Top 20 Scariest Moments In Games For Kids

These games may have been meant for kids to enjoy, but they also had moments that terrified our young brains. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most disturbing elements found in games that were typically geared towards youngsters or were rated E for Everyone. Our countdown includes the Haunted Piano from “Super Mario 64” (1996), a Creepy Hidden Message in “Sonic CD” (1993), the Enderman from “Minecraft” (2011), the Monster Ock Chase from “Spider-Man” (2000), and more! Did any of these moments permanently scar you? Share your experiences in the comments below.
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#Gaming #VideoGames #Scary #Games #Nintendo #PlayStation #Xbox #PC #Gamer

[@WatchMojo]

Did any of these moments permanently scar you? Share your experiences in the comments below. Check out the The 10 Weirdest Unlockables In Assassin's Creed Games on MojoPlays!: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqKVmn2rbdWsnpI

[@xenobestx8423]

All of Majora’s Mask scared me

[@MrXaviersounds]

🤣🤣🤣

[@zakirstocks9514]

Definitely *Majora's Mask and Luigi's Mansion.* Those games definitely scared the Living Crap Outta Me since Childhood

[@DragonKazooie89]

The Chain Chomp, Unagi the Eel and Mad Piano in Super Mario 64 for as well as drowning in platformers

[@jcj268]

Definitely Luigi’s Mansion. Which is why I like the 3rd one Better

[@ToiletPkay]

Still remember I use to avoid getting the master sword from the temple of time, the zombie town creeped me tf out as a kid and the sound effects they made was the stuff of nightmares as a kid 💀

[@mikeyJstiffler]

Omg same. I made my mom do it when I was little lmao.

[@axelanchante3950]

Other scary moment when you're a kid: Forget saving the game

[@Puppet_Gamer]

In that case, thank God for games that auto save your progress!

[@user-em6ie2be7x]

Except when the game ask you Would you like to Save?...

[@Puppet_Gamer]

@@user-em6ie2be7x If that happens to me, I'll say, "Oh hell yeah!"

[@Spawnwick_Boseman82820]

Me with Crash bandicoot 2 the first time

[@skylineXpert]

When i had ps2. Some games outright refused to save on anything but original sony 8mb memory cards. Nfs underground 1 & 2 refused. But nfs mw would.

[@DVCMiller]

When I was younger, I played Super Mario Sunshine a lot. The part that terrified me was in the fludd-less levels that took place in an empty void of space. Every time I fell off, it was as if Mario was falling into the terrifying empty abyss of space. Even though I would respawn after, the thought still freaked me out.

[@4evrJoven]

Loved that game

[@MrMalaia]

The giant eel scared me when I was little.

[@JamesDavy2009]

@@MrMalaia Would that be Unagi from Jolly Roger's Lagoon by any chance?

[@manuelacosta9463]

Ocarina of Time's Dead Hand becomes more terrifying when you piece together the lore of who that creature was and what probably happened that made him became the monster that haunts our worst nightmares. Hyrule sure has a dark and bloody history.

[@zzz43344]

No kidding.

[@tomboyjessie1352]

Agreed o_o

[@godzillamonsterultraxz4770]

Also every monster in that game like the zombies that would make that screeching noise and freeze you if you looked at them and then they would try to eat you, and spiders come out of nowhere

[@tristenmartin4667]

I remember playing Zelda Ocarina of Time when I was young, for the first time. My brother and I had nightmares of those creatures that spawn at the castle town, when you had link turn into an adult. Those screams the creatures would make after clamping onto you, are still are burned into my head.

[@DDZEN14]

Redeads

[@DDZEN14]

I feel you on that

[@tomboyjessie1352]

Oh the ReDeads? Yeah those dudes are the stuff of nightmares.

[@inc2000glw]

Why those huge fairy things looked like guys in drag?

[@scanchannel3259]

why is oot e rated anyways?

[@TrahNO2]

I was waiting for the Monster Ock chase. Not only was it horrifying, it was equally frustrating trying to navigate through the maze like halls without being able to see which direction you would need to go. And he's close behind you screaming "DIE" the whole time.

