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Sometimes games based on movies are well done and other times they are not so much. Where does this particular game fall into? Sadly, in the latter group, the “not so much” group. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a game inspired by the movie of the same title but it is game that does not appear to have much in common with the movie itself. You are in control of Jonathan Harker, a young man intent on destroying Dracula so he may save his lovely mistress, Mina Murray. To reach Dracula, Jonathan must traverse various areas where he will have to face enemies of all kinds. First there is the Journey to Castle Dracula at dusk where you start inside a rat infested village inn. This is followed by passage through mossy fields and jagged rock formations before heading into the castle itself. You must escape from the castle by surviving enemies in various rooms from a library, to vaults, to barns. Of course, then there’s facing the Count himself at the inner sanctum of the castle. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is, essentially, a ghoulish platformer for the Genesis/MD that could easily be called anything and still be the same game. When I began playing it, I honestly thought I was playing Castlevania because of the similarity in level design. There are plenty of enemies and Jonathan certainly has enough moves to fight them but there really aren’t any elements from the movie’s story here (other than the character names). Gameplay itself isn’t that stellar but it isn’t horrible either.

In the year 1897, Count Dracula ruled the Transylvanian countryside of Romania with an iron fist. Though he was ruthless in life, he was even more ruthless in death for he was the king of the vampires. Despite his power, Dracula was finally killed by Quincy Belmont. Unfortunately, Belmont also died and these events were witnessed by his son John Morris and John’s best friend, Eric Lecarde. Twenty years later, an amateur witch called Drolta Tzuentes casts a spell that brings back one Elizabeth Bartley, the niece of Count Dracula, who now decides it is time for the king of the vampires to make a return. Thankfully, Morris and Lecarde discover the nefarious plan and head to castle Dracula to stop Bartley from fulfilling her task. Though owners of Sega’s 16-bit console had to wait a bit longer to get an official Castlevania game on the system, the game was well worth the wait. When the game starts, the player selects between controlling John Morris or Eric Lecarde. Each character has its own special control features and weapons, something that adds variation in the gameplay as things have to be done differently with each characters in certain parts of the castle. The game has fantastic visuals with lots of gore and multiple monsters for the player to deal with, including vampire bats, skele-dragons, ravens, Medusa heads, and mecha-knights. There also are several cool bosses to deal with to add to the fun. As you’d expect, there are additional items and weapons to pick up that increase your chances of advancing through the castle. The music is excellent and the sound effects are also well done. This game is another winner!

Chakan is a title based on a comic book by Robert A. Kraus. Such games were common for that time but few were based on as dark a character as Chakan. Chakan is a martial arts warrior who is confident in his skills to the point of such arrogance as to suggest that not even Death itself can defeat him in battle. Unfortunately, this claim made the leaders of the many tribes so afraid of Chakan that they banned together to call the Grim Reaper and ask for his help at defeating the warrior. Death, of course, was not amused by Chakan’s arrogance and offered him a challenge: fight and defeat Death to be granted life eternal but fail to defeat Death only to become an eternal servant of Death. After days of battle, Death admitted defeat and granted Chakan his reward but with a “caveat” - he would be remain but a shell of himself forver wandering the world in search of evils to destroy. Only when the four evils are destroyed, will Chakan find peace. In the game, the player controls Chakan who must first travel in a central hub to select an elemental plane in which to play (Earth, Fire, Water, and Air). One a plane is selected, Chakan enters it and must deal with the enemies within. The player has endless lives (after all, Chakan can’t die) but if he is beaten in a plane, he is returned to the hub to start again. Chakan proves to be a very frustrating (almost infuriating) game with its unforgiving gameplay. Jumps have to be very precise and enemies are tough to beat. The endless lives come in handy! Only masochists are likely to enjoy this game.

Dark Castle started its life as an Apple Macintosh game that saw several ports to other computers and to the Genesis/MegaDrive. The game is a platformer where the player controls the character of Duncan as he travels within the titular dark castle avoiding enemies and solving puzzles before reaching the main enemy of the game. The story goes that the evil Black Knight has been terrorizing the people of the kingdom and it is up to Prince Duncan to topple the knight from the throne. To do so, Duncan must travel through 16 levels in the four different sections of the castle (Fireball, Shield, Trouble, and Black Knight). Only after the Prince has been able to collect the magical shield and the power to throw fireballs (instead of stones), may he face the Black Knight. When the game starts, the player must select from one of the four castle sections (by choosing a door) at a “main hall” within the castle. Once selected, the character moves into the castle section where mice, bats, and other enemies await. Does this all sound like elements for an interesting game? Yep, it sure does but don’t be fooled for one second! Dark Castle has fame for being one of the worst (if not, the worst) games for the Genesis/MegaDrive and I have to say that it is a well deserved “honour.” This game is horrible to play because of lousy controls, unforgiving mechanics (you can die from a simple misstep on a staircase), and terrible animation. The graphics can only be described as drab, though sound is surprisingly good since you are listening to Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor. My advise to you, avoid at all costs!

