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Monster Bash

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Monster Bash (モンスターバッシュ) is a Sega G80 arcade action platform game developed and manufactured by Sega. First released to Japanese arcades in January 1982, it was additionally brought to the United States later that year. It was one of the first video games with a horror theme. A game consistin...

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Developer
Sega Enterprises

Released on
1982

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Platform

Publisher
Sega/Gremlin

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Monster Bash (モンスターバッシュ) is a Sega G80 arcade action platform game developed and manufactured by Sega. First released to Japanese arcades in January 1982, it was additionally brought to the United States later that year. It was one of the first video games with a horror theme.

A game consisting of three unique stages featuring some of the most popular movie monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolfman. Complete each level’s task to continue on to the next.

The levels are as follows:
– Dracula’s House: You play “Little Red” who chases Dracula through his five-story house trying to light the candles to energize the sword.
– Frankenstein’s Castle: Avoid the wolfmen by zapping them and then escape through a warp door.
– Chameleon Man’s Graveyard: Avoid spiders and Chameleon Man by activating a background color change button.

This game also inspired the game Ghost House, also by Sega for it’s Master System console.

Monster Bash

Overview & History

Developed by SEGA and released in arcades in 1982, *Monster Bash* is a cult-classic fixed-screen action game that predates the gothic horror saturation of later decades. While often overshadowed by contemporaneous hits, this title carved out a niche with its whimsical, cartoon-monster aesthetic. Players step into the shoes of a fearless, torch-wielding protagonist navigating a series of haunted graveyard and crypt levels. The objective is to exterminate an endless horde of classic universal monsters—including vampires, mummies, and Frankenstein's creations—before the night timer expires. Its distinctive charm lies in the contrast between its spooky source material and its bright, vibrant, almost Saturday-morning-cartoon visual style.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Played across single-screen stages reminiscent of *Donkey Kong* or *Bubble Bobble*, *Monster Bash* requires careful spatial awareness and platforming precision. The protagonist is armed primarily with a persistent supply of thrown torches, which arc gracefully through the air to deal ranged damage to ghouls. Each stage introduces environmental hazards, such as crumbling platforms, rising slime pits, and wandering poltergeists that steal precious score items. Monsters spawn continuously from crypts, evolving their movement patterns as rounds progress. To survive, players must utilize bouncing trampolines, collect glowing crosses for screen-clearing smart bombs, and rescue captured villagers trapped inside cages. The difficulty ramps up aggressively, demanding memorization of enemy spawn points and mastery of the protagonist's jump arc to successfully clear all eight haunting zones.