[@zeospark9715]

I know right? You can tell that chase sequence was referencing Crash Bandicoot who popularized gameplay that involves the character running at the screen

[@stickmanstickian]

Monster Ock says DOIIIEEEEE, But that may be my doofy nature masking it lol

[@TrahNO2]

@@stickmanstickian lol it is DOIIIE DOIIE DOIIIE

[@aicarrie1]

I can't believe that this was not number one.

[@TrahNO2]

@@aicarrie1 Man! That was a whole nother feeling

[@BenMathes-f7n]

How the hell did you guys not include Shadow’s unnerving backstory from Sonic Adventure 2?! The whole story is unsettling for kids and even gave some people ptsd because of Gerald Robotnik’s execution! And something even creepier about it is how everyone on the ARK Colony was killed, except for Shadow and Gerald, and Gerald’s speech and plan before he dies just gives people goosebumps!

[@tomboyjessie1352]

Oh yeah, nothing says "family-friendly fun" like a Dead Hand wanting to bite Link's head off.

[@JamesDavy2009]

This was after going inside a fish to retrieve an item that would betroth you to a Zora.

[@GammellNotCamel]

Queen Gohma got me as a kid. You go into that room, it's dark and seemingly empty. Then the camera zooms in and that eye opens up. Put the game down for a full month after that.

[@ARIXANDRE]

What really sells these moments as horror is the soundtrack, leaving little doubt that that's what the devs intended.

[@zakirstocks9514]

*Super Mario 64, Majora's Mask, Donkey Kong 64, Luigi's Mansion, Banjo-Kazooie and Metroid Fusion* definitely have some of THE Scariest Scenes I've ever seen since Childhood, with my Family and Friends. I'll NEVER forget 😨😱

[@BenMathes-f7n]

Don’t forget about Sonic Adventure series

[@zakirstocks9514]

@@BenMathes-f7n Right, *Sonic Adventure 2 Battle.* Thanks for the reminder that dude

[@Bluegirl12345]

I played Kirby Dreamland 3 and Earthbound on Nintendo Switch Online and the final bosses scared me

[@marcusfikes7089]

I remember playing Resident Evil with my friend as a kid and when you were in the STARS Police building there’s this hallway you have to walk through. I remember crows bussing through the glass windows and scared the crap out of us! Biggest video game jump scare I’ve had to this day

[@RealBroccoliRob]

In Resi 4, seeing those regeneradores for the first time scared the shit out of me.

[@gravityisnatural8977]

The creepy message from Sonic CD scared me so bad. I quite literally had trouble sleeping at night & couldn’t be in a room by myself for a while. It didn’t help that the tune was catchy too

[@thelonewolf191]

Two of the scariest moments from me were from Zelda Twilight Princess. The obvious one is the cute scene with all the evil Links and whatnot. But also in the Snow Temple when you face the final boss and the Yeti wife turns around and has that CREEPY face

[@ItzSonnyyy]

Blizzeta?

[@joenesvick7043]

Those Redeads in Ocarina of Time, hate those things. Them being "living weapons is one thing, but the yelling? Why make them yell?! That's totally uncalled for!"

[@zzz43344]

You thought they were scary in Ocarina of Time? I was absolutely *HORRIFIED* by those things in Wind Waker! Those screams they let out whenever Link gets too close, to the point where it has him literally frozen in fear, still sends chills down my own spine!

[@joenesvick7043]

@@zzz43344 Ocarina was my introduction to them, it's kind of a first impression thing. Yeah, the screaming in Wind Waker was scary too

[@rainbowrunner1550]

I got another one. You mentioned the Doc Ock chase in the 2000 Spider-Man game. How about the Oscorp missions in the 2002 Spider-Man game. Those levels require stealth, and getting caught causes them to send out these Super Soldier robots to gun you down.

[@MSDGAMEZ]

Zach and wiki is such a gem. Alot of people are going back and playing it for the first time

[@knightofarkronia8652]

Wiki is a real cutie!

