Horror ClassicsNo. 9813 · The 2026 edition
History of Horror
Dive into the spine-chilling evolution of fear—from ancient folklore to modern slashers.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at web.archive.org.
Explore how horror stories have transformed over centuries, reflecting societal fears and technological advances, from oral traditions to cinema masterpieces.
About this
A retrospective feature by Gregory D. George (The Atari Times, October 31, 2001) surveying horror-themed games across the Atari family of systems, from the 2600 through the Jaguar. The author argues that early 2600 horror titles were mostly comical because of crude graphics, then walks system by system highlighting the few genuinely frightening standouts. It closes by noting that being scared is simply another form of fun, whether you laugh at pixels or jump out of your seat.
The list
-
01
- 02
-
03
-
04
-
05
Haunted House
2600 Adventure-type mansion romp; find candelabra pieces, avoid ghosts and bats.
-
06
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
2600 movie conversion; gratifying to hack up young ladies with chainsaw.
-
07
- 08
- 09
-
10
-
11
-
12
Gremlins
5200 unique horror game; play Billy Peltzer, sword-fight Gremlins, rescue Mogwai.
-
13
- 14
-
15
Dracula The Undead
Lynx game; play Jonathan Harker escaping Dracula's castle; suspenseful.
-
16
