Halloween is here, and I wanted to highlight 10 retro co-op games that are perfect for the season. These aren't necessarily games that'll scare you. They're filled with ghosts, monsters, creepy castles and all kinds of spooky stuff. Instead of sticking to the usual recommendations, I wanted to dig up some lesser-known games, or at least games that aren't talked about much today.
THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS
Data East released The Real Ghostbusters in arcades in 1987. It's an overhead action game based on the animated series. Up to three players work together blasting ghosts with their proton beams. It kind of feels like Gauntlet.
The Halloween elements are pretty obvious. You're fighting ghosts and strange supernatural creatures in colorful environments full of paranormal activity. The cartoon aesthetic feels more like a Saturday morning Halloween special than a horror game.
Everybody knows Ghostbusters, but far fewer people have played this particular arcade game. I never played it growing up or even saw it at an arcade. About 10 years ago, my brother, my dad and I played through it at Jedi Alliance in Spokane, Washington, where the games are on free play. It's definitely not the best arcade game I've ever played, but it's worth the 20-minute-or-so playthrough, especially when you don't have to dump in all your mom's hard-earned quarters.
The Real Ghostbusters (Arcade)
THE CASTLES OF DR. CREEP
This is probably one of the most obscure games on the list. It came out on Commodore 64 in 1984, making it a pretty early co-op game. It's also available on Steam, so you don't need an old home computer to play it.
Two players explore interconnected rooms, solve puzzles, flip switches and avoid traps. It feels ahead of its time and is definitely built around cooperation. Some puzzles require careful timing and both players working together. There's much more puzzle-solving than combat, which helps it stand out from other games of the era.
You're exploring haunted castles with monsters, Frankenstein-inspired machinery and electrical traps. Each room feels like another section of a haunted attraction. The visuals are primitive, but that simple Commodore 64 presentation gives it a unique look. It's a co-op hidden gem that nobody really talks about now.
The Castles of Dr. Creep (Commodore 64)
8 EYES
8 Eyes is a side-scrolling action platformer that feels like a complete rip-off of the original Castlevania. It came out on NES in 1988. One player controls a swordsman who walks around and climbs a lot of stairs, while player two controls his falcon.
It's not as good as Castlevania, but it's a pretty unique asymmetrical co-op experience for the time. The roles aren't equal. The falcon is more of a support character, but it can independently attack enemies and flip switches, so it still plays an important role.
It has the gothic castles, skeletons, monsters and dark fantasy environments you'd expect from a Castlevania-style game. I think this is an often-overlooked NES co-op game. It's not horror, but it fits right in with that style, and it's one of the few from that time that you could actually play cooperatively.
8 Eyes (NES)
COTTON 2
Cotton 2 came out in arcades and on Sega Saturn. It's a Japanese horizontal shoot 'em up where you play as witches flying on broomsticks. This is what you'd call a cute 'em up, with lots of whimsical elements.
Two players fly through the stages together and attack enemies with magic. Its unusual grabbing and throwing mechanic helps it stand out from other shooters of the era.
There are witches, magical creatures and pumpkins. The entire setting is called the Pumpkin Kingdom, and the backgrounds have a colorful storybook feel. It's much cuter and more lighthearted than some of the other games here. I think it's perfect to play with your kids or anyone who isn't into scary stuff.
Cotton 2
NIGHTMARE IN THE DARK
This Neo Geo game from 2000 is one of the most Halloween-looking games here. It's a single-screen arcade platformer reminiscent of Snow Bros. or Bubble Bobble. You control gravediggers who attack enemies with fire, turning them into fireballs that can be launched into other enemies. Building up those chain reactions is really satisfying.
The graveyard stages are full of zombies, ghosts, monsters and gothic scenery. I love the hand-drawn art style, colorful exaggerated monster designs and fluid animation. It's a perfect Halloween pick if you want something simple and easy to pick up and play.
Nightmare in the Dark (Neo Geo)
GOEMON'S GREAT ADVENTURE
Goemon's Great Adventure is a side-scrolling 2.5D action platformer. You can play the entire game in two-player co-op, and there's even a cheat code that unlocks four-player co-op.
It might not be an obvious Halloween choice, but the story revolves around a machine that can resurrect the dead. There are Japanese spirits, supernatural creatures and nighttime settings that feel a little creepier than other games in the series. Its Japanese folklore gives it a different vibe from the Western ghosts and monsters elsewhere on this list.
This is personally my favorite co-op game on N64. I played it a ton as a kid, and it's still my favorite Goemon game. It might not be the most Halloween-themed game here, but it definitely has spooky elements. And there's nothing scarier than seeing the devil dance and do the hula hoop, right? I highly recommend it.
Goemon's Great Adventure (Nintendo 64)
DEMON FRONT
Demon Front is a run-and-gun arcade shooter released by IGS in 2002. It's heavily inspired by Metal Slug, from its gameplay to its art style. You run to the right, shoot enemies, use melee attacks, change weapons and fight bosses.
It does have things that help it stand out. Each character has a creature companion that assists in combat and provides defensive abilities. There's also a much stronger emphasis on monsters, with mutated creatures, grotesque biological enemies and some unsettling backgrounds.
It's not an obvious Halloween game, but those monsters and creepy environments give you enough of a reason to play it during the season. Even though it borrows so much from Metal Slug, it's a very good game with a similar level of quality. It's a hidden gem and one of my favorite run-and-gun shooters ever made.
Demon Front (Arcade)
BEAST BUSTERS
SNK released Beast Busters in arcades in 1989. It's a three-player light-gun shooter built around mounted gun controllers. You shoot tons of monsters, and that three-player setup is what makes it stand out.
There are zombies, mutants, grotesque creatures and massive monster bosses. The gore, explosions and dilapidated environments give it a strong late-'80s horror-movie atmosphere. I think it's a good choice for anyone who enjoys cheesy arcade horror.
Beast Busters (Arcade)
CRYPT KILLER
Crypt Killer came out in 1995, and I'm mostly familiar with the Sega Saturn version. It has branching paths and that awkward early-3D visual style. Usually I don't think that style holds up, but here it has the right balance of cheesy B-movie atmosphere and low-polygon graphics.
You'll shoot skeletons, mummies, gargoyles and other supernatural creatures in old stone buildings and underground chambers. Visually it definitely looks like a game from the '90s, but the gameplay is really fun. I think it's a hidden gem among light-gun shooters.
Crypt Killer (Sega Saturn)
ZOMBIE REVENGE
Zombie Revenge came out in arcades and later on Sega Dreamcast, which is where I played it. Sega's two-player 3D beat 'em up mixes fighting with guns and environmental weapons. I don't usually like 3D beat 'em ups that much, but I think this is one of the best.
It's set in the House of the Dead universe and has that same B-movie acting style, which I personally love. It's a very arcade-style experience, with exaggerated combat and plenty of over-the-top moments. Zombies, monsters and an '80s-style horror storyline make its Halloween connection obvious.
The voice acting is one of my favorite things about early 3D horror games like House of the Dead, Resident Evil, Silent Hill and this. It's so bad it's good. Most Dreamcast fans probably know Zombie Revenge, but I don't hear it discussed that much today. If you're getting into retro games, I highly recommend it.
Zombie Revenge (Dreamcast)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Those are 10 spooky retro co-op games worth checking out. Some are well known, but hopefully a few were new to you. What are you playing for Halloween, and which obscure co-op games did I miss?
For more ideas, check out The 20 Best Couch Co-op Horror Games, or browse the Co-op Database. You can also find my setup on the My Gear page.
The video below includes flashing light-gun footage during the Crypt Killer section.