Home Gaming Make this game: A Nightmare On Elm Street

Make this game: A Nightmare On Elm Street

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Freddy (2)

One two, Freddy’s coming for you…

Who’s the greatest horror movie icon? Leatherface? Jason Voorhees? Tommy Wiseau? Nah, that honour belongs to the Springwood Slasher, Freddy Krueger. I don’t know anybody who hasn’t ever seen a Nightmare On Elm Street movie, let alone remain unaware of the serial killer in a Christmas sweater. Freddy is an icon, an enduring horror movie legend since the early 1980s who’d be a charming and even more likable guy if it wasn’t for his habit of constantly offing hormonal teenagers with a glove that was made up of an survival knife shelf from Cape Union Mart.

He’s an unstoppable dream demon, a nightmare that walks and a terror that can never truly be stopped. Now imagine how awesome it would be to actually control him.

Freddy (3)

Horror games have made a successful comeback in recent years, thanks to the efforts of titles such as Dead Space and the more recent Alien: Isolation. But the thing is, those are games that focus on survival-horror. I don’t want to be the victim. I want to be the slasher. And a Nightmare On Elm Street game would finally give Freddy the spotlight that he deserves.

It’s not the first time either, that such a game was attempted. Way back in October 1990, a Nightmare On Elm Street hit the NES. And it was rubbish. The premise itself was simple enough, as you and up to three buddies could team up and try and stop yourselves from being Johnny Depped by Freddy. Here’s the official synopsis of that game:

Freddy (1)

Something frightening has been happening on Elm Street lately. It seems that with each waking day another gruesome discovery is made… another neighborhood teen has mysteriously passed away into the dark stillness of the night. Everyone says it’s “natural causes,” but it seems as if something (or someone) has been picking them off one by one in their sleep. It’s a horrible nightmare come true… and this nightmare has a name; Freddy Krueger.

It’s up to you and your remaining friends to search Elm Street for his bones, which have been scattered about, then collect and burn them in the High School furnace. If you can just stay awake long enough, you might be able to end Freddy’s reign of terror for good. You had better hurry though, it’s getting late and you can feel your eyelids getting heavier and heavier by the minute.

Here’s the rub though: Players were originally meant to actually control Freddy as he terrorised and murdered his way through the adolescent population of Springwood, battling through the powerful dream alter-egos of the teens who were out to stop you once and for all, as Nintendo Power revealed way back then:

You ARE Freddy Krueger. A horde of obnoxious teenagers is trying to get rid of you by finding your scattered bones and burying them. The only way to stop them is to kill them. You can travel along Elm Street through the electrical and plumbing lines or step into a mirror and step in another room.

The kids have weapons to battle you with and some of them even possess powerful “Dream Alter Egos” …but if you can strike before they wake, they’ll trouble you no more. So sharpen up your finger razors and get ready to slash, ’cause Freddy’s here!

Freddy (1)

What a missed opportunity. But I think the groundwork for a proper Freddy game has already been laid down. Games such as Murdered: Soul Suspect and Remember Me have managed to weave an intricate web of dreamwalking with spooky and supernatural cerebral elements. Combine that into a game where you have to amass enough fear in order to have enough power to strike down a victim, and a Freddy game would be equal parts action, tactics and stalking. Bonus points of course, for figuring out how to do a truly twisted kill that relies on you using the fears of a victim against them.

Best of all: I’m certain that the original Freddy himself, Robert Englund would be more than happy to lend his vocals to a digital version of Freddy. Hell, he already voiced an homage version in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, that were psychotic dream beavers. And it was freakin’ awesome. And far better than that tepid 2010 remake starring Jackie Earle Haley.

I’d be ready for Freddy. How about you?

Last Updated: April 1, 2015

20 Comments

  1. Blood Emperor Trevor

    April 1, 2015 at 15:06

    I’ve never watched a Nightmare on Elm Street movie. The closet I’ve ever come to it was Freddy vs Jason.

    Reply

    • Corrie

      April 1, 2015 at 15:13

      Same just also never watched Freddy vs Jason, would say I’ll do it on Halloween but thats too far

      Reply

    • Greylingad

      April 1, 2015 at 15:15

      Sheesh… I remember watching some of them and being a horror fan, actually enjoying them, but I would not watch any of those films today, I have sweet memories of being scared the living poop out of and I’d like to keep it that way….

      Reply

    • Dutch Matrix

      April 1, 2015 at 15:26

      Is there an echo in these here forums??? Refresh

      Reply

      • Brady miaau

        April 1, 2015 at 15:28

        Yes. I typed and then realised it was very similar, so I copied and pasted, then added twenty minutes to the view time.

        So, yes, an echo. That is it

        Reply

  2. Brady miaau

    April 1, 2015 at 15:12

    I have never watched a Nightmare on Elm Street movie. The closet I’ve ever come to it was Freddy vs Jason, for about twenty minutes.

    Enough that in the dark of the mountains on my honeymoon, the shadows were extremely unpleasant, thanks very much.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      April 1, 2015 at 15:32

      I was seven years old, was too scared too sleep for days.

      Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        April 1, 2015 at 15:39

        Jaws scared seven types of crap out of me. Nightmare on Elm street did not. Seriously, and I was like 8 or nine when I saw them.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          April 1, 2015 at 15:46

          Hehe Jaws didn’t scare me at all.Strange how these things work

          Reply

      • Brady miaau

        April 1, 2015 at 16:26

        I was 30. Pretty much the same thing. I have three problems:

        1. A good memory
        2. A very, very active imagination
        3. A complete scaredy cat

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          April 1, 2015 at 16:47

          lol

          Reply

    • Dutch Matrix

      April 1, 2015 at 15:40

      Please tell me you did not attempt to watch Freddy Vs Jason on your HONEYMOON???!!!!

      Reply

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        April 1, 2015 at 15:45

        Well what could be worse than getting married? 😉

        Reply

        • Dutch Matrix

          April 1, 2015 at 15:49

          I dunno. How’s about you tell us how it is to be married to your right hand?

          Reply

          • Blood Emperor Trevor

            April 1, 2015 at 15:56

            We have an open relationship, sometimes we spice things up with the left hand.

        • Brady miaau

          April 1, 2015 at 16:25

          For about six months before the wedding I would, almost every time, refer to the upcoming event as a funeral. The future wife had sense of humour failure nearly every time. I just could not stop myself, the word just popped out.

          Reply

      • Brady miaau

        April 1, 2015 at 16:21

        Two weeks before. Just flipping through channels.

        Reply

  3. Greylingad

    April 1, 2015 at 15:12

    This could actually work… Someone playing freddy vs say four people battling to keep each other awake, but the closer you get to offing each one, the more powerful weapons they unlock…. hmmm….

    Reply

  4. Hammersteyn

    April 1, 2015 at 15:32

    Yes please! Oh and remember Freddys wise cracks as well.

    Reply

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