You don’t have to check your calendar; you know, instinctively, what time of year it is. You get that warm tingling feeling in your gut that grows stronger as the big day approaches — the greatest day of the year. You’re a Halloween freak.

Some video game fans have a tough time figuring out what costume to wear on All Hallows’ Eve, so as per tradition, I figured I’d help them out and provide some detailed suggestions geared towards the gaming enthusiast. Any of the ten costumes listed below is guaranteed to make you popular at the office Halloween party, on the street begging for candy, or anywhere in between.

By the way, if you like these, here’s even more costume ideas:
2010 Video Game Edition
2009 Video Game Edition
2008 Video Game Edition
2006 Video Game Edition
2006 Computer Edition

Error

Ruto’s most famous and enigmatic citizen has long confounded fans of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. He’s a man who keeps his secrets well. But in a recent breakthrough, scientists at VC&G labs have discovered Error’s biggest secret of all: he’s not wearing any pants.

Error Costume Recipe:

• Purple tunic
• Elf ear tips
• Yellow table
• Solid brick house

In-Character Behavior: Stand motionless inside your brick house, front door cracked open. When candy-seeking children enter, say “I AM ERROR” without flinching. Stonewall all other attempts at communication, no matter how earnest — unless, of course, they’ve talked to Bagu in Mido first (your brother across the street).

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Keith Courage’s Dad

Many of you have probably heard of Keith Courage of Alpha Zones fame. But did you know that it was his father, not Keith, to first develop and pilot the Nova Suit?

Keith Courage’s Dad Costume Recipe:

• Reed Richards head
• Glasses
• Nova Suit
• Plasma sword

In-Character Behavior: Stand around stoically as if preparing for an epic one-man battle to save the world. Squint your eyes at someone and say, “The secret of the Nova Suit must now be tested.” Just to freak people out, unexpectedly stick your hand through the Nova Suit’s defensive crotch hole.

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Lord British in Space

Britannia’s been stuck in a never-ending medieval period for quite some time, so its cunning monarch hitched a moongate back to his home world to realize his dreams of powered flight into Earth orbit. Godspeed, Lord British.

Lord British in Space Costume Recipe:

• Richard Garriott™ Brand self-adhesive Van Dyke
• Cold War-era Russian spacesuit, preferably without leaks
• Retail box of Tabula Rasa taped to chest
• Optional: Miniature Soyuz replica to covet

In-Character Behavior: As you “float” in microgravity, extend your hands in front of your face and examine them with an alien stare of astonishment. Then, as if it were obvious to all present, proclaim, “Lo! The culmination of mine eternal dreams!” while slowly unfurling a banner for Ultima II. Get a friend dressed in full plate armor to pretend you’re crazy.

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Anthropomorphic Pac-Man

Few people know this, but Pac-Man was originally designed as a digital jogging simulator. The pellets were high-caloric energy tablets, while the scary things chasing you represented “the ghosts of past exercise failures.”

Anthropomorphic Pac-Man Costume Recipe:

• Large, yellow, buck-toothed spherical headpiece
• Pac-Man tank top
• Running shorts, shoes
• Tube socks
• Floating plastic cookies

In-Character Behavior: Get someone to lay out a trail of floating plastic cookies before your outing. The rest is obvious: systematically eat the cookies while avoiding people dressed as ghosts. All the while, make siren sound effects with your mouth to convey the deadly seriousness of the situation. And remember, if you get touched by a ghost, there’s a two hundred push-up penalty.

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The Atari Force

This Halloween, you and four of your tallest, most ethnic friends can go out as the world’s greatest paramilitary superhero team, the Atari Force.

The Atari Force Costume Recipe:

• Five people:
  (1) Ultra-Aryan white boy
  (1) Ridiculously tall Asian woman
  (1) Bad-ass African-American mutha
  (1) Red-headed Latina
  (1) Undaunted Native American man
• Five skin-tight crotch-grabbing uniforms
• Permanent running posture

In-Character Behavior: Gather your team and run around town in tactical delta formation. Run by anybody who needs help. Never break formation. Smile; you’re the last best hope for all humanity.

