Splatterhouse

PRESS START

An Introduction To Today’s Game

“The horrifying theme of this game may be inappropriate for young children… and cowards.” 

This was how players were presented when they saw the cover for Splatterhouse at game stores in 1990. The game was calling us out.

Originally an arcade game, Namco brought something different to living rooms across America. Splatterhouse arrived on the TurboGrafx-16 with a warning label on the box that basically said: kids, your parents are going to hate this.

While other games were bouncing through Mushroom Kingdoms and collecting rings, Rick Taylor was putting on a cursed hockey mask and wading through rivers of pixelated gore. This was a horror movie you could control, and it made every other game on store shelves look downright wholesome by comparison.

BEHIND THE PIXELS

Let’s Dive Into The Game

Splatterhouse is a side-scrolling action game where you play as Rick Taylor, a college student investigating the notorious West Mansion with his girlfriend Jennifer.

When monsters attack and Jennifer disappears, Rick is left dying in a pool of his own blood. That's when the Terror Mask finds him. This ancient Mayan artifact fuses to Rick's face, transforms him into a hulking beast, and gives him the strength to fight back against an entire mansion full of grotesque creatures.

Your goal is simple: fight through seven nightmare-filled stages to rescue Jennifer from the clutches of the mansion's horrors.

The gameplay follows a traditional beat 'em up structure. Rick moves along a fixed horizontal path, punching and kicking his way through waves of enemies. You can perform a sliding kick attack that sends Rick skidding across the ground, perfect for taking out low enemies or closing distance quickly. Jump attacks help manage flying creatures and taller foes.

The real satisfaction comes from the weapons scattered throughout each stage. Wooden planks, meat cleavers, and the occasional shotgun all add variety to the combat.

Smashing an enemy with a 2x4 and watching it splatter against the background wall never gets old. Each weapon has limited durability, so you'll be switching between fists and tools constantly.

Combat is straightforward but requires timing rather than button mashing. Enemies telegraph their attacks, giving you brief windows to strike or dodge. The challenge comes from managing multiple threats at once while avoiding cheap hits. Rick isn't particularly agile. His movements feel heavy and deliberate, which actually adds to the horror atmosphere but can frustrate players used to quicker action games.

Boss fights punctuate each stage with creative encounters. You'll battle a room that literally comes alive, furniture flying at your head. There's a chainsaw-wielding brute straight out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

What truly separates Splatterhouse from its contemporaries is atmosphere. Zombies vomit acid. Corpses fall from ceilings. You'll wade through rooms filled with intestines and parasitic worms. The creature designs pull directly from 1980s horror films, creating a grimy B-movie aesthetic that works perfectly. 

The soundtrack deserves special mention. Composer Yoshinori Kawamoto crafted music that feels genuinely eerie rather than just dramatic. Different stages shift between creeping dread and adrenaline-pumping action, always matching the on-screen horror. Voice samples, including Jennifer's distant screams for help, add an extra layer of unease.

The game is short by today's standards. Experienced players can finish it in under 30 minutes. But the brief runtime actually works in its favor.

Splatterhouse delivers its shocks efficiently, never overstaying its welcome. Each of the seven stages introduces new enemy types and environmental hazards, keeping things fresh from basement dungeons to haunted forests.

The North American release made some concessions to avoid controversy. Rick's mask changed from white to red to distance him from Jason Voorhees comparisons. The meat cleaver in early stages became a wooden board. Religious imagery got toned down. Despite these changes, the game still managed to feel genuinely edgy for 1990.

WHERE TO PLAY

• The original copy or emulation will be your best bet for tracking this down.

• Arcade version was released under Arcade Archives for the Switch and PS4.

• TurboGrafx-16 Mini.

• Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)

  • Loose: $80

  • Complete: $150

  • New/Sealed: $1100

GAME INFORMATION

Cover Art

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PREVIOUS POLL RESULTS

What's your favorite console from the 6th generation?

• Dreamcast - 14.29%

• Playstation 2 - 71.43%

• Gamecube - 0%

• Xbox - 14.29%

Reader comments from the poll (note: had to cut out the full quotes for space) :

GAME OVER

Why You Should Play This

Splatterhouse remains essential playing for TurboGrafx-16 owners and horror game enthusiasts. The controls feel stiff compared to modern action games and the combat lacks the depth of Streets of Rage or Final Fight. But none of that diminishes what makes this game special. The atmosphere still works. The creature designs still disturb. That soundtrack still sets a mood most games never achieve. This is Halloween in retro video game form, a playable B-horror movie that embraces its grotesque nature without apology.

The game succeeds more on atmosphere and novelty than gameplay depth. It's a playable time capsule that works best as a short, Halloween-appropriate experience rather than a deep action game.

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