[@EnterpriseXI]

One of my scary moments in a E rated game was facing the final main villain boss Malefor from The Legend of Spyro Dawn of the Dragon

[@marjoriejohnston4905]

Forget Lavender Town, Lusamine merging with Nihilego was worse! And facing Arceus in Legends is terrifying for an entirely different reason.

[@TXScherzer23]

LUSAMINE’S Brooch is ugly, looks like a Diamond…

[@Alarak87]

Very thankful I have finally seen a list like this with a mention of Sinistar. That head boss thing was very creepy! If you haven't made a list of top 10 or 20 creepiest game soundtracks, I think Diablo 1 would make it high on that list.

[@bigkmoviesandgames]

Love Spider-Man on the PS1, it's my favorite Spider-Man game as well and monster ock is one of the coolest non canon characters ever, truly horrifying.

[@georgeatkinson8321]

Being yelled at by Resetti in animal crossing actually gave me nightmares as a child. His wild world theme was way more menacing than the other games as well.

[@kiminowak8295]

Not to mention Giygas being A FETUS. YOU'RE FIGHTING A FUCKING FETUS. Basically, Ness and his friends TIME TRAVEL TO STOP GIYGAS FROM BEING BORN. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK NINTENDO!?

[@Mergatroid_Skittle]

My scariest video game moment comes from Ninja Gaiden 2…seeing Ashtar for the first time, during the day, mind you, didn’t bother me…but when I got ready to go to sleep, I was terrified.

[@exophorisal6455]

I’m surprised Omega Flowey isn’t on this list. Some videos show him as the scariest modern video game boss. Him not being 8 bit and being able to crash your game is some nightmare fuel. His pre-battle song, “You Idiot” is also very good at giving people chills.

[@sketchnotes2246]

Here's some fun info: That Epic Mickey clock tower is based on the exterior of the "It's a Small World" ride at the Disney Parks! If you listen closely you can hear a demented version of the iconic song playing in the background! I knew there was something off about that ride...

[@JamesDavy2009]

Aside from the earworm tune?

[@Spawnwick_Boseman82820]

Few things in Croc kinda scared me as a kid, mainly the sound effects from the bosses in the cutscenes and the dungeon levels

[@51excalibur]

In the original Kingdom Hearts, there was an area that had a sunken ship. There was no background music, only sea sounds. When you went inside the ship you got a glimpse of a shark swimming nearby. As you approached the glass, the shark quickly attacked from the other side. Also, not an in-game moment but the cover of the 2nd Nintendo Power apparently scared children so bad it gave them nightmares and they got lots of complaints from parents.

[@yivo4893]

I still to this day don't get the fear behind Lavender Town. It never scared me, even when I was young.

[@sarahm8695]

Honestly, the scariest part in Luigi's Mansion for me was when the power went out in the mansion, pretty much temporarily undoing ALL OF MY PROGRESS in eliminating the mansion of all of the ghosts. You also get to see the weird creepy uncle in the ghost family. Bleh.

[@aidanhever3369]

Here are some honorable mentions: - Hawkmouth AKA Mask Gate (Super Mario Bros. 2) - Giant Baby Bowser (SMW2: Yoshi's Island) - Kackle (DKC2: Diddy's Kong Quest) - Aparoid Pigma (Star Fox Assault) - Nightmare (Metroid Fusion)

[@JamesDavy2009]

Giant Baby Bowser at face value may be scary, but he also presents a ticking clock element with him stepping closer. On his last hit point, he'll charge at you until you literally have no ground to stand on.

[@blackdragon6933]

Marx Soul in Kirby Super Star Ultra

[@bigkmoviesandgames]

While the piano in super mario 64 is definitely a good jumpscare the eel in jolly roger bay was more frightening to me.

[@andrewhaase1826]

Honorable Mentions: *Venom Jumpscare - Lego Marvel Superheroes *Queen Vanessa's Manor - A Hat In Time

[@edenrahav]

Finally a little recognition to Epic Mickey, the clock tower boss gives me goosebumps everytime

[@melinapaz2831]

I was 5 playing dk64 on my older sisters Nintendo 64. I beat mad jack by myself without much trouble. I wasn’t even scared of him when I watched my dad and cousins play zombie or other horror games. Hell I watched kill bill as well as slasher movies.

