The recent success of A24’s Backrooms is introducing many people to the world of creepypastas. These short, scary stories – often about unsettling and unexplainable events – have been circulating online for about twenty years, spreading through forums and sites like Reddit. Video game creepypastas are especially popular and have become almost legendary online.
Although “The Backrooms” has inspired countless games, it actually began as an online image, not a video game story. Still, it’s a great introduction to this type of eerie tale. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous and influential video game creepypastas.
I’ll include a link to the original story or its wiki page for every creepypasta I share, whenever possible.
11. Ben Drowned
Majora’s Mask Can Get Way, Way Creepier
- Creator: Alexander D. Hall
- Check out Within Hubris’ wiki on Ben Drowned if you want to do a deep dive.
“Ben Drowned” is one of the most well-known early creepypastas, appearing when online horror stories were first gaining popularity. Because many people weren’t familiar with creepypastas at the time, Alexander D. Hall’s interactive project really surprised readers and helped establish it as a classic piece of internet horror.
“Ben Drowned” is a popular online horror story inspired by the Nintendo game The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. It’s important to know that it isn’t a real game itself, but fans have created games based on the story.
Even on its own, Majora’s Mask is a spooky game, but the online story “Ben Drowned” makes it much, much scarier. It starts with someone finding a used copy of the game at a yard sale. While playing, they begin to notice strange errors and eventually discover a saved game file named BEN Drowned. That’s when things really start to get unsettling.
10. Catastrophe Crow! (Crow 64)
The Lost Nintendo 64 Game
- Creator: Adam Butcher
- Check out the wiki to learn more about this tragic story
We mainly concentrate on older video game creepypastas because they spread easily online when these kinds of stories first became popular. Still, it’s important to showcase a recent example, and “Crow 64” fits the bill perfectly.
The creepypasta, nicknamed “Catastrophe Crow!”, centers around an unreleased Nintendo 64 game. Though canceled, parts of the game leaked online, as you can see in the YouTube video linked above. Initially, “Crow 64” appears to be a typical 3D platformer, but as you play, strange things start to happen.
Honorable mention to Shipwrecked 64, a creepypasta you can actually play.
9. Godzilla NES
The King of Monsters’ Worst Nightmare
- Creator: CosbyDaf
- Link to the original creepypasta
The “Godzilla NES” story is a typical video game creepypasta – a fictional horror tale that begins with a strangely obtained copy of a game. In this case, the game is Godzilla for the original Nintendo system.
The NES game “Godzilla” has some strange glitches, including monsters showing up in levels before they’re supposed to. But the most unsettling part is a red monster that constantly pursues the player, even seeming to look directly at them. What starts like a typical short creepypasta story, “Godzilla NES” actually unfolds over many chapters, making it surprisingly lengthy.
8. Lavender Town Syndrome
You Will Never Look At Pokemon’s Lavender Town The Same Again
- Listen to the original Lavendar Town music (Credit to BadassVGM)
Within the world of creepypasta, the story of “Lavender Town Syndrome” is particularly famous and influential. It’s a fictional tale set in the original Pokemon Red video game.
Okay, so everyone knows the Lavender Town theme from the original Pokémon games is seriously creepy, right? There’s this urban legend that the music actually contained frequencies that were so disturbing, they caused some kids in Japan to, tragically, take their own lives. Now, it’s totally been debunked – it’s a myth. But honestly, knowing that story just makes listening to that tune even more unsettling. It adds a whole other layer to the eeriness!
7. Super Mario 64
Every Copy of Super Mario 64 Is Personalized
- Read the creepypasta in all of its horrifying glory
- Creator: progamer664
You’ve probably noticed a pattern: the “Super Mario 64” creepypasta, like many others, starts with someone finding a strange copy of a game. In this case, it’s Super Mario 64. A teenager made the mistake of buying a copy after seeing an ad online.
When the game started, Mario’s face would glitch and become incredibly distorted. The castle felt eerily empty, with almost all the paintings gone, and no Toads to be found. Bowser’s laughter sounded especially menacing, and the game was full of unsettling details. It turns out Nintendo had implemented an AI system that customized Super Mario 64 based on the player’s brain activity.
