There are still a good number of horror games on the Nintendo 3DS despite the waning number of games in this genre. Prepare to have your heart skimp a little bit faster than it normally would. Here are seven of the best horror games on the dedicated gaming handheld.
Best nintendo 3DS horror games
7. Creeping Terror
Creeping Terror offers a haunting experience reminiscent of exploring a haunted house with friends, providing just the right level of creepiness. As Arisa, a Japanese teenager, players navigate through a haunted mansion in search of her lost friends, encountering pixelated monsters and uncovering the secrets of its past inhabitants.
This horror game excels in graphics and music, with immersive 3D visuals and atmospheric soundtracks adding to the eerie atmosphere. The game’s emphasis on collecting documents and exploring the mansion’s backstory provides additional depth, although the abundance of items and lack of challenge may lead to moments of boredom for some players. Additionally, certain quests feel unnecessary and detract from the overall narrative progression, extending the game’s length without adding meaningful content.
Creeping Terror offers a solid horror experience for players seeking a spooky adventure without excessive jumpscares. With multiple endings to discover and a runtime of approximately three and a half hours, it provides a chilling experience that may appeal to fans of haunted house narratives and atmospheric exploration games.
6. Severed
Severed offers a unique gaming experience, originally released on platforms like the Vita and then made available as a port for the 3DS. Players take on the role of a young woman who embarks on a quest to rescue her family from demons after losing her arm in the process. The game combines first-person dungeon-crawling with real-time combat, where players must slash their way through enemies using precise gestures on the touchscreen.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, Severed strikes a balance between RPG and action elements, with combat being a key focus. The 3DS version introduces some differences compared to the Vita version, such as using a stylus instead of fingers for slashing gestures. While some players may prefer the tactile feel of using fingers, others find it easier to execute quick reactions and multi-hit swipes with the stylus. Additionally, the 3DS version includes new difficulty settings, providing players with more options to tailor their experience.
Despite these differences, the core gameplay remains unchanged, offering a captivating experience that blends exploration, combat, and light crafting elements. Severed is one of the most original games in terms of its gameplay premise, delivering a compelling adventure that immerses players in its eerie world of demons and dungeons.
5. Resident Evil: Revelations
Resident Evil: Revelations offered a compelling reason for fans of the series to own a 3DS. Gameplay is where Revelations got it all bloody right, blending over-the-shoulder shooting mechanics with dark, atmospheric settings. The absence of wide-open spaces and bombastic action scenes found in previous titles brings back a sense of isolation and fear, heightened by unexpected enemy encounters. The well-executed pacing and difficulty curve gradually escalate tension as players progress, with diverse environments and challenging boss encounters.
Controls are tight and responsive, offering both first-person and third-person aiming options to accommodate player preferences. Streamlined controls allow for seamless gameplay, with minimal interruption to access menus or perform in-game actions. The highlight of this handheld Resident Evil is the Raid Mode as it serves bite-sized action with RPG elements. Resident Evil: Revelations is a near-perfect handheld experience. While it is more of an action-survival than a purely horror game, there are still elements which makes it conforming to the latter.
4. The Starship Damrey
The Starship Damrey, developed by Level 5, offers a gripping point-and-click adventure set in a futuristic sci-fi environment with subtle horror elements. Exclusively available on the 3DS eShop (R.I.P.), the game emphasizes immersion by providing no tutorials or instructions, challenging players to navigate a derelict spacecraft.
Gameplay in The Starship Damrey relies on players deciphering puzzles and controlling a remotely operated robot, offering a blend of point-and-click mechanics with limited touchscreen use. The game settles into a straightforward adventure format with an automap feature aiding exploration. While the main story can be completed in 2-3 hours, optional sidequests extend playtime slightly, and automatic saving prevents unwinnable states.
