Time does something weird to the things you love. On one hand, it can reinforce just how good your favorite game/film/song was (and still is), or show you the ugly truth of something aging badly. It’s been thirty years since Namco unleashed Splatterhouse into the arcades back in November 1988, and for many horror fans back then was the ultimate send-up to the genre. But now, with franchises like Resident Evil having fulfilled that for a new generation, what’s to say of Splatterhouse?

Rick Taylor and his girlfriend Jennifer Willis are two college students that end up taking take refuge from a storm in West Mansion, also known as the “Splatterhouse”, due to the rumours of the experiments conducted there by renowned parapsychologist, Dr. West (a Re-Animator reference). Once inside the mansion, the door slams, and Jennifer screams. The next time we see Rick, he is lying on the ground in a dungeon below the mansion. He awakens to find the Terror Mask, an ancient artifact said to have spiritual powers, stuck on his face. With that, Rick sets off to find Jennifer.

Yeah, Splatterhouse‘s story boils down to a “rescue the girl” cliché that was pretty typical for the time. But really, with a game like Splatterhouse, did you really need that deep of a story?

Splatterhouse‘s gameplay consists of walking from left to right over seven brief stages, with some levels offering branching paths as a way to add variety. To add a sense of urgency (this was the arcade, after all), the levels also autoscrolled (albeit slowly), with a purple gas that creeped closer towards the right if Rick was taking too long to get to the exit. And really, it can’t be said that Rick was in a hurry. His movement is pretty slow and stiff, but given the size of his sprite, it could be said that it plays into the idea that he’s ridiculously strong.

How strong, you ask? The basic punch and kick attacks (along with the harder to pull off slide attack) turn enemies into paste, while weapons like the 2×4 splatter enemies against the wall with baseball bat-like swings, or the meat cleaver lopping off heads effortlessly. It’s definitely satisfying to see and hear enemies get creamed like this, and is part of the game’s charm. You also have weapons like spears, rocks and even a shotgun to dispose of foes in very satisfying and gory ways.

And gory it is. Splatterhouse is definitely not pretty, even today. Aside from the mutants you splatter, you’ve got dismembered corpses hanging on hooks that vomit up acid, Evil Dead 2-style severed hands that beckon you (and flip you off) before attempting to grab onto you as you try to jump over them, not-quite-a-chestbuster Boreworms that latch onto you en masse, a bag-headed monster of a man known as Biggy Man with dual chainsaw blades for hands, reflections that come out of the mirror and attack you and more. The warning on the TurboGrafx-16 box wasn’t joking when it said, “The horrifying theme of this game may be inappropriate for young children… and cowards.”

Ironically, despite the warning, the TurboGrafx-16 port (which was the only available home version in North America up until 2010) ended up being censored, with blood, sounds and enemies getting cleaned up in parts. The most notable changes were the Stage 4 boss being changed from an inverted cross to a blue head, and Rick’s mask being recoloured red with black markings in the North American version (to avoid you-know-who comparisons).

Accompanying all of the ghoulish carnage is a fitting soundtrack from composers Katsuro Tajima and Yoshinori Kawamoto. The organ music from the opening cutscene puts you right in the mood to start your mission to rescue Jennifer, while the stage 1 music, “Dungeon” has that right mix of creepy and franticness. The different tracks for each boss battle again have that mix of panic and catchiness to them. It’s not something on the level of Castlevania, but it definitely sets the mood and enhances the horror experience. The music used for stage 4 in the room with the rotating blades are another great example of adding to the tension. On top of that, the game has plenty of groans and shrieks from various enemies, as well as an appropriate clubbing sound when you swing that 2×4 or cleaver against a foe. The voices are a bit muffled (given the technological limitations), but they get the job done.

Difficulty-wise, Splatterhouse lives up to its arcade origins. Paying attention to enemy patterns is crucial to making it through each level. The fact that Rick’s movement and size are so restrictive punishes novice players even more. Apart from dying, there are no health refills (you do gain two hit points back after finishing a level, however), and you’re allotted a maximum of five hits per life. Thankfully, Namco instituted a checkpoint system where if you do end up dying, you’ll start at the checkpoint in the level, rather than back at the beginning.

The game’s difficulty and pattern memorization are all products of the game’s time. That’s pretty much how you can sum up Splatterhouse today. And depending on your point of view, could affect the game’s appeal. Unlike the graphics and soundtrack, the limited movement and simplified gameplay mechanics, combined with the overall short length of the game, haven’t aged well. However, the same could also be said of a game like the original Castlevania, with its own restrictive movement and gameplay mechanics. In the end, however, no matter what your age, there’s still a visceral pleasure in smacking those Stage 2 sludge monsters against the wall with a 2×4.

Splatterhouse is still worth playing today, even if you didn’t grow up during its heyday. The gory, over-the-top nature of the game remains enjoyable, and like many arcade games of the time, once you get used to the patterns and how Rick moves, you’ll be able to make it through without too much frustration. The original arcade version is tucked away in the 2010 remake as an unlockable (along with the sequels), and is also available on the Nintendo Switch as part of the Namco Museum collection.

Of course, the inevitable question is if we’ll ever see another entry in the series. Well, 2010’s Splatterhouse was fun, but was also frustrating due to the long load times, wonky camera, cheap deaths, and lame forced edginess. Needless to say, it didn’t sell well. Perhaps down the road, Namco will give Rick another chance to wield a 2×4 again. But for now, the Terror Mask sleeps.