[@JamesDavy2009]

The Kremling ghost from the ghost train in Creepy Castle was scarier than Mad Jack.

[@blainehauswald3070]

I have some of the games on this list. And honestly these moments didn’t really phase me, except for clanker though I did get over him after a while

[@amberwelch393]

The abyss location from endless ocean is pretty freaky too. It's such a calm and relaxing game... and then you unlock this area, scared the heck out of me

[@DDZEN14]

The chase levels in Crash Bandicoot scared me in the way of terrible anxiety of getting caught

[@masonr1666]

Foe Zelda 64, the first encounter with a Re-dead. You can encounter them early by going to the graveyard to learn the sun song. This is slightly after the first level/boss. By the time you have gotten to under the well, you are about 50% or more through the game. However, the first re-dead is very early in the game as stated earlier.

[@user-em6ie2be7x]

Lavender Town The Ghost Tower...you couldn't identify Any Ghost Pokémon without the Sliph Scope & your Pokémon were so scared they couldn't fight.

[@xandermancer]

Pokedoll works

[@zzz43344]

Chilling

[@bardthenascarfanaticdragon]

Other scary moments in Kids Games: Jason Voorhees - Friday The 13th (NES) Thunderwing - Transformers Prime: The Game Drowning Theme - Sonic The Hedgehog Series

[@zzz43344]

Was the Friday the 13th NES game really a kid's game, though? I know it was well before the ESRB rating was even a thing, but it WAS based on an R-rated slasher flick from the 80s, so I'm not so sure it counts...

[@bardthenascarfanaticdragon]

@@zzz43344 It does since it was released in 1989. So it really was a kid's game. The ESRB Didn't form until 1994.

[@JamesDavy2009]

I definitely feel the anxiety the music represents when Sonic is about to drown every time I heard it in the classic trilogy, especially when the countdown reaches 0 when the tempo is at its highest.

[@bardthenascarfanaticdragon]

@@JamesDavy2009 Just like with Jaws (1975).

[@JamesDavy2009]

@@bardthenascarfanaticdragon It's amazing how a simple two notes and a counterpoint can convey a fearful cadence.

[@Nin10dohgirl1]

Mad Jack. Don't forget that just when you got him on the ropes, the fucker turns invisible to the point where even his SHADOW vanishes!! THAT IS SO UNFAIR!! Zero TWO FROM KIRBY 64: AM I A JOKE TO YOU

[@DeseClips]

The eel on the sunken ship board on Mario 64. It took me years to play that board without being scared

[@dennisdoppenberg4938]

I hate every scary looking fish in the Mario games. Creep me out

[@SkittyGirl300]

Lavender Town was really spooky

[@zzz43344]

No joke. Definitely the scariest thing ever in a Pokemon game. (well, except for maybe Old Chateau in D/P/Pt and maybe also Strange House in B2/W2)

[@jotheunissen9274]

Super Mario 64 That giant eel

[@coconyt3623]

The Re-Deads from Wind Waker belong in this list... Considering what a nice and colorful game it is otherwise... Those things are horrifying! And the black insect enemies / mini-bosses are awful too.

[@JamesDavy2009]

Those would be the Mothulas (both wingless and winged) and their starting form the Morths. The latter scared me when I first played and the Re-Deads were indeed scarier than their N64 appearances.

[@fernandootero22]

For me, it was encountering a roaming legendary pokemon in gold, silver, and especially crystal versions with the legendary theme

[@TheWarmachine375]

Scary Boss: "HEY KIDS WANNA SEE A DEAD BODY?!" Players: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

Will always appreciate that Pokemon is like "We are a family friendly franchise that is welcome to all. Be not afraid. Oh by the way, ghosts."

[@JamesDavy2009]

Don't forget the Pokédex.

[@BigFella117]

Why was Nintendo so intent on scarring us as children? That’s not a good marketing strategy

[@JamesDavy2009]

Not to mention the unbelievably high difficulty of their games back in the day.