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Adventure Square

The exact name of of the protagonist in Adventure for the Atari 2600 is unknown, but rarely has any video game character exuded such personality and charisma while working with so little. We’ll call him “Square” for now.

Adventure Square Costume Recipe:

• Large plywood cube on wheels, painted yellow
• Enormous detachable arrow, key
• Optional: 30-foot cardboard castle, also yellow

In Character-Behavior: Skate around in your cube, randomly banging into walls. Attempt to unlock every house you find with your oversized key. Upon the chance encounter with a duck, impale it with your giant arrow.

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StuntMaster VR Kid

The StuntMaster VR was a cheap attempt at making a consumer-grade “virtual reality” headset in the early 1990s. It sucked, but it makes a great Halloween costume.

StuntMaster VR Kid Costume Recipe:

• VictorMaxx StuntMaster VR Goggles
• Super Nintendo control pad
• Red button-down shirt
• Two incurably bored friends:
  (1) with a baseball glove
  (1) with a YMCA youth handbook

In-Character Behavior: The StuntMaster Kid’s demeanor is one of absorbed, arrogant indifference. Sit cross-legged on a couch as your nearby friends die from boredom. Ignore all begs to “play outside” and “eat food” while alternately muttering “Awesome,” and “Whoa,” under your breath. If anyone complains, lift up your goggles and scare the shit out of them with your googly bloodshot eyeballs.

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Prince Meyer

The adorable, cuddly Prince Meyer, star of Deadly Towers for the NES, has long been an ideal costume choice for infants, toddlers, and Japanese people of the world.

Prince Meyer Costume Recipe:

• Child-sized Viking helmet
• Child-sized leather armor
• Prince Meyer Baby Booties
• Box of miniature swords

In-Character Behavior: As you wander the streets this Halloween clutching your baby Meyer, supply him with an ample quantity of miniature broadswords which he may hurl rapidly at passers-by (especially those dressed as bats, blobs, and cavemen). If a monster strikes back, make baby “dematerialize” by sticking him in a bag. Babies love this.

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Missile Commander (and Wife)

“What-cha doin??”

Here’s a great costume pair for couples based on the old Atari classic, Missile Command. A man can play the Missile Commander, while a woman can assume the role of his nosy wife.

Missile Commander Costume Recipe:

• Star Wars “AT-AT Commander” helmet
• Orange jumpsuit
• Missile Command shoulder patch
• Golden techno-bracelets
• Optional: Missile-launching console, missiles

Missile Commander’s Wife Costume Recipe:

• Ponytail
• Any sleeveless dress from the seventies
• No bra

In-Character Behavior: At a Halloween party, sit down at the nearest table and scream, “The Earth is under attack!” Act intensely preoccupied and pretend to push buttons while refusing anyone security clearance within a six foot radius of the table.

Intrusions within the defense perimeter by your wife may be countered by threats of lethal force.

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Nintendo Soccer Player

It’s true: not many people play soccer while wearing baseball caps. But that, along with the players’ general lack of properly functioning leg joints, is what makes this kind of soccer — Nintendo Soccer — special.

Nintendo Soccer Player Costume Recipe:

• Red soccer hat, shirt, and socks
• Brown soccer shoes
• White soccer pants
• Soccer ball
• Ace bandages (to wrap up joints)

In-Character Behavior: Hop around on one foot while attempting to punt a soccer ball without bending your knees. If all else fails, kick another Halloween reveler in the crotch. If they protest, blame the controller.

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So that’s all for this year’s edition. Feel free to share any ideas you have for costumes or report about your Halloween exploits in the comments below. Happy Halloween, everybody!

If you liked these, here’s even more costume ideas:

2010 Video Game Edition
2009 Video Game Edition
2008 Video Game Edition
2006 Video Game Edition
2006 Computer Edition

Tags: 2007, Costume Ideas, Halloween

This entry was posted on Monday, October 8th, 2007 at 7:00 pm and is filed under Gaming History, Humor, News & Current Events, Retrogaming. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.