Halloween 1985: The Retro Legend That Conquered the Arcade Vintage Museum
The nostalgia of the 80s is still alive, and the Arcade Vintage Museum in Ibi was once again consolidated as the epicenter of retro culture with an unforgettable event. The 1st of November 2025 saw the official presentation of the video game Halloween 1985, a pixel art gem that pays tribute to the golden age of arcade machines.
This article explores the inception of this platform adventure, the passion of its creators from Spoonbox Studio, and how they managed to realize the dream of seeing their work transformed into a dedicated arcade machine.
Reviving the Arcade Magic: The Presentation in Ibi
The event in Ibi, Alicante, was the culmination of a project born out of a love for all things retro. The presentation was attended by Javier and Guillermo, members of Spoonbox Studio, who finally saw their game adopted by the Arcade Vintage Museum.
The Seed of the Idea: From Visitors to Creators
The idea to create Halloween 1985 emerged about three summers ago, when the creators visited the Arcade Vintage Museum. The definitive inspiration came at the Arcadecon in October 2023, where they observed the presentation of other games that featured dedicated arcade machines. This experience sparked their curiosity (or 'lit a fire under them'), leading to a clear goal: to create a quality game so they could have their own dedicated machine made.
As the project progressed, they sent material to the museum, and the Arcade Vintage team, including Eduardo and José María (to whom they sent greetings), decided that the game deserved a dedicated machine. This exclusive and unique machine, developed in collaboration with Javier and Guillermo, can now be enjoyed at the museum.
Javier and Guillermo from Spoonbox Studio alongside Eduardo and José María of the Arcade Vintage Museum in Ibi, posing in front of the dedicated arcade machine for Halloween 1985
The Goal Achieved: The Dedicated Machine
The initial and most ambitious goal of the project was, in fact, the arcade machine. Although the dedicated machine was not ready exactly for the day of the presentation, its existence materializes the developers' dream. For the creators, having a game made in the province of Castellón by Spoonbox Studio go on to have its own machine is a source of great excitement and personal satisfaction.
Halloween 1985: A Tribute to Perfect Pixel Art
Halloween 1985 is an arcade action-platformer that transports you back to the essence of games from the mid-1980s. The protagonist is Pumpkman, a nod to Pac-Man. The simple yet effective narrative premise is that the Halloween monsters trash his store and steal all his pumpkins, and he must go and retrieve them.
The game is characterized by its fast-paced action, where reflexes are key, and by offering classic platforming gameplay.
Monstrous Levels and Distinct Mechanics
The game features five vibrant and peculiar levels, each focused on a classic monster and designed to have its own soul, giving the player the feeling that they are experiencing a different game on every screen:
- Dracula: He awaits you in his dark castle; light is his enemy.
- The Mummy: It lurks in the corridors of a mysterious pyramid. You must use secret doors and dizzying zip lines to move around.
- The Werewolf: It prowls a dangerous abandoned mine, full of fast-moving mine carts and perilous electrical switches.
- The Witch: She has filled the enchanted forest with spells and traps, and the player must wisely use her magic cauldron.
- The Evil Clown: He is the owner of a diabolical circus, where balloons, trapezes, and the drop tube will be your allies.
Upon completing these five scenarios, Pumpkman faces the big boss in the challenging final level, Inferno, where the devil awaits with his own tricks and traps.
The Challenge of Extra Points and Game Modes
True to the arcade tradition of the "golden age," the game motivates the pursuit of High Scores. In addition to collecting all the pumpkins, each level offers two extra objectives to achieve juicy point bonuses:
- Collect the pumpkins in order: You must collect them following the order in which they light up.
- Banish the monster: Hit the main enemy three times to banish it in a humiliating manner.
The game offers three modes to adapt to different skill levels:
- Beginner Mode): Perfect for starting to master the game, it consists of a single round.
- Expert Mode): The complete adventure, intended as the true arcade experience. This mode includes two rounds—the second with modified levels and more enemies—and is played without continues.
- Speedrun Mode: Designed for the most experienced players who seek to complete the game in a single round as quickly as possible, featuring a time record scoreboard.
The Art and Sound of Nostalgia
The developers at Spoonbox Studio (who include Javi as the programmer, Guillermo as the professional opinion-giver/designer, Isart as the artist, and Rubén as the musician) strived to recreate the authentic 80s atmosphere.
Graphics and Sound True to the Era
The retro pixel graphics are a key point, designed so that the player feels they are in front of a lost 80s arcade machine. To maintain this fidelity, a small resolution and a 4:3 format were chosen for the game screen, although the full game adapts to modern monitors with side banners.
The Chiptune soundtrack also plays a fundamental role, utilizing Yamaha chips to ensure the best sound an arcade game of that era could have. The creators insisted on original music that would be as memorable as the tunes from classics like Arkanoid or Manic Miner.
Development Challenges and the Difficulty Curve
The game's development was marked by the search for balance, especially in the difficulty. Guillermo, the designer, faced the challenge of translating his ideas (such as a three-headed Cerberus or a zip line in the pyramid) into the limitation of few pixels, leading the artist Isart to feel "tormented."
Regarding difficulty, there were intense debates: while 80s games were very difficult to extend their lifespan, Javi (the programmer) advocated for a gentler learning curve, adapted to the 2025 player. The result is a game that can be picked up quickly, although the first playthrough may be difficult, allowing players to fully enjoy it after about 10 minutes of practice per level.
The Importance of Retro Feedback
Taking the game to fairs like Retro Barcelona and Retro Torrent was essential. The developers obtained direct feedback, something that was not possible decades ago. This contact was very positive and gave the team a moral boost. In fact, elements of the game, such as the idea of popping balloons on the circus screen (inspired by Balloon Fight), were incorporated thanks to suggestions from colleagues in the industry.
Where to Find the Retro Adventure
Halloween 1985 was launched on October 29, 2025. The game is available on major platforms, fulfilling the goal of reaching many players:
- PC (Steam): Launched at a price of $4.99 or around €4 (on launch sale). A playable demo is available on Steam.
- Consoles: Available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation (PS4 and PS5), and Xbox (Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S). The game is compatible with 4K Ultra HD and 60 fps+ on Xbox Series X|S.
The reviews have been very good, with scores from 7 to 9, and even some 10s, highlighting that for its price, it is a solid product that offers hours of satisfaction and is easily revisitable. The developers do not rule out the possibility of creating a sequel, Halloween 1986, as there is even a designed Frankenstein level that could be incorporated.
Like a perfectly preserved cassette tape from decades past, Halloween 1985 manages to encapsulate the essence of pure arcade fun, offering a fast-paced and challenging experience that will deeply resonate with any retro gaming enthusiast.