What we have here is a rather unique take on Breakout with a mixture of pinball elements thrown in to boot. Devilish sets the stage in a gothic-style environment where a prince and princess have been turned into stone paddles by a demon who is jealous of their love. Moved by their predicament, a magical ball comes into existence to assist the prince and princess as they fight to defeat the demons that now control the kingdom. The player, of course, is in the control of the two stone paddles which must be used to control the magical ball as it smashes into just about everything that appears in the playing field. Stones, bricks, gates, magical objects, and bonus items all appear throughout as the player continues to move forward to face a devilish boss at the end of each stage. Two things make this game unique: the way the paddles are controlled and the constant forward advancement within each stage. Each paddle serves a different purpose as the top paddle is primarily used to destroy the demons and objects while controlling the ball while the lower paddle is there as a protection to prevent the ball from disappearing at the bottom of the screen. The upper paddle not only moves horizontally but vertically as well and it can even be angled vertically, something that comes in handy when there are horizontal levels to cross. The lower paddle has more limited mobility (horizontally only) but is key to keep the ball playing longer if the upper paddle misses it. The graphics of Devlish are beautiful and sound is fantastic with superb music playing throughout. The bosses are nicely rendered and animated and do add another element to the gameplay. Devilish is a must in your library!

If you are looking for a fantastic game of pinball, look no further than Dragon’s Fury. The game is a remake of Devil’s Crush, a game that had been released for the PC Engine/Tubrografx but one that takes the original formula up a few notches. The table is huge with three levels of flippers, tons of targets (including many moving targets), and six different bonus mini tables. The table combines elements of fantasy with horror as there are medieval devices, sorcerers, skeletons, skulls, monsters and even dragons (hence the name) in the game. Never mind the flying creatures that you can smack with the ball for bonus points. Many of these also help move the ball around the table. One of the coolest things to see is the head of the warrior princess gradually transform into a dragon so you can then push the ball through the dragon’s mouth and into a bonus stage. Speaking of bonus stages, these are also excellent on their own. These are single screen tables but they each have different themes and different targets that must be achieved for rack up the points. One interesting aspect of Dragon’s Fury is that it uses a password system to choose starting point level, turning the music on or off, and running a time-limited trial. I have no idea why anyone would want to do a time limit because I just can’t seem to stop playing this game when I plug it into my console. The graphics of Dragon’s Fury are just fantastic, the physics are as true as they can be, and the music is superb. This is a masterpiece for the Genesis/MegaDrive!

What do you do when you have created a fantastic pinball game? Well, you make a sequel of course! But can the sequel beat the original? Let’s find out. Unlike its predecessor, Dragon’s Revenge has a full story behind it. According to the story, the village of Kalfin’s Keep must sacrifice a person of pure heart every decade or the dragon who lives in the tallest mountain of Kareggedor will destroy the village. Things changed when the elder Darzel volunteered to be the next victim but that proved to make things worse as Darzel struck her own bargain with the dragon and now only the most beautiful maiden would be accepted in sacrifice. The time for the sacrifice approaches once more and three adventurers have come to Kalfin’s Keep - a sorceress, a warrior, and fighter. They try to stop the dragon from retrieving its sacrifice but they are trapped by Darzel. It is up to Rina, the sorceress, to bring forth The Mystic Silver Ball to help release the others and have a final fight with Darzel and the dragon. Dragon’s Revenge showcases great visuals, similar to the original game, but introduces new elements to the game. This time the face on the table is the face of Darzel. Hit the three pyramids that surround her and she will wake and float around releasing crystals with different properties that can give anything from extra balls to bonus points. Dragon’s Revenge also boasts bonus tables, much like its predecessor but the game, overall, falls a bit short. That’s not to say it is not worth playing it because the game is indeed lots of fun and still an excellent title.

