arcade original. More like the arcade, but still undeniably Commodore 64. This is the version to play if you want to experience the game as it should be.

2. Beyond the Forbidden Forest

Forbidden Forest, by developer Cosmi, is a unique gaming experience on the Commodore 64. You play as an archer, moving through the forest, armed with four quivers of arrows that you use to eliminate the various creatures you encounter there. The enemies include things like giant spiders, snakes, and dragons, and were inspired by the giant creatures from multiple Ray Harryhausen films. Survive long enough, and you will face the Demogorgon.

While the original is a truly atmospheric classic, I chose to highlight the sequel, Beyond the Forbidden Forest, because it does what a good sequel is supposed to do, and it does it well. It keeps the solid core gameplay mechanic and adds an element of depth. This sequel allows you to not only fire around you, but also into the screen, as baddies come at you from deep in the forest. It also includes a day-night cycle, with the darkness of night contributing to some quality jump scares as creatures appear from out of nowhere. You still face a variety of creatures in the forest, but once you collect four golden arrows, you are transported to the Underworld, where you face bats, a Hydra, and finally the Demogorgon. Spooky fun, not for the faint of heart.

3. Cauldron

Stereotypically, witches are among the cadre of characters to avoid in the horror genre. But in Cauldron, from Palace Software, you play as a witch, intent on becoming the Witch Queen by defeating the Pumpking. To do this, you must collect 6 ingredients for your spell before facing off with your ultimate enemy. You accomplish this by flying around on your broom, side-scrolling style, either avoiding or shooting the variety of enemy creatures with your limited magic. During these shooter sections, you are looking for colored keys that will unlock various doors scattered about the level. Each of these doors leads to platformer-style levels that allow you to collect ingredients. Bring the ingredients back to your cottage to create your potion.

Caldron’s unique combination of gaming styles makes for an enjoyable gameplay experience, even if it is a bit high on the difficulty scale. This is primarily because, while the shooting sections scrolled, the platform sections are screen-by-screen affairs. You will often need to take leaps of faith, jumping from one screen to the next while hoping to land on a platform instead of encountering a creature that could drain your magical energy. But that aside, the game runs smoothly, with colorful graphics and atmospheric sound effects. Jump on your broomstick and give it a go.

4. Maniac Mansion

In the early 80s, Lucasfilm was mostly associated with the Star Wars franchise. One of its subsidiaries, Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts), made its name with a slew of point-and-click adventure games utilizing the SCUMM (Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion) gaming engine. As you may have guessed from the acronym, the engine was created for and introduced to the public with the game Maniac Mansion.

In true B-movie fashion, you take control of a group of teenagers to rescue the cheerleader, Sandy, from the cellar of the creepy titular mansion. Living in the mansion are a group of personalities that would make The Addams Family look normal. There’s Weird Ed, a militant with a pet hamster. Nurse Edna, who is a caretaker with some… interesting… past times. Dr. Fred, a doctor driven mad by a meteor impact. And lastly, The Tentacle, a single octopus leg that longs to be a member of an all-tentacle band. You choose three teenagers from a cast of seven, each with different abilities and weaknesses. Your goal is to work your way through the mansion, interacting with the residents, hopefully ending with the eventual rescue of Sandy from Dr. Fred’s cellar. But, based on your chosen characters and their interactions with the mansion maniacs, some alternate endings are possible. If horror movies from the ’50s and ’60s are your jam, or you love a humorous adventure, Maniac Mansion will definitely scratch your itch.

5. Bubble Ghost

While my final pick may not be a scary Halloween romp, Bubble Ghost from Accolade is a fun action-puzzle game with a spooky theme. Ported from the Atari ST original, you play as a ghost who has to navigate a bubble through a haunted house full of hazardous obstacles. By rotating your ghost and pressing the action button, you can blow the bubble in different directions, trying to make it to the exit for each room. You will also use your breath to affect the levels by blowing out candles and activating switches. Of course, being a ghost, you can move through any of the obstacles or walls on each level, which allows you to get just the right angle on your delicate floating orb. Your final score for each level is based on how quickly you navigate the room, so it is important to be able to find the most efficient way to the exit. Complete all 35 levels to win the game, and come back to try and beat your best times. If you like your Halloween fun less spooky and more thinky, then Bubble Ghost is for you.

When you find yourself at a lull in the trick-or-treat mayhem of All Hallows’ Eve, boot up one of these games for some hair-raising excitement.