The best 16-bit horror games

Key foods

• Early horror games were not extreme due to the violent content of video games and lack of ratings.
• Unique horror-themed 16-bit games such as Chakan, Clock Tower, and Splatterhouse 2 have variety.
• Quality horror titles on the SNES and Genesis like Super Castlevania 4 and Doom set the stage for horror games to come.

The horror genre wasn't very popular until the PS1, but before that, there were several quality horror titles. Not a lot of pure horror games, but definitely ones with a horror or horror theme.

A common element among them is that they are not extreme in terms of violence. In the early 90s, video game violence was a hot topic after Mortal Kombat, and most countries didn't have a rating system. After the ESRB became a reality in 1994, you'll see more violent retail games and it really took off in the next generation.

Updated on October 1, 2024 by Asad Mobin: With another Halloween on the horizon, it would be remiss of us to deny our loyal old readers a taste of 16-bit horror. While the 4th generation collection of spooky games seems sparse at a glance, with the right advice, there are plenty of intriguing scares to be had. Here are some of the best picks.

13 Nosferatu

SNES

If they could get away with it, SETA would call the game Prince of Transylvania. Nosferatu sounds so similar to Jordan Mechner's 1989 classic Prince of Persia that it's uncanny. This is not criticism: it is praise. Most 16-bit horror games of the time were poor adaptations that performed better on the system, so Nosferatu is a breath of fresh air.

In Nosferatu you have to fight various monsters, but most of your time is spent on puzzle platforming. The animation could have been smoother and the hero should have taken another page out of the prince's book and walked faster. However, this is a game where you can defeat ghosts and gargoyles with your bare fists, and that alone makes it worthwhile.

12 Decap Attack

Sega Genesis

Super Mario Bros. 2 isn't the only retro game that pulls the wool over your eyes for being a skin of a Japanese exclusive. Decap Attack also gets in on the action and is a horror themed version of the Magic Hat title. The thing is, it's still a great fun Genesis game with great 16-bit graphics.

Decap Attack's level design and movement is faintly reminiscent of Sonic the Hedgehog, and while you can't zoom through stages quite as quickly, there's still a lot of gameplay. It's a bit more kitschy than some of the more mature titles on 4th gen platforms, so if you're looking for a good old fashioned Halloween session that's not too scary, give this one a try.

11 Chakan: Eternal Man

Sega Genesis

If you're a 16-bit fan, you already know what comes with this realm: high difficulty, leaps of faith, and hordes of unforgiving enemies. It defined much of Sega's Genesis library, but one of the most notable is Chakan, a game whose high difficulty is tempered by its unique gothic art style and unremarkable story.

It also gives you infinite lives, so you don't have to start the whole game over if you lose.

Chakan's platforming is sometimes imprecise, and its hero is too tall for his own good: he can't help but get hit. That being said, this game is definitely a unique fusion of Castlevania and Metroidvania gameplay elements, which probably makes this a Metroidvania before the term was coined.

There is even a hub world and you can choose the levels in any order you want. Just hurry up: there is a time limit to complete all levels in each location.

10 nightmare breaker

SNES

Nightmare Busters is an interesting game because it was released long after the Super Nintendo had ended its life. After being abandoned in the early 90s, it was finally rescued and released by the Super Fighter team in 2013 with strong support from old-school enthusiasts. Not every canceled SNES title was so lucky.

Nightmare Busters is a light and dark comic title best played with a friend. It is at once confusing, demanding, and unforgiving. Think of it like Metal Slug with demons: your Lupercan hero is much better off with his twin brother helping him out. Character animations are surprisingly smooth for a SNES title.

9 Dave Laplace

MSX, TurboGrafx-CD and SNES

The TurboGrafx-16 was a veritable treasure trove of video games when it launched in Japan and stayed there. Given the console's unpopularity in the West, it's not too shocking that Laplace's Demon remained a Japan exclusive. What's even more surprising is that in a horror game landscape heavily dominated by Sweet Home, this survival horror JRPG is largely forgotten even though it was first released.

Launched on Japanese home computers in 1987, Laplace's Demon was ported to the TurboGrafx-16 and SNES in the early 90s. With its Lovecraftian-inspired setting, unique character roles, and beautiful anime box art, this game was bound to do the trick – if not then, then certainly now that old games can be explored through emulation. It never happened and that's a shame.