Zuul has been defeated and business has been slow for the Ghostbusters. Things are not staying slow for much longer, though. Earthquakes have been hitting New York with increasing frequency, earthquakes that are being caused by hordes of ghosts that are making their way to the city to scare everyone. Suddenly the Ghostbusters find themselves in a frenzy as clients call requesting their services! Ghostbusters on the Genesis/Mega Drive bears no relation to the game created by David Crane (which was ported to the SMS). This game is a platformer where the characters have to hunt down ghosts in different buildings. You get to choose from one of three Ghostbusters: Peter, Raymond, or Egon. After choosing your character, you have to choose one of four ghost-infested buildings (Home Sweet Home, the Apartment, Woody House, or High-Rise Building). In order to finish your task you will need to get weapons and tools at The Shops (Item and Weapons). You enter the shops at the beginning of a case where you can buy anything from an infrared scope (to see in the dark) to pecking duck (to restore your life). You can also get energy tanks, explosives, and other weapons. Once you are ready, the game become standard platformer fare as you move about the buildings chasing ghosts and fighting bosses. Visually, Ghostbusters has a cartoon feel to it as the Ghostbusters look like bobble heads and most enemies are bright and colourful. While most enemies are creatures you’d expect to see in a Ghostbusters game, some appear out of place. Regardless, this is an enjoyable game, though not one that ties into any of the movies.

In this sequel to Ghost’n’Goblins, you once more play the role of Sir Arthur as he faces the Prince of Darkness and tries to save the princess. The Prince of Darkness has pillaged the land paralysed the people by instilling fear in them. He has released hordes of creatures to stop you from reaching his fortress and reaching the princess. Will you take the journey? Ghouls’n’Ghosts is truly a fantastic sequel and it is every bit as hard as the original. You will travel through four different stages before reaching the fifth and final stage at the Castle of Evil Demons. Each stage is full of a multitude of creatures that will do everything they can to stop you. These creatures include skeletons, weasels, poisonous flowers, pigmans, rock turtles, bi-fangs, fire bats, and flying goblins, among others. There are also many weapons you can use in your journey. You start off with a sword but you can find a big axe, a super sword, fire water, discus, and daggers. Each of these weapons has different properties against the enemies. There are also different armours you can find, including one that lets you use magical powers to defeat enemies. It is funny, though, if you get hit while wearing an armour, you lose the armour and you are running around only in your underwear until you are able to pick up another armor. Of course, having no armour means that you’ll be killed at the mere touch of anything. Ghouls’n’Ghosts has beautiful graphics, great music, excellent sound effects and offers tons of challenge. It may be one of the most difficult games to play but it does offer unlimited continues that help you advance through the levels. Just be ready to die a lot!

Splatterhouse was originally released on the Turbografx-16/PC Engine but it saw its sequel released exclusively to the Genesis/MegaDrive in 1992 in all its colourful gore. It is clear that this game series was inspired by the many horror movies of its time (like Friday the 13th and Halloween) when you look at the characters, visuals, and setup for the game’s story. Splatterhouse 2 is set three months after the events of the original game. The Terror Mask reappears to tempt Rick, the main character in the game, to go back to the house where it all started to rescue Jennifer. The player controls Rick, the mask wearing hero, through eight different stages as he faces monsters of all colours and shapes. Rick can punch, kick, jump kick, and slide kick all the enemies but he is also able to use various weapons that he finds as he advances through the game. Things start outside the mansion and move inside as the stages advance. Each stage has a boss at the end, each boss looking like a very grotesque figure, each with different types of attack. Splatterhouse 2 is a very good games both in terms of visuals and gameplay. You can enjoy killing monsters of all kinds and see the great animation as you split them in half with your fists, clobber them with dinosaur bones, or cut them with a chainsaw. One cool feature is that monsters show damage as you hit them until they finally explode in a mess of green goo. The game music and sounds do the job just fine but they are not spectacular. Overall a great game for Halloween!

Five years have passed since the events of Splatterhouse 2. Rick has married Jennifer and they now have a child called David. Given his success in Wall Street, Rick has been able to buy a Connecticut mansion for his family to live in peacefully. Little does he know, however, that the Evil One has other plans for him and his family for the Evil One wants David as he holds the power to unlock the Dark Stone. The Terror Mask calls upon Rick to use its power once more if Rick is to save his wife and son. Things, however, turn out to have some interesting twists for Rick. Splatterhouse 3 takes place in Rick’s mansion as he moves through the house fighting the demons and monsters that have invaded it to serve the Evil One. A total of six level of play are available and these play different than in the other two Splatterhouse games as things are non-linear and a map can be used to see where Rick must go in the house. The one trick is that you are playing against time and, should you take too long to clear the rooms, bad things can happen to Jennifer and David. In fact, this is so important that the game has four variations of the ending. Splatterhouse 3 has the same visual gore one has come to expect from the series. It does add a power up that allows Rick to mutate into a more powerful version of himself. This can only be activated after the player collects enough Eldritch Orbs to fill the Power bar at the bottom of the screen. Splatterhouse 3 is a fun game but does have repetitive gameplay that may get tiresome for some players.

