The Best Halloween Game Launched 15 Years Ago Today and Remains Criminally Underrated

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Fifteen years ago today, a fantastic Halloween video game was released, and it still doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Many horror games are popular around October, but few actually focus on Halloween itself. Even games set *during* Halloween, such as *Batman: Arkham Knight*, don’t usually make the holiday a central theme. Thankfully, one developer created a family-friendly RPG that fully embraces the spirit of Halloween, and it’s still a game you shouldn’t miss.

Originally released in 2010 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, *Costume Quest* is a charming turn-based RPG developed by Double Fine Productions. The game follows a group of children trick-or-treating on Halloween, where they battle monsters called Grubbins. What makes the game special is that the costumes the kids wear grant them unique powers to use in combat. It’s a clever concept for a Halloween-themed game, and it still feels inventive even after 15 years.

Costume Quest Adorably Captures the Charm of Halloween

What makes *Costume Quest* so special is how well it captures the joy and wonder of Halloween as experienced by children. The simple act of trick-or-treating with friends – something we can only enjoy for a limited time – is perfectly recreated in this game. In my opinion, Double Fine has nailed this feeling better than almost anything else out there.

Costume Quest brilliantly captures the feeling of becoming your favorite character when you dress up. As kids, putting on a costume like Darth Vader or Wolverine instantly made us *feel* powerful, even if it was just pretend. Costume Quest takes that idea and makes it real by giving its characters actual superpowers to fight monsters. It’s a classic power fantasy that every child dreams of, and Costume Quest lets you live it out in a really fun and engaging way throughout the entire game.

I believe *Costume Quest* deserves recognition as one of the few Halloween games accessible to players of all ages. Many popular games released around Halloween focus on horror and are designed for mature audiences – think *Silent Hill*, *Resident Evil*, and *Dead Space*. This leaves younger players with limited options if they want a Halloween-themed game. *Costume Quest* not only fills that gap, but it’s also enjoyable for older players too.

Costume Quest Spawned a Larger Franchise Than You Might Realize

Although *Costume Quest* isn’t widely talked about now, it’s actually become a surprisingly big series. Beyond the first game, a sequel called *Costume Quest 2* came out in 2014, building on the original’s gameplay and story. Plus, even though we haven’t seen a third game, *Costume Quest* also inspired an animated spin-off.

The *Costume Quest* TV show first appeared on Amazon Prime Video in 2019 and generally received positive feedback. It had 13 episodes, plus a special Christmas episode, and stayed true to the look and characters of the original video games. However, despite being faithful to the source material, the show wasn’t renewed for another season.

Adding to the Costume Quest universe, a graphic novel called Costume Quest: Invasion of the Candy Snatchers was also released. Published in 2014 with Costume Quest 2, this comic focuses on a group of Grubbins instead of kids. It’s likely the least popular spin-off, but it’s still available for dedicated fans who want to collect everything related to the series.

We Need More Costume Quest

It’s been over ten years since the last *Costume Quest* game came out, and it’s time for a new one. Even though Double Fine is now part of Microsoft, they still create smaller, unique games – like their recent release, *Keeper*. There’s no reason they shouldn’t revisit the *Costume Quest* series and make a third installment.

Even if a third *Costume Quest* game doesn’t come out, the original two games are still fantastic and deserve another play. I’ve replayed the first *Costume Quest* several times and always enjoyed it. It’s a perfect game to experience solo or with family this Halloween – you won’t be disappointed!

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2025-10-20 22:40