“Super Mario 64” is so beloved and influential that it’s inspired many strange and fascinating fan theories, some of which have become like modern-day scary stories.
6. Sonic.exe
Just Try To Outrun The Fastest Hedgehog In Gaming
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- Creator: JC the Hyena
- Read the creepypasta in all of its unsettling glory
“Sonic.exe” is a well-known creepypasta story, especially among gamers. Like many stories of its kind, it starts with a pirated or unofficial copy of the classic video game, Sonic the Hedgehog.
This game didn’t let you play as Sonic. Instead, you controlled Tails, Knuckles, or Eggman. No matter which character you chose, you’d eventually be chased by a terrifying, demonic version of Sonic – a scary trope made famous by the online story ‘Sonic.exe’ – who would ultimately kill your character.
Who’s That Character? 
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
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5. Jvk1166z.esp
The Prophecy Has Been Severed
- Check out the creepypasta in all of its essential glory
This creepypasta is probably one of the most mysterious and oddly titled ones out there. Called “Jvk1166z.esp,” it centers around the game The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind. The story describes a rare game mod that players might find and download, but it could only be played using DOSbox.
The mod “Jvk1166z.esp” creates a deeply unsettling experience by focusing on psychological horror. All NPCs involved in the main quest die and remain as permanent corpses, and the player is relentlessly stalked by a frightening figure called the Assassin, causing constant health loss. The mod also hints at a larger, cosmic threat – players are warned to “watch the sky.” It’s a remarkably effective and terrifying addition to the creepypasta genre.
Mods nowadays exist that recreate this creepypasta.
4. Buried Alive Model
The Hidden Boss In Pokemon Red’s Lavender Town
- Check out the creepypasta in all of its Poke glory
The world of Pokémon is filled with rich backstory, making it perfect for scary stories – and many have been created based on the games (like the ‘Lavender Town Syndrome’ we discussed). One such story, ‘Buried Alive,’ also centers around Pokémon Red. It, too, takes place in Lavender Town, specifically within the Pokémon Tower where trainers bury their deceased Pokémon.
An unofficial copy of the game included a hidden, terrifying boss character who battled players with powerful Pokémon. Losing to this boss didn’t just end the game—it showed a screen of your character being buried alive. I don’t recall seeing anything like this in the Pokémon animated series.
3. Fallout 3 Numbers Station
I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire
- Check out the creepypasta in all its post-apocalyptic glory.
This creepypasta is a particularly scary story, and it’s based on a strange truth. In the game Fallout 3, like other Fallout games, players can listen to the radio while exploring the post-apocalyptic world. If you kill a radio DJ in the game and then tune in later, the station will mysteriously change to a broadcast of just numbers.
Numbers stations broadcast strange messages using a combination of numbers and Morse code. These messages cover a wide range of topics, from historical events like the Cold War to predictions about the future – even claiming Britney Spears will win an Oscar this February. The broadcasts are made even more unsettling by the use of the 1938 song “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire.”
“Fallout 3 Numbers Station” is incredibly effective not just because it’s clever, but because it feels believable that the game could hide a secret requiring such an unusual and difficult set of conditions to unlock.
2. MARIO
Yoshi In The Dark
- Creator: Adam
- Read the creepypasta in all its Mario glory
- I’m not 100% sure the above image is correct, as it is different from how I remember the creepypasta going
Perhaps the most famous creepypasta story ever is “MARIO.” Like many others, it centers around a strange, unofficial game cartridge. What makes this one special is that the author, Adam, created a playable NES ROM based on the story, letting people experience the horror firsthand. You can even play it today, though you’ll need an SNES emulator to do so.
“MARIO” is a deeply unsettling game that creates a strong sense of dread by revealing a story of betrayal, abuse, and neglect through text messages. While it may not be enjoyable as a traditional game, it’s a remarkably effective horror experience, especially considering it’s built upon the familiar world of Super Mario World.
“Left Behind” and “I Hate You” are other popular Super Mario hacks that are kind of similar to MARIO.
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2026-05-29 21:07