It’s that time of the year again between September and November when most of North America is gearing up for Halloween. This includes decorating the house with cobwebs, ghosts, and other spooky things. It also includes watching scary movies and playing intense games.
There have not been that many horror games released in 2024 for fans to enjoy or at least none that got a lot of attention. A few notable games includeAlone in the DarkandCrow Countrywhich would be good to play during the season. Horror games aside, some non-horror games would be cool to see get Halloween-themed updates. Let’s go down the list for Switch releases specifically.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomwas just released but Nintendo could help liven up the community after a couple of weeks. When things get closer to Halloween or even the middle of October, they could announce and shadow-drop a horror-related update.
The game revolves around Zelda exploring rifts into mysterious areas. It seems like the perfect setting Nintendo could use to bring in some kind of manor of ghost or ghoul fromtheZeldaseriesor maybe some other Nintendo franchise like Mario. It could be a fun cameo accompanied by a bonus item or even a fully-fledged dungeon.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HDis the big horror-themed Switch game that Nintendo released this year. Now, allthreeLuigi’s Mansiongamescan be played on the console and this one was originally a 3DS exclusive. It was unique because it allowed players to tackle a few different themed mansions around a small area.
A piece of DLC could add an extra mansion to the mix. It would be a good way to help celebrate the series. It could maybe even crossover with another Switch remake/remaster from this year, likeMario vs Donkey Kong, wherein Donkey Kong could send spooky skeleton automatons after Luigi.
Capcom is known for creating three classichorror franchises includingResident Evil,Onimusha, andDino Crisis. Now, there is a horror-adjacent game that they could re-release as a free update toMarvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classicswhich would make sense. The collection right now is comprised of mostly fighting games except for The Punisher which is a brawler that hasn’t been in a large console collection before.
Another classic brawler that hasn’t been in a collection yet isAlien vs. Predator. In 2019, it was built inside the Capcom Home Arcade plug-and-play unit but that has been it since the 90s. While not spooky, again, it would be enough of a horror-related patch that fans would enjoy as a Halloween treat.
Pizza Towerwas originally released in 2023 on Steam and it got good traction with the PC crowd. It was an indie fan letter to theWario Landserieswhich was great as Nintendo hadn’t made a proper one in over a decade. The plot revolves around a chef going after a ghostly pizza that escaped his grasp.
In 2024,Pizza Towerwas ported to its first console, the Switch. That was great enough, but it would also be funny if a new event appeared in the tower related to a piece of pumpkin pie. The rest of the enemies could be pie-related. It would be on-brand for the wacky hijinks in this platformer.
The Plucky Squireis a newer indie game about breaking the fourth wall. The hero, Jot, can jump between his 2D children’s book and the real world wherein he turns into a 3D model. It’s an inventive action-adventure platformer that would be perfectfor Halloween DLC.
Jot could easily see another storybook in danger on the shelf and jump into it. There are plenty of classic Halloween books kids of the 90s probably remember from series likeLittle Critter,Charlie Brown, andThe Berenstain Bears. IfThe Plucky Squirecould make an homage to a classic children’s book like those examples, then it could be a jolly good time.
Thank Goodness You’re Hereisanother 2D gamewith a storybook vibe thanks to the art. This adventure game is all about solving puzzles in a small Northern English town. It’s British beyond all heck in the vibes department and it also has a lot in common with kids cartoons likeSpongeBob SquarePantsandThe Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.
It feels within reason that this bustling burg could once again reawaken with the coming of Halloween. Players could help stores get ready for the spooky holiday with mini-games or guide children with their trick-or-treating needs.
Unicorn Overlordwas released earlier this year in March. It was a hugehit for Vanillaware, an RPG developer that Atlus works with a lot. Some may know them from their action RPGs likeDragon’s CrownandOdin Sphere.Unicorn Overlordwas a tactical RPG with a semi-open-world and art that looked great on systems even like the aging Switch.
While it was well-reviewed in March, sometimes it can be hard for fans and the press to recall earlier games when it comes to end-of-the-year discussions. That’s where DLC can help revitalize interest in a game both new and old. How Halloween DLC could do that forUnicorn Overlordis a mystery although with so many nations and areas in the game, it is conceivable that Vanillaware could add a haunted island for a mini-campaign or something like that.
