You can feel Halloween is just around the corner because the streets are slowly filled with spooky decorations resembling ghosts, skeletons, and all manner of ghouls.
What better way to celebrate the scary season than to revisit two retro games that brought not only fun but also fright. We’ll probably come up with a huge number of horror titles if we try to list them all. So, we are going to focus on two of the most memorable titles we played on GameCube as a kid.

Resident Evil (2002)

Almost every person, even non-gamers, can recognize this zombie apocalypse title. They will either remember it as a movie or a video game franchise. The first Resident Evil game was released on 1996 for the Playstation. The plot features two elite task force members, Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, looking for answers to the mysterious disappearance of their fellow team members somewhere outside Raccoon City.

A remake of this Resident Evil game came out for GameCube 6 years after. Improvements were made to the gameplay, the puzzles and the graphics. The visuals of the game are pretty comparable to today’s standards.

Then on 2003, Resident Evil Zero was published as a GameCube exclusive. It follows rookie cop Rebecca Chambers banding with escaped convict Billy Coen. The unlikely allies find themselves caught in a conspiracy involving Albert Wesker and Umbrella.

Having two protagonists is integrated into the gameplay in an innovative manner. Each character has specialization that helps in survivability or offers utility that increases the chance to successfully clear the area. Chambers can craft herbs for healing while Coen can move heavy objects.

Aside from specialization, you can also control one of them at a time. To some extent, you can command your partner to stay behind or move with you. In some cases, you may want your companion to either run past zombies or shoot them. With masterful coordination and a good GameCube controller, you’ll get this done with style and ease. The other character you’re not controlling will be handled by the game AI. This buddy mechanic offers fresh and creative ways to solve puzzles and get through any zombie assault.

Last May 2019, Resident Evil Zero was remastered and released along with Resident Evil and Resident Evil 4. All these three survivor horror games are part of the “Resident Evil Origins Collection” for the Nintendo Switch.

Luigi’s Mansion (2001)

Everyone probably owns a copy of this Nintendo game since it is the launch title for the GameCube console. It also happens to be the second game to feature Luigi as the main character instead of the usual Mario. Luigi’s Mansion is a fun exploration game that combines ghost hunting and puzzle solving.

Luigi uses a flashlight and a vacuum cleaner, quirky gadgets developed by inventor scientist Professor Elvin Gadd, to vanquish mischievous Boos and other supernatural beings haunting the mansion. What made this game fun were the sweet combination of spooky atmosphere, wacky ghost behaviour, and the sense of achievement when discovering hidden items.

Puzzles are seldom repeated and each section offers a unique twist that keeps everything fresh and challenging. At the end of every section is a Boss Fight to look forward to. You have to combine skills you developed in solving puzzles and vanquishing ghosts to defeat these larger threats.

Another reason to be excited this Halloween is that the third instalment “Luigi’s Mansion 3” for the Nintendo Switch is set to drop at the end of October this year.

Undoubtedly, we may mention varying horror games close to our hearts that tug our nostalgia strings with little ease. However, Luigi’s Mansion and Resident Evil are probably two retro games that most gamers will mention. Revisiting both of these games will provide us with a unique sense of dread, some fair amount of challenge, and immeasurable spooky fun this Halloween season.