No matter what genre of film, television, or video game one delves into these days, there areclassic tropes to findin every single one of them. Many of these tropes are what ultimately help to define and shape a genre; allowing audiences to easily categorize what media they consume and understand which genres are their favorites.
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However, another genius way of utilizing these tropes is by flipping them on their heads and creating a parody. When it comes to horror, there are a ton of tropes to pull from to turn what may otherwise seem like a truly horrifying experience into a comedic one instead. Here are some of the best games that parody iconic horror tropes.
7The Typing Of The Dead
There isn’t anything quite as hilarious as the thought of turning a terrifying game likeThe House of The Deadinto anedutainment game for the PCand Dreamcast where the player’s weapon of choice isn’t a gun, but instead an everyday keyboard.Typing Of The Deadis a comedic take on the typicalHouse Of The Deadfranchise, where the player must face off against hoards of terrifying zombies until they reach their escape.
However, instead of their trusty guns, the player is equipped with a keyboard and must quickly type out each word or sentence on screen to rid themselves of their zombie enemies. This spin-off game was a terrific (and hilarious) way of making learning the way around a keyboard fun back in 1999 when not everyone was capable of reaching the coveted goal of 100 words per minute.
6Spooky’s Jumpscare Mansion
The case ofSpooky’s Jumpscare Mansionis a tricky one as it acts as both a parody of the horror genre and a game that falls into it as well. WhileSpooky’s Jumpscare Mansionbegins as a fun little journey that replaces terrifying popups with funny sounds, confetti, andcute little cardboard cutouts, it slowly transforms from parody to full-on horror.
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Spooky takes players for a ride, disarming them with her charm and adorable mansion. However, as soon as the player gets comfortable with the cute stand-ins for monsters, the real monsters slowly begin to appear. Overall,Spooky’s Jumpscare Mansionis a perfect mix of both horror and comedy.
5Plants Vs. Zombies
Although many may not think ofPlants Vs. Zombiesas a parody game, in many ways, it absolutely is. Zombies are widely used in games that are either beat-em-ups, hack and slash types, or, more generally, horror/survival horror. Thebasis of a zombie invasionhappening and a hoard of them strategically trying to make their way into a survivor’s house sounds terrifying on paper, butPlants Vs. Zombiesmakes the ordeal both fun and lighthearted.
Many game developers would go for the obvious choice to turn a zombie-based plot into a shooter or survival horror type game, butPlants Vs. Zombiesinstead flips the trope on its head and turns the sticky situation into a tower defense game instead. With thehelp of some fun plant friends(such as the cheery Sunflower, the adorable Peashooter, and the very stern Tall-nut), the player can strategically fend off every new hoard of (strangely polite) zombies as they come.
4Crab Game
IfCrab Gameseems a bit familiar, that’s because it’s supposed to! Therelease ofSquid Gamesparked a ton of inspiration, leading to the creation of clothing, restaurants, shows, and of course, video games. WhileSquid Gamewas originally an intense drama, focusing on the intricate relationships between the characters and their struggles to survive the horrific “games” in order to win the illustrious cash prize,Crab Gametakes all the seriousness away and replaces it with laughs instead.
The originalSquid Gamepaints each new game as a terrifying new endeavor. However,Crab Gameessentiallyturns them into party games. Yes, players are still murdered and turned into a bloody mess if they lose a game, but with the game’s low-budget graphics and comedic character models, players can’t help but laugh instead of mourn whenever another player loses their life!
3Sucker For Love: First Date
One of the most typical openings to a horror film or video game involves the classic curious tee. Whether they’re messing around with occult readings, flirting with death, or attempting to summon something devious, something powerful, they often end up being killed by their own morbid curiosity. However,Sucker For Love: First Date, gives a whole new meaning to “flirting with death”.
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InSucker For Love, the player takes on the role of an occult fanatic and purses the dangerous summoning ritual that they initially thought was a scam. However, to the protagonist’s surprise, the ritual works and summons a powerful god named Ln’eta. After Ln’eta gives a speech about bringing the world into calamity, the player asks for one wish to be granted: a date. From here on out, the gameturns into a hilarious dating sim, letting the player have their chance at charming their love interest. Ln’eta is taken aback, and her silhouette then reveals an adorable (yet still horrifying) Eldritch monster.
2Sinfeld Remastered
For any fans of the 80s-90s sitcom,Seinfeld, this game is a must.Sinfeld Remasteredmay sound like an HD version of the famous show with a simple typo, but it is actually ahilarious mix between horror and comedy. Everything about the atmosphere screams typical horror; from the bloody handprints and the mysterious list of victims to the distant thunder echoing in the background. However, the game itself does everything in its power to rip the player out of that spooky immersive atmosphere (intentionally, of course).
The game takes place in Jerry Seinfeld’s character’s apartment in his sitcom and is filled with hilarious littleeaster eggs that fans are sure to love. Perhaps the most notable thing about the game is howSinfeld Remasteredpokes fun at how bizarrely quiet horror protagonists tend to be when coming across horrific monsters or bloody murder scenes. The protagonist inSinfeld Remasteredis constantly going on about every insignificant thing in his surroundings; his ramblings lightening up what would otherwise be a fairly spooky environment.
1QT
The 2014 release ofP.T.had horror fans everywhere both terrified and excited. Despite being canceled soon after,P.T.still had anincredible impact on the gaming community and the industry itself, inspiring horror game developers everywhere (especially indie ones) and sparking the creation of tons of similar games that tried desperately to capture that iconicP.T.feel.
About six years after the demo’s release in 2020,QTwas created. However, it stood out from its peers that tried emulatingP.T.by not being scary in the slightest.QTwas meant to be a cute version ofP.T.; hence the nameQT(like “cutie”). While the game does initially begin a bit spooky and dark, set in a hallway, not unlike the iconic one seen inP.T., it quickly transforms into an adorable, kind-hearted adventure with tons of new friends to meet along the way.
