Spooky season is fun for all ages, especially for kids who get to dress up as their favorite hero and go trick or treating. While horror is a common theme of the Halloween season, sometimes it can be a little too much for kids. When it comes to Halloween-themed video games, it’s important to find the right balance between a little creepy and not too scary.
Thankfully, several games make classic Halloween tropes cute and endearing or have a toned-down scary factor. Whether kids are looking for a game to play all October or on Halloween night after trick or treating, you can’t go wrong with these picks.
8 Costume Quest
An epic spin on trick or treating, Costume Quest is the best Halloween-themed game for kids. It’s an RPG taking place on Halloween, starring kids in costumes going trick or treating who rise to become the heroes they dress up as.
Costume Quest is an action-oriented game where you battle evil monsters to save the day. It has a cute storyline, plenty of collectible game items, and a dash of humor. Kids will have a lot to accomplish in this game, making it a great option to play all October long.
7 Haunted: Halloween ’86
Taking place on Halloween night, 1986, Haunted: Halloween ’86 is a retro-style game with a fantastic creepy storyline, perfect for the holiday. Kids will enjoy playing as the two 11-year-olds Donny and Tami as they try to save their town from a curse. It’s an action platformer and contains several monster battles throughout the quest.
Though Haunted: Halloween ’86’s 8-bit look makes it less scary than other horror-themed games, it may be too creepy for some kids. It’s best for slightly older players.
6 Secrets Of Magic 3: Happy Halloween
Secrets of Magic 3: Happy Halloween is a simple game but extremely accessible for young players. As a Match 3 game, it’s easy to pick up, and while it is themed around Halloween, it’s not as intense or scary as some of the action-based games out there.
This game is a great pick for kids because of its uncomplicated gameplay, but it still has plenty of challenges to keep kids engaged. Its Halloween-centric design works well to mark the holiday and sets it apart from other Match 3 games.
5 Halloween Forever
In Halloween Forever, you play as Pumpkin Man as you embark on a side-scrolling platforming adventure. This game uses classic Halloween monsters and tropes in a fantastic and fun way as you battle zombies, witches, and other creepy creatures with candy corn you fire out of your mouth.
For kids, this game will be like the Halloween version of 2D Mario Bros. Note that it’s geared towards older kids, as it may be a little too scary for younger kids.
4 Luigi’s Mansion 3
An incredible game with a spooky vibe, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a great game for kids to play in October leading up to Halloween. It is an accessible game for kids, and though there are a lot of ghouls to track down during the story, they are more silly than scary.
Beyond that, the Mario franchise is a popular family-friendly series, so kids will love to play as Luigi rescuing his brother and friends. Luigi’s Mansion 3 even has multiplayer capabilities, making it a great choice for siblings, friends, or even the whole family to play together.
3 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
While Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game worth playing year-round, its Halloween-themed décor, costumes, and events make it a great, family-friendly game to play during October and on Halloween night.
Kids will have fun decorating their islands and homes during October with Spooky Décor, stocking up on candy for Halloween, and picking out the perfect Halloween costume. Creative kids can even use custom designs to create their own costume. On Halloween, they can repeat the joy of trick or treating with Animal Crossing’s in-game festivities.
2 Zombies Ate My Neighbors
A classic horror-themed adventure game, Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a fun and engaging choice for kids during the Halloween season. As the title suggests, the game centers around taking down zombies and saving your neighbors. You play as teenagers Zeke and Julie, fighting through levels set in locations scattered across town.
Since it is more action-packed and a little on the freaky side, Zombies Ate My Neighbors is best for older kids. It can be a two-player game, so it’s great for siblings or friends to play together.
1 Nancy Drew
The Nancy Drew series of video games is another good choice for kids during the Halloween season. Each game has a mystery that needs solving, making it a fun puzzle game for kids to try. There are different modes of difficulty, too, so the level of challenge can be adjusted for older and younger kids.
For Halloween specifically, there are some Nancy Drew games with a creepy twist, including Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion, Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thornton Hall, and more. There are plenty of mysteries that don’t have a scary theme, though.