8 clock tower

SNES, PS1

The first installment in the Clock Tower series was not initially released in the West, and Clock Tower 2 on the PS1 reduced that number when it came to the US. Clock Tower is a short and sweet horror game with lots of replay value and good scares. It also has multiple endings depending on the choices you make.

A big part of the gameplay is solving puzzles as well as escaping from the scissors. You don't have any weapons, so you have to hide or use the environment to your advantage, which eventually becomes a staple of the genre.

7 Splatterhouse 2

Sega Genesis

Bandai Namco's Splatterhouse series is one of the most beloved of retro horror fans, and for good reason. For example, these titles were some of the only graphical console games at the time, and their gameplay is still fresh. Splatterhouse 2 is a 2D beat 'em up, but you only navigate on one plane.

This means you'll be running and attacking incoming threats in a relatively tight space, which makes it feel very different from other games in this genre. The graphics and music for the Genesis are fantastic, and the levels are varied and constantly changing things up.

Of the two Genesis Splatterhouse games, the second one is the best, as it turned the third installment of the series into a standard 2D bit that lost what made the series special.

6 Zombies ate my neighbors

SNES, Genesis

An absolutely incredible title from LucasArts at the time was Zombies Ate My Neighbors. You must go through a 48-level gauntlet to ensure you save your neighbors but have enough resources for what lies ahead. It's like an arcade game in that way, but it's also survival horror in that way.

Enemy List is the best of any 16-bit horror title. It's close to everything, and not even many modern horror games have this level of enemy variety. Fortunately, this title is easy to play today as it was released on modern platforms in 2021 alongside Ghoul Patrol.

5 Super Castlevania 4

SNES

There are many great Castlevania titles out there, but the best of the old traditional titles has to be Super Castlevania 4. What made this title really special was the ability to whip in all eight directions. It changed the game drastically and made all other episodes look like child's play at the time.

Despite still being a good challenge, it made the title feel a lot more fair. Castlevania 4 is actually a remake of the first game. It makes the experience somewhat familiar, but refreshing and exciting because of the new controls. Despite Castlevania 4 being the best of the era, there were other installments worth checking out.

4 Castlevania: Rondo Of Blood

TurboGrafx-CD

Rondo of Blood launched exclusively in Japan for the TurboGrafx-16 add-on CD-ROM, and it's a shame the West didn't get it until over a decade later. It lacks the eight-way controls of Castlevania 4, but it has other features that make up for it. This story is complete with animated cutscenes for a title released in 1993.

Back in the day, these were still relatively new to video games, so it was especially stunning. The music is also incredible, making good use of the CD format, and the levels are the quality you'd expect from the collection. Rondo of Blood is one Castlevania entry you should definitely check out, especially since the beloved series Symphony of the Night is a direct sequel.

3 Super Metroid

SNES

Although Super Metroid isn't a traditional horror game, there are definitely some scary vibes going on. The atmosphere can be very eerie at times and you feel a lot of sci-fi horror influences that have gone into this game. Plus, there are actually some bullets.

When Krokomire's face melts during his boss fight, it's shockingly brutal for an old game like this. Super Metroid is one of the best SNES titles and still stands. The bosses are great, the map is huge considering the hardware, the story is the best so far, and you also have a bit of replay value.

2 Doom

PC, SNES, PS1 and any device with an efficient CPU

Doom is a PC game, but it came out in the 16-bit era and was also released on the SNES. It's a scary theme with demons running around and zombies in it. Not many people realize this, but Doom is technically a zombie game and one of the best ever.

The first episode, in particular, is still John Romero's best work in the industry. The SNES port of Doom is probably the best port of the old one, at least in terms of content. It doesn't play great, but you get all three episodes, and it has the final boss. This can't be said for any other old port that has tons of missing content.

1 Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts

SNES

Older games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras are notoriously harder than today's games. Many simply can't stand these titles, but for those willing to take on the challenge, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts is one of the most difficult games to play on the SNES.

The controls are tight, the levels are varied, and it's incredibly satisfying when you finally beat the stage you've been stuck on. It's unfortunate that this series doesn't have a large audience in this day and age, but all entries are worth checking out.