Astronauts trapped on alien-infested spaceships, Dracula rising from the dead, knife-wielding zombie nurses in tightfitting dresses, and presidential hopefuls apprehension off their gloves. … Halloween be under the necessity of be right on all sides the corner.

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Computer and video games have long specialized in horror lands and fantasy worlds. This year, in whatever degree, the gaming world has really outdone itself.

Twenty horror-themed games for various platforms are coming out this Halloween season — 21 allowing that you include “Littlest Pet Shop,” which isn’t really a horror game but a plethora of kittens with saucer-sized eyes that bequeath give most gamers the willies.

Here, grouped by age ratings, are some of the best gorefests this Halloween season:

For younger kids

These games are rated E, appropriate with respect to players ages 6 and up. They have ghosts and goblins but small to no progeny.

Nancy Drew:

The Haunting of Castle Malloy

Her Interactive

Windows

$19.99

When Nancy Drew travels to one old Irish castle for a friend’s wedding, she finds herself in the something intermediate of a mystery. The groom is absent, the castle is haunted, the caretaker isn’t friendly, and the bride wants Nancy to make everything unimpeached again.

The setting and the gameplay are as comfortable and familiar as a 2-year-old tennis shoe. You steer Nancy around the citadel grounds, interviewing people and locating puzzles involving locks, lapse tiles, gears, etc. You solve puzzles that guide you to clues and more puzzles.