Splatterhouse (Game)

Splatterhouse

GAME » on November 1988

Arcade (Platform)FM Towns (Platform)iPhone (Platform)Nintendo Switch (Platform)PC (Platform)PlayStation 4 (Platform)TurboGrafx-16 (Platform)Wii Shop (Platform)

Splatterhouse is a remarkably gory, splatter-themed arcade game from 1988. The player controls Rick Taylor, who allows himself to be possessed by the sinister "Terror Mask" in an attempt to save his girlfriend Jennifer from the hideous monsters who have kidnapped her.

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Overview

TurboGrafx-16 version

Splatterhouse is the first in a series of games detailing the trials and tribulations of young Rick Taylor (Character), who is determined to save his girlfriend from the clutches of evil. Rick utilizes the awesome power of the ancient Mayan Terror Mask (Object) ("Hell Mask" in some versions of the game) and a few random boards, knives, chainsaws, etc. to destroy legions of hell-born foes. Upon finding Jennifer, she turns into a monster whom Rick is forced to kill. Rick eventually escapes the burning West Mansion (Location) but not before defeating the soul of its previous resident. In the final moments of the game the player is shown that perhaps the horror isn't over yet...

This was the video game to come with a parental advisory warning. Namco (Company) licensed the game to Atari Games (Company) for distribution in North America (Location), but the game proved to be controversial there due to its excessive violence and gore as well as references to Christian symbols such as the cross. As a result, the game was eventually banned in the United States after Atari had distributed a hundred arcade cabinets there. Nevertheless, the TurboGrafx-16 port was released in the US, but was heavily toned down compared to the arcade original.

Versions

The 1992 FM Towns (Platform) port is the only home version which is a perfect conversion of the original arcade game (not including the inclusion with the 360/PS3 Splatterhouse).
The TurboGrafx-16 version is heavily censored and edited for violence and gore. However most of the gore removal could be said to be the result of the graphical limitations rather than censoring.
The TurboGrafx-16 version has a warning label on the bottom left that states "The horrifying theme of this game may be inappropriate for young children...and cowards."
The most obvious graphical edit in the TurboGrafx version is Rick's mask being changed from white to red in order to make him look less like Jason Voorhees (Character).
Also in the TurboGrafx port, the inverted- cross boss is changed into another evil mask.
An iPhone (Platform) port was released on 18 November 2010. It has Arcade Mode and Splatter Rush Mode, where you fight hordes of enemies non-stop in under two minutes. Scores can be uploaded to the Game Center leaderboards.

External link

Splatterhouse at Arcade History

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