Kids often enjoy being spooked, as demonstrated by the popularity of Halloween and ghost stories around the campfire. And yet, there aren't a ton of suitable options when it comes to horror in entertainment mediums for this demographic. Most parents would agree that it can be tough to find that balance between a quality work of horror that can be creepy without scaring the daylights out of their child.
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However, there are a number of games that manage to ride that line, while also offering a genuinely creative and fun experience. These are games that tend to have tamer, more kid-friendly themes and dial back the horror excess, but can still be subtly spooky.
10 Goosebumps: Dead Of Night
R. L. Stine's iconic book series Goosebumps has both captivated and spooked kids for decades now, with countless tales of things that go bump in the night. With that said, the franchise hasn't often translated too well to other mediums, including video games. Yet Cosmic Forces somewhat bucks this trend with a first-personal survival game that's surprisingly competent, especially when it comes to the story.
Overall, Dead of Night is engaging, yet fairly tame and simple; a safe bet for children seeking some scares. In terms of the stealth gameplay, it's generally more passive, with much of the fear factor coming from the creepy atmosphere that looms when roaming the dark, desolate mansion. Still, there are a number of startling jumpscares that come courtesy of Graveyard Ghouls and other classic Goosebumps monsters — so younger children may want to skip this one.
9 Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins Of The Moon
Fragile Dreams is a rather obscure game for Wii that's become a bit of a cult hit amongst a subset of horror and RPG fans. It tends to be lacking when it comes to action and complexity; favoring storytelling, exploration, and eerie ambiance instead. But while this may turn off some more experienced gamers, they also prove suitable for children, especially since the game itself is largely thought to be underrated.
This gripping post-apocalyptic journey is set in the dark ruins of Tokyo which is populated by ghosts; a setting which, while subtly spooky shouldn't terrify younger players. The game greatly conveys that youthful sense of wonder and adventure too, as players search the world for other living humans while mostly wielding a flashlight.
Fragile Dreams also mostly utilizes more kid-friendly weapons which are nonetheless satisfying to wield, including slingshots and golf clubs.
8 Hello Neighbor
Hello Neighbor tasks players with breaking into their neighbor's home and solving puzzles to access his basement and discover an apparent secret. The catch? The player will need to elude the astute and swift neighbor, hiding and retreating when necessary.
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One shouldn't succumb to being fooled by the tame, cartoony nature of this suburban horror. It's a cat and mouse game that can actually be pretty intense, given the speedy, adaptable AI neighbor who hunts down the player. The stealth gameplay of this survival horror — coupled with the relentless pursuer — gives the vibe of a kid-friendly version of Resident Evil 7 at times.
While it's far rougher around the edges than that classic, this 2018 indie thrives in its experimental concepts and exciting gameplay.
7 Maximo: Ghosts To Glory
The PS2 has seen plenty of unique, colorful titles for all ages, as this cheesy action game from Capcom reinforces. Residing in the Ghosts 'n Goblins universe, the game stars a Roman troop-inspired fighter named Maximo, who's tasked with slaying monsters.
The sword-wielding hero will spend much of his time hacking and slashing his way through various creatures and ghouls, traversing some fun locales in the process. These include the ominous Boneyard, the spooky Graveyard of Ships, and the ghoulish Realm of Spirit. The arcade-style gameplay of this 3D romp gives it a nice blend of retro and modern sensibilities, given it a wide appeal.
Unfortunately, there's no multiplayer feature in this otherwise solid title, meaning parents and children will have to opt for trading off that Dualshock.
6 Ghosts 'N Goblins Resurrection
This resurrected classic is a great way to introduce children to the darker, spookier side of video games — and get a tour of the 16-bit glory days in the process. This is especially a suitable choice given the more forgiving, customizable difficulty settings compared to its grueling predecessor; which offers handy checkpoints on its easiest setting.
Coupled with this change, the Ghosts 'n Goblins adheres to straightforward, sidescrolling action, which should make it easy for kids to get into. Of course, it also doesn't hurt that this is one of the more enjoyable platformers released in 2021, which its solid mechanics, appealing visuals, and fun horror themes.
5 Costume Quest
While it's far more of a kid-friendly RPG than chilling horror, this colorful game does have the distinction of being among the most heavily Halloween-themed games in existence. With Costume Quest, Double Fine creatively taps into the childlike joy and thrills of trick-or-treating, and crafts a surprisingly gripping RPG experience around the premise.
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With its colorful visuals, amusing dialogue, and flashy fights based on timed hits, the game is reminiscent of a slightly spookier version of Paper Mario. At the same time, it's uniquely charming and imaginative, with fairly detailed gameplay and satisfying combat that can appeal to all ages.
4 Zombies Ate My Neighbors
There's a good chance mom or dad will be assisting in this one, given its rapidly escalating difficulty. The good news is, with its enjoyable co-op feature, parents will be able to do just that. In fairness, LucasArts and Konami do balance the toughness of these neighborhood zombies and monsters with some pretty straightforward gameplay.
The goal of this child-oriented shooter is to survive and rescue oblivious neighbors while fighting through neighborhood settings; using Uzi water guns, weed-whackers, and explosive soda cans. Zombie-slayers will also square off against some insane bosses and nab keys to access better goodies and new areas. Thrilling action, solid mechanics, and a particularly catchy soundtrack round out this hidden gem on SNES and Genesis.
3 Five Nights At Freddy's
Residing in a sort of twisted version of Chuck E Cheese, this indie survival horror has the player assume the role of a security guard who must evade killer animatronic characters in a kid-themed pizza place. Despite its youthful themes, this one definitely skews a bit older, given its intense jump scares, creepy creatures, and some generally cryptic bouts.
But between the fairly lighter tone and passive point-and-click elements, Five Nights At Freddy's should prove suitable for older children. At the same time — its detailed set design, creative premise, and genuinely tense moments should draw to plenty of parents as well.
2 Plants Vs Zombies
Of course, this cartoony tower defense hit from PopCap isn't overtly scary, though the growling of sauntering zombie hordes could prove at least a bit creepy for kids. As such, Plants vs. Zombies makes for a great introductory horror for young ones, especially with its passive-yet-appealing gameplay.
There's something endlessly fun and satisfying about fending off waves of undead with pea-pelting Repeaters, flaming Torchwoods, and Gatling Peas. The classic mobile rendition is a particularly great option for kids, with its intuitive touch controls that make for simpler, seamless gameplay.
1 Luigi's Mansion 3
While only comprising a few games, this franchise has come a long way since its simpler, obscure origins as a GameCube launch game. The original broke ground with its innovative, kid-friendly take on survival horror, along with its cartoon themes and fun vacuum-sucking mechanics.
The DS sequel filled in some detail and added multiplayer, while this 2019 Switch rendition fleshes out the formula with a vast new hotel locale and fun online challenges as well as competitions. Kids can enjoy exploring the intricate mansion and ghost-busting solo, or team up with friends or family by way of some solid co-op features.