In 1991 a new Addams Family movie hit theaters which led to the inspiration for some video games for the consoles and computers of the time. In The Addams Family, the player controls Gomez Addams as he returns home only to discover that his house has been taken over by the family’s attorney, one Tully Alford. Mr. Alford has filled the house with many creatures and has also kidnapped the rest of the Addams family and hid them in different sections of the house. Only Thing and Lurch have somehow been spared. Gomez must find and rescue his family as he explores different sections of the house (including parts that are underground). The Addams Family plays as your average platformer where Gomez has to walk about different parts of the house, jump on enemies (reminiscent of Mario Bros.) to kill them, and collect items as he searches for the rest of the Addams family members. Each level has a different design, since each level is in a different area of the house, and there are plenty of nasties to deal with. The levels are not easy to complete and it will take several attempts to learn the best way to beat them. There are bosses at the end of each level, as you’d expect from this type of game. Game graphics are on the cartoony side but they are nicely coloured. The characters are well animated and the backgrounds are pretty detailed. Game sounds are nothing special but there is music that plays throughout. Game controls work well but Gomez is constantly skidding and this turns out to be a headache. Overall, an OK game but one that requires lots of patience.

Inspired by the 1993 movie, The Addams Family Values is an overhead adventure game similar to The Adventures of Zelda. The game has the player take control of Uncle Fester as he searches for Baby Pubert through forests, gardens, swamps, and dungeons. During your wanderings, you’ll bump into other members of the Addams family as well as other characters that will interact with Fester and give you information that is usually helpful. At times, these exchanges are rather funny as they are truly in character. Uncle Fester must also deal with multiple enemies during his exploration and search for Baby Pubert. Some of these include skeletons, trolls, floating eyeballs, moving plants, and hopping mushrooms. Some of these can be a bit annoying to deal with. Fester is not entirely defenceless as he can shoot lighting bolts form his hands. The problem is that these have a limited range and that range becomes even more limited when he is “injured” due to enemy attacks. The other problem is that you can’t aim very well with the lightning, so that makes it a bit frustrating when dealing with adversaries. The graphics of the game are rather nice, however. The graveyard, gardens, and dungeons look particularly good and convey the proper macabre environment rather well. The characters also look pretty good and are easy to recognize. The Addams Family Values uses a password system (though these are not given often) and it has unlimited continues to help the player complete the game. Unfortunately, I must say that I found the game rather boring and not particularly fun.

You are one rebellious teenager who just enjoys skateboarding no matter what. Unfortunately, your love for skateboards ends up costing you your life since the board you got from Vito Sardini’s company was defective and caused a deadly accident. Ah, but that rebellious spirit of yours doesn’t come to an end so easily. You have now come back as a ghost, as a Polterguy, and terrorize the Sardini family so you can have your revenge! As Polterguy you will chase the Sardini family into four different homes and you will do whatever it takes to scare them until they run away. In these homes you can possess many objects to create terror-inducing effects for Vito and his family. In order to possess and control objects, though, you must have ectoplasm. If you run out, you will be taken to the Underworld so you can collect falling ectoplasm. Unfortunately, the Underworld is not very friendly as zombie arms, bats, and other creatures try to harm Polterguy and stop him from collecting the ectoplasm. The Haunting is a surprisingly fun game for the Genesis/MD, probably because you get to play a “bad guy” that scares off a family. Chasing each of the characters out of the house is quite amusing, particularly when you see their different reactions to what is happening. Your “possession” of objects also provides for situations that are funny, gory, gruesome, or just plain absurd. Objects will have “Fright’ems,” or glowing stars that let you know what object you can possess. Gameplay in the houses is enjoyable but the Underworld part gets repetitive. It is also the only part of the game where Polterguy can be hurt and where the game may end. If you want to enjoy a comedy/horror game, look no further!

Released in 1993, ZAMN is an overhead shooter where one or two players control the characters of Zeke and Julie as they walk around their town trying to save their neighbours from all sorts of horror monsters that have been released by a mad scientist called Dr. Tongue. Zeke and Julie, having witnessed the attacks, have decided to take matters into their hands and have armed themselves with whatever they can find to defeat the monsters. The characters travel in malls, neighbourhoods, haunted castles, and other locales as they search and destroy monsters that include vampires, werewolves, evil dolls, aliens, and zombies, among others. It is important to try to save people before the monsters reach them for the simple touch of any monster will kill them. You also must have saved at least one neighbour if you want to advance to the next level. Should all the neighbours be killed, the game comes to an end. ZAMN is a fun game with nice visuals and much humour added. You can pick up all sorts of items to use as weapons, including bazookas, water guns, lawnmowers, dishes, crucifixes, fire extinguishers and others. Having these items as weapons is part of what makes the game fun. Another interesting aspect is that these items have different effects on different enemies, so having the right item makes a difference when facing the monsters. Having the ability to play simultaneously with a friend also adds to the fun. This is definitely a game to enjoy with friends on Halloween night! Now, go kill some monsters!