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Beetlejuice

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NES

In the game you control Beetlejuice through various side-scrolling and overhead view levels in an effort to scare the yuppie Deetz family and friends that have taken over the house. You stomp on cockroaches in order to gain points that you used to buy various scare tactics that you use to defeat...

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Developer
Rare

Released on
1991

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Platform

Publisher
LJN

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

In the game you control Beetlejuice through various side-scrolling and overhead view levels in an effort to scare the yuppie Deetz family and friends that have taken over the house. You stomp on cockroaches in order to gain points that you used to buy various scare tactics that you use to defeat various enemies and bosses. Although the initial levels of the game are based upon the film, with Beetlejuice venturing through the Maitland House to find and scare away Otho, the later levels are original and involve Beetlejuice fighting mythical creatures in such locations as a sewer system and the afterlife.

Beetlejuice

Overview & History

Released by LJN in 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, *Beetlejuice* translates Tim Burton’s darkly whimsical cinematic universe into a frustratingly punishing 2D side-scrolling platformer. Developed by Rare, the game tasks players with controlling the titular "ghost with the most" as he navigates bizarre, hazard-filled environments to scare away the annoying Maitland family—referred to in the manual as the Deetzes' ghostly nemeses—and accumulate points by completing absurd miniature minigames. Unlike many licensed titles of its era, *Beetlejuice* leans heavily into surrealism, featuring grotesque enemies, rotting landscapes, and a jaunty 8-bit rendition of Danny Elfman’s iconic musical themes. Despite its charmingly morbid aesthetic and vibrant sprite work, the game earned a notorious reputation for its unforgiving difficulty, dizzying stage designs, and obtuse progression paths that often leave players trapped in endless loops of the Netherworld waiting room.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The game unfolds across a series of distinct stages, alternating between traditional side-scrolling platforming and frantic top-down minigames. Players control Beetlejuice, who utilizes a rather unconventional arsenal including a magic flyswatter, a pogo-stick bound, and projectile-based scares to vanquish creepy-crawlies like oversized rats, stray skulls, and possessed furniture. Survival requires strict management of your scare-meter and health, which depletes rapidly upon contact with hazards. Along the way, Beetlejuice must collect beetles scattered throughout the levels to trade for crucial items or access hidden areas. The platforming demands absolute precision, often featuring treacherous leaps over bottomless pits and moving platforms suspended above spikes. Between standard levels, players engage in arcade-style bonus challenges—such as riding a runaway hearse or dodging falling bricks—which add a frantic, unpredictable layer to the macabre adventure.