Summer was a killer this year. Between record-breaking heat waves, humidity equivalent to a hot shower with the door closed, and just general unpleasantness, it should come as no surprise that some people are looking to get away. Whether it’s a cabin in the mountains, a house on the beach, or if you’re anything like me, a secluded retreat in the desert.
But how do you get your horror game fix on vacations? Nintendo solved this problem with the release of Nintendo Switch back in 2017. The little hybrid console is no stranger to great horror experiences and today we’ll be taking a look at the best horror games you can currently play on the Nintendo Switch… heading into Halloween!
Resident Evil (2002)
What hasn’t been said about this? The 2002 remake of the Capcom game that invented the survival horror genre holds up exceptionally well, even after 20 years. After searching for the lost Bravo team, STARS members Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine are thrust into a house of horrors when they seek shelter in a remote zombie-infested mansion. The first installment is perfectly suited for mobile play with an emphasis on slower, more methodical play and puzzle solving and exploration gameplay.
Friday the 13th
Based on the legendary horror franchise starring in a hockey mask starring Jason Voorhees, the asymmetric multiplayer game was once the go-to horror game. While updates have stopped in recent years and the multiplayer audience has moved on to other games, the single player challenges offer fun recreations of some of the best moments in the series and the single player/bot matches offer the ultimate power trip. There’s even a mode where you can explore a cabin full of Friday the 13th easter eggs and unlock an insanely cool Jason X Easter egg. It’s a pity that it no longer gets updates, but legal problems are to blame.
Extinguishing light
Originally released in 2015, Extinguishing light was a unique take on the open world zombie game genre with a focus on free running/parkour and melee combat. Extinguishing light also saw an unprecedented amount of developer support that saw content drop and updates through 2022, including a “better late than never” port to the Switch. Folks, I’m here to tell you that this is by far one of the best gates ever smashed into the system. With a rock-solid frame rate, visuals nearly equal to the original release, and ALL the content other systems received, Extinguishing light is the only zombie horror game you should get for your Nintendo Switch for that portable gory goodness.
Darkest Dungeon: Ancestral Edition
darkest dungeon is a turn-based roguelite RPG inspired by the hardcore playstyle of early editions of Dungeons and Dragons where you threw a d20 and most likely got killed. darkest dungeon applies that to the form of a video game where you take a random group of adventurers and explore the depths where they can be ambushed by monsters, go mad in the darkness or suffer a heart attack from stress. The Ancestral Edition gets a special shout out for including The Crimson Court and Color of madness extensions. Crimson Court as you can probably guess from the name is an endgame expansion that adds vampires and other gory surprises and Color of madness is a Lovecraft-inspired expansion that adds eldritch horror beyond your wildest imagination. With fast loading times and intuitive touch controls in portable mode, this is an easy recommendation (though serious, beat the game before you even try it The Crimson Court.)
Each doll combination Game
Puppet Combo is the online name of a single developer who has the gift of creating PS1/PS2 type experiences inspired by famous slasher movies. The two horror games available on Nintendo Switch are: Murder Housea fixed camera angle nightmare about a documentary crew filming the house of a famous serial killer only for the bunny suit maniac wears to return (sounds like Halloween: Resurrection don’t), and non-bloodbath, an escape room full of horror as you try to escape a dilapidated Catholic school with a murderous nun on the loose. They are cheap. They are short. They’re a love letter to slashers, and Puppet Combo itself has hinted that more is on its way to consoles soon. These are highly recommended.
Deadly Premonition: Origin
We wrap up this list with not only one of the best horror games to ever make the switch, but also one of the best games ever released. Deadly hunch often comes up in the conversation of “are video games art?” and is a prime example of an experience you can only get in this medium. Deadly hunch plays like a cheap knock-off of Resident Evil 4 with a story that can only be described as a cheap copy of Twin Peaks. The game follows FBI agent Francis York Morgan as he travels to the small town of Greenvale, Washington to investigate the murder of a young girl who bears uncanny similarities to murders taking place across the country. It’s old, full of glitches, has some questionable choices in its writing, but it’s also filled with memorable characters, laugh-out-loud moments, fantastic music, and a breathtaking ending. Origin presents the game as it was in the original release and not the inferior “Director’s Cut”. The game also has an exclusive Nintendo Switch sequel called Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise (although we’re not talking about that).
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