[@ignacioramos6984]

Yes, the piano from Mario64 was a jump scare, but can we agree that the eel in Jolly Roger Bay is down right terrifying !! Till this day and age, I cannot go there and bait the eel out without shrieking

[@autumnjostaggs5130]

Same!!! I was waiting for this! The first time it jumped at me, I screamed! And I was like 13

[@kevinteran5624]

For me it was entering peaches castle for the first time in mario 64 The music and bowser's laugh horrified me as a child

[@BluffKhan2346]

A scary moment I've experienced as a kid growing up is realizing that my video game crushs will be real

[@ArmaBiologica35]

Crocomire's death in Super Metroid.

[@LeonardoKlotz]

For me, it was the Dementor's level from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"

[@zzz43344]

Agreed

[@Persona1996]

The scariest part of a game is when is constantly glitches or crashes making unplayable. Yeah I’m looking at u Sonic games

[@Slimerson93]

7:32 u hit the nail in the coffin with Mad Jack and DK64 period, frm the whispers to the Pyramids and of course the “GET OUT” with a 10 sec timer 😩😩🔥🤷🏽‍♂️

[@shanemerrigan1994]

Sly 2 - Band of Thieves: Stealing Keys from The Contessa Sly 3 - Honor Among Thieves: Hunting Sharks Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (PC): Sneaking Around Filch and Mrs. Norris

[@1NS1GN1USPH]

4:57 This is actually part of the Friday Night Funkin Sonic mod, if anyone didn't know. {Edit: 7:01 Creepers are SCARIER than Endermans.}

[@BuddhaJesusSoul]

Holy fuck the SA-X made me crap my pants

[@gerarquiaFM]

Glad they bring súper paper Mario such a good Game

[@EuSouRCS]

7:38 Donald Duck sound effect?

[@UniqueCrystica1]

Lol

[@tomturney1260]

Monster ock was nightmare fuel for me as a kid, still gives me chills watching it.

[@blu-jay6451]

Finally someone mentions Mimi in this kind of list.

[@PabloComixYT]

The piano from Mario 64 scared me for the first time. I didn't encountered it as a child but still. Don't get me started on the "Get out" voice in the Angry Aztec temple...

[@8umber]

First time I saw dead heads as an eight year old I went "Uhhh big bro can you help me with this?" Me right now: "Okay let's see if I can beat my record of thirty seconds."

[@mexicanmaggot666]

What about the Yeti on SkiFree?? THAT should have been number one! When he shows up, THERE IS LITERALLY NO ESCAPE. YOU'RE DEAD, GAME OVER.

[@jalenfarley9627]

Excellent list especially Kirby and Zelda! Classics! Please don’t get rid of them!

[@AymNBlast]

RIP earphone users 3:26

[@hillsteven006]

Gotta love Majora's Mask

[@MissSirenita]

The clock tower in Epic Mickey is my fav. It’s based on the It’s a Small World ride from Disney World but made dark and twisted

[@Cupheadsadvocate]

Majin Sonic actually looks like he tried to hard to become a Chad.

[@FamousAaron99]

Monster Ock was pure anxiety... hope to see it in a movie eventually XD

[@DarknessX_16]

honestly I did not expect the enderman to be on this list but then again these were inspired by the slenderman so yeah they deserve their spot on the list

[@Puppet_Gamer]

Suggestion: Top 10 best family friendly horror games! (If you ask me, horror games rated Teen should still count for that one.)

[@wishmakr]

Yesss! Sinistar! Scared me as a kid.

[@chrisott2]

Abominable Snowman chasing you in SkiFree

[@CentaurMan2498]

If you ask me, what gives me the chills is the Scary House between Lumiose City & Laverre City in Pokémon X & Pokémon Y. There is also the appearance of Giratina (including in its Intro) of Pokémon Platinum!

[@nickwheeler5396]

You'd think with what the character Bogmire represents, that he'd be the final boss or closer to the end and a bit more difficult

[@JamesDavy2009]

A spirit of despair and that's only the halfway point. If you want to tackle despair as the final boss you'd be better off playing any _Danganronpa_ game.

