There is just something oddly sinister about theme parks. They look like fun during the day, but, at night, that rickety Ferris wheel and funhouse can look like the site of a horror film.
Horror media like It Chapter 2, Final Destination 3, and American Horror Story have done a great job turning child-friendly spaces into places of terror. Many games out there have used sites like theme parks to create a scary atmosphere. Will you be able to visit these places once you read through this list?
10 Killing Floor 2
Killing Floor 2 is a first-person shooter game that pits you against monsters like zombies. It is known for its detailed maps and enemies. In 2017, Killing Floor 2 dropped and included a map called the Tragic Kingdom. It is a creepy amusement park-themed map that packs all the punches of an excellent horror and action-oriented experience.
One of the coolest things about this map is that you can participate in various amusement-themed activities that are scary, gory, and astoundingly fun—especially with the game’s exciting enemies.
9 Silent Hill 3
Skinned carousel horses, phantom roller coasters, and a creepy mascot bunny set the tone for the Lakeside Amusement Park. This place is not where “dreams come true.” Heather Mason has to deal with nightmarish scenarios like defeating skinless and deteriorating horses and trying to get out of the way of a rollercoaster to prevent her death as a result of it. This is not the place you want to go for a fun evening out. It will make you question if that rollercoaster seatbelt is as secure as you think it is.
8 CarnEvil
Get that lightgun locked and loaded. It’s time to go back to when arcades were the central hangout spot, and CarnEvil was seen as one of the most twisted games of all time. With creepy atmospheres, violent environments, and hordes of zombies, this old school game isn’t for the faint of heart.
CarnEvil is a haunted amusement park that requires you to get involved with all the twisted fun associated with it. From haunted toys to warped games, CarnEvil is an embodiment of why you may want to steer clear of amusement parks at night.
7 The Park
The Park takes a different approach than the other games on this list—except for Silent Hill 3. Instead of just focusing on the eerieness of theme parks themselves, The Park puts the spotlight on a mother searching for her missing son. She knows he is likely in the weird “house of horrors,” but, other than that, his whereabouts are unknown.
As she moves through the weird-looking theme park, she is constantly thinking about the moments she has spent with her son. If you are a parent that frequents places like this, this game will hit you hard. Emotional as it is frightening, this walking simulator isn’t for the easily spooked.
6 Left 4 Dead 2
You know what’s coming, it’s the Dark Carnival. In 2009’s Left 4 Dead 2, the crew has to go through a Georgia-based theme park set in Whispering Oaks Amusement Park in Griffin County, which is a real location in Georgia.
Think about going to the local fair with your family and then encountering a Tank. Well, that’s what you are in store for in this title. From whack-a-mole to the carousel, the dangerous infected could be hiding anywhere.
5 Illbleed
Think House of Haunted Hill, but in a theme park. A young student Eriko Christy and her friends are invited to visit a haunted theme park outfitted with traps. She declines, but she then ends up having to rescue her friends.
This vintage Dreamcast title is an intense one and a reminder of why you need to do your research before heading to an unknown location—even if it is a theme park.
4 Affected: The Carnival
This title holds no punches when it comes to creating a scary gaming experience. Unlike the other games on this title, Affected: The Carvial utilizes the Oculus Rift VR technology. Therefore, you have a 360-degree view of carnival carnage. Ferris wheels collapse, walls are rusting, and terrifying clowns are just around the corner. If the movie It terrifies you, then you may want to pass on this one.
3 Until Dawn: Rush Of Blood
The guys at Supermassive Games have done it again. Not too long after the first title, the developers put together an arcade-style spin-off entitled Until Dawn: Rush of Blood. Much like Affected: The Carnival, it is a VR experience. You are basically tasked with trying to fight enemies and solve a mystery aboard a rickety old roller coaster. You are attempting to get through an insane carnival while fighting G-forces. Good luck!
2 Hello Neighbor 2
Golden Apple Amusement Park. This place is creepy, odd, and screams that something terrible happened there. Hello Neighbor 2 is a game of secrets, and this one seems like it is housing a big one.
Guarded by The Night Watchmen, the amusement park in this game isn’t as outwardly scary as others on this list, but it does make you feel like something sinister is happening. It is revealed that someone passed away there years ago, and it makes you wonder if the same has happened at some theme parks you have been to.
1 Five Nights At Freddy’s
Okay, so this one isn’t set in a traditional theme park, but it does involve many of the elements found there. This title may be the most horrifying of them all: a child murderer and animatronics possessed by the spirits of these children, wow!
You can never go into a kid-friendly arcade or even a carnival with animatronics without thinking about this game’s horrors. The lore itself is insane, but the game’s atmosphere will make this one linger for a while.
NEXT: 10 Short But Scary Horror Games For Fans Of Silent Hill P.T.
