Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti

Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti is an unexpectedly cheerful spin-off of the horror arcade series Splatterhouse, created for the Famicom by Namco just two years after the original, bloody arcade game. Instead of a dark atmosphere full of monsters and violence, it offers a cute, so-called "chibi" style with big-headed, comically rounded versions of the main hero Rick and his girlfriend Jennifer. This time they set out to rescue a kidnapped girl through a series of very short, comic-toned levels full of references and funny situations instead of bloodshed.

The gameplay remains side-scrolling platforming with left-to-right progression and simple attacks, but it's noticeably lighthearted and full of parodic references to other Namco games and pop culture in general – the player runs into caricatures of characters from the studio's other titles, exaggeratedly comical enemies, and disarming humor exactly where the arcade original had chainsaws, masks, and dismembered bodies. Short, clear levels, a markedly lower difficulty, and simple controls made the game accessible fun even for players who would have been scared of, or too young for, the original horror Splatterhouse. The cheerful graphics and exaggeratedly cute enemies clearly signal that this is a jokey spin-off, not a full-fledged sequel to the bloody arcade series. The music still retains the energy of the original game, and together with the references to other Namco titles, it makes the game something of a small celebration of the studio's output at the time. Combat is simple, based on a basic attack and jump, so the main fun comes more from recognizing individual funny references and from seeing how differently already-familiar game situations play out in this grotesque, more childlike take.

Why play it: An interesting choice for Splatterhouse fans and ordinary platformer players alike who want to see how a pure-blooded horror series turned into a cute parody of itself within a few years – an example of the Japanese approach to recycling one's own brands into a completely different, lighthearted tone, made accessible to younger or less experienced players thanks to its low difficulty.