[@elliotrobinson6739]

I feel as if there could be more things in games for kids that could scare them, and Yo-Kai Watch 3 has one thing in mind, and that is Clown Time, where while roaming the streets of BBQ at night, you’ll occasionally see a clown roaming the streets, and if you get in his line of sight, he’ll activate Clown Time, and you have to run away from the clown, otherwise you’ll get punished if you fail. To make things worse, you need to complete Clown Time 20 times to get a Trophy called You’re Not Funny!.

[@gageperuti5519]

*Sees number 2* What the heck is number one, then? *Sees number one* Fair enough.

[@itssharktime6560]

I would argue instead of Zero something actually creepy is Drawcia and Drawcia Soul from Kirby and The Canvas Curse.

[@hudsondzc]

A pretty good example of Video Game childhood trauma would be if you let a zombie enter your house in Plants Vs Zombies. Truly bone-chilling stuff.

[@NinjaKingAce]

Clanker may look creepy, but as a kid, nothing scared me more than the shark in Treasure Trove Cove

[@mikeburkhart8336]

Also about the SA-X from Metroid Fusion,when it first appears,it turns toward the screen,like the thing knows you are there playing the game.

[@corymorimacori1059]

Other scariest moments in games for kids: Boo boss fight (Luigi’s mansion 3) The three magician ghosts (Luigi’s Mansion 3) Ghost piano (Luigi’s Mansion 3) Finding the boos (Luigi’s Mansion 3) The zapper sound effect (duck hunt and wild gunman) Tell me what other scary moments are there for kids

[@Popmycherryyo]

I mean, the "Zombies" or whatever once shall call them, in Zelda:OoT were also SO freaking scary back then. The ones that zooms in on their face and freezes you whilst they slowly walk towards you. And have the GRUESOME sound/screech every time they do. Yuck.

[@thecinemagician]

So there's this game called Midevil. In this game there's a level called "hilltop mausoleum". In this level, you overcome collapsing cathedrals, perilous pitfalls, and shitty shards of cursed glass while you bring an ancient demons heart to room temperature. And when you do, boy howdy, The Stained Glass Demon will be *very* appreciative. He won't let you leave with out cutting you the deal of your lifetime.

[@zzz43344]

You mean MediEvil for the PS1?

[@stopanimatecreep3400]

Video request: “how SMG4 and MARVEL are related?”

[@launcesmechanist9578]

In the DS game 'Infinite Space' there is a chapter arc in the second half of the game where one of the antagonists, Desmond, an officer of the Empire, tries to use an artifact improperly and ends up fusing himself with a warp gate that is then termed the 'Desmond Gate'. It looks like a regular gate except it's blood red and a visage of Desmond's face screaming in pain emerges from the gate as it twists, turns and flies off into Dark Space. There is an entire chase where you try to lure the Desmond Gate to destroy an Imperial Fleet and then attempt to destroy the gate. If you misstep or go the wrong way, the Desmond Gate will destroy you.

[@michaelfritz5816]

As a kid in the 90s. I never knew Echo, would be that dark in the end. I played it, never did get that far. I just was a kid. I wouldn't have known that.

[@bcbscrooge1431]

that Spiderman game was so great as a kid

[@yamigekusu]

Chauncey was much scarier than Bogmire T_T

[@eeveefamilypicnic8536]

You forgot Gerald's death in Sonic Adventure 2 and Mr. Friend in Rugrats PS1

[@michellegray7892]

The missed the mailbox Mimic monster from Toejam and Earl which was so effective because it was a perfect mimic for the real mailboxes you could use through the game.

[@jonathanabgrall6075]

The nightmare fuel face before the boss in the Cave of Gi in FF7.

[@JurassicGodzillaFan]

The giant eel from Jolly Roger Bay was a lot scarier than the piano in Mario 64.

[@etherealbeauty_sf3799]

Dino Crisis when the T-Rex bursts through the window. My dad and I played it religiously and it got us every time!!