The game effectively creates a tense atmosphere in its visuals by employing darkened environments and seamless transitions, accompanied by minimalistic sound design that enhances immersion. The story unfolds mysteriously as players awaken in a sealed enclosure aboard the spacecraft, prompting questions about the disaster that led to their predicament. The Starship Damrey offers a compelling and unique gaming experience, particularly for fans of the point-and-click adventure genre, with its immersive storytelling and atmospheric gameplay.
3. Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir
Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir presents an enthralling blend of augmented reality and survival horror, immersing players in a chilling tale of curses and spirits. From the moment you open the mysterious package containing the cryptic old diary, you’re drawn into a sinister world where malevolent forces threaten your very existence. The diary serves as both a portal and a tool, with each page unlocking new mysteries and dangers to overcome. With Maya’s guidance and your trusty camera, you must navigate through both the haunted mansion and your own reality, confronting angry spirits and solving intricate puzzles along the way.
Tecmo’s innovative use of the 3DS hardware shines in Spirit Camera, transforming the physical diary into a gateway to a terrifying realm. As you chase ghosts around your own surroundings, the game blurs the lines between fiction and reality, creating an immersive experience unlike any other. While the need for a well-lit environment and occasional technical glitches may detract slightly from the experience, the game’s creativity and attention to detail more than make up for these minor flaws. Despite its relatively short playtime, Spirit Camera offers a wealth of mini-games and additional content to explore, ensuring that players remain engaged beyond the main story mode.
Spirit Camera may not be the scariest game out there, but its ability to transport players into its eerie world is undeniable. From battling ghosts in your living room to uncovering Maya’s tragic backstory, every moment is filled with tension and intrigue. With its unique gameplay mechanics and captivating narrative, Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir stands as one of the most inventive and memorable titles available on the 3DS. Whether you’re a fan of the Fatal Frame series or simply seeking a truly immersive gaming experience, Spirit Camera is sure to leave a lasting impression.
2. Dementium Remastered
Renegade Kid’s revisitation of Dementium Remastered breathes new life into this first-person horror game originally released in 2007. While retaining its eerie atmosphere and intense gameplay, the updated version introduces improvements to controls, adding more options for the Circle Pad Pro and incorporating a useful “notepad” function for jotting down clues. Weapon selection remains intuitive, whether using the touch screen or cycling through the arsenal with the D-pad, maintaining the thrill of wielding iconic tools like the electric buzz-saw.
The game’s haunting atmosphere remains its strongest asset, with players navigating blood-stained hallways and abandoned hospital corridors illuminated by a flickering flashlight. Renegade Kid’s attention to sound design adds to the tension, with distinct noises signaling the presence of lurking enemies. The game’s enduring creepiness, coupled with its revamped visuals and controls, makes it a compelling choice for fans of survival horror seeking a nostalgic yet engaging gameplay experience.
1. Corpse Party
Corpse Party offers a chilling and captivating story that immerses players in a haunting alternate dimension, where survival becomes the ultimate challenge. As a group of friends navigate the eerie corridors of Heavenly Host, the narrative skillfully tugs at heartstrings and keeps players on the edge of their seats. While some characters may display questionable decision-making skills, the overall narrative is engaging and evocative.
For its visuals, Corpse Party is amazing in terms of its detailed graphics and improved sprites. This further enhances the atmosphere of the abandoned elementary school. The color palette leans towards darker tones, it effectively contributes to the game’s ominous ambiance, reinforcing the sense of dread and foreboding. Character art is also well-drawn.
The game’s soundtrack deserves special mention for its outstanding quality, featuring immersive tracks. From the haunting main theme to the ambient background music, the sound design elevates the horrific experience. With its focus on exploration and puzzle-solving, Corpse Party offers a compelling gameplay experience that encourages players to delve deeper into the mysteries of Heavenly Host. The inclusion of RPG elements, collectibles, and extra chapters is a welcome addition. Corpse Party delivers a memorable horror adventure that is sure to captivate fans of the genre and leave them craving for more