The First Horror Video Game Only Worked Because of Static Electricity
The Magnavox Odyssey may have been a commercial failure, but no one could deny the clever ways the first horror video game worked around its limitations.
Despite how many hours I’ve put into Baldur’s Gate 3 lately, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for what came before. Retro games may not have the shine and polish of modern titles, but as Orson Welles once said, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.” He also really celebrated the excellence of French champagne.
With spooky season upon us, what better time to take a trip back to 1972 and learn more about the very first horror video game?
Before we get too deep into this very complicated game (sarcasm), I want to give a big shout-out to OdysseyNow and OdySim, who have done a great job providing a variety of resources about the Magnavox Odyssey. If you want to learn more about the first video game home console, those are the places to go.
What Is The First Horror Video Game?
The first horror video game was released for the Magnavox Odyssey back in 1972 and was called Haunted House. It was a launch title if you could even call them that. It was on Game Pack #4, which included Cat & Mouse, Football, and Haunted House, our focus for today.
What you’re looking at above is the titular haunted house. Haunted House is a two-player game. One player is the Detective, and the other is the Ghost. In short, the Ghost hides somewhere in the house as well as hides a treasure.
Once done, the Detective sneaks through the dark manor home, checking every item in the house. Each time they do, they collect that item’s card as they do. However, the Detective must make sure not to be spotted through the window. If they do, they have to give up half their clue cards, which serve to keep score.
Essentially, Haunted House is just a maze players run through blind and hope they don’t bump into a window.
But, What Is On the Screen?
Great question, the person reading this. As the first home console, graphics were limited. And when I say limited, I mean it. The Odyssey would come with these screen overlays that were designed to stick to the television through static electricity. However, it was usually a safer bet to use tape to secure it in place. These overlays added the essential “graphics” that made the games work.
Interestingly, the only game that didn’t require an overlay was Table Tennis, which went on to create the first copyright lawsuit regarding video games with Pong being heavily “inspired” by Table Tennis.
Play Haunted House Right Now
Obviously, by today’s standards, Haunted House is barely a game. Still, if you’re curious, you can play it yourself from the download here, along with other Odyssey titles.
Some of you might be thinking that Haunted House isn’t a horror game and that I’ve wasted your time. I assure you, reading about the first horror video game and playing the first horror video game are two different experiences.
You see, it’s the player interaction that really sells the horror aspects of this game.
Happy haunting!
