-1- Blinky, Pinky, Inky & Clyde
No ghost in gaming is quite as iconic and recognizable as the ghosts from the arcade classic that is Pac-Man. And these ethereal entities that roam the dark mazes can prove to be truly horrifying when being constantly pursued and cornered. As some players may or may not be aware, creator Toru Iwatani gave each ghost a distinct personality to add a little variety and interest to the game. Blinky, the red ghost, is aggressive and will consistently try to chase Pac-Man down. Pinky, the pink ghost, will attempt to ambush Pac-Man from the front. Inky, the cyan ghost, is a bit unpredictable, chasing Pac-Man from either direction, or else just wandering off sometimes. Clyde, the orange ghost, will chase Pac-Man much like Blinky, but then gets bashful when getting close and tends to head back to his home in the corner. Adorable, if they weren't trying to consume your soul.
-2- Boo
The only other ghost nearly as iconic as the Pac-Man ghosts at this point would have to be none other that the bashful specter of the Mario universe that is the Boo. First making its appearance in the 1988 Super Mario Bros. 3, Boo has been a regular staple since in the Mario series with its unique mechanics of chasing after the Italian hero only when he's not looking at them. Beware though, these shy spirits are not to be trifled with as they are notorious tricksters and come in many forms, such as turning into stone blocks or sometimes being literal bombs. Of course, the only thing scarier than one Boo is an even bigger Boo. Pray you should be so fortunate not to run into such, unless you're looking for that secret exit in the ghost house.
-3- Rotom
In the world of Pokemon, ghosts are a fairly rare type of Pokemon. Perhaps one of the rarest and most interesting of these would be the Electric-Ghost that is Rotom. Being made of plasma, this shocking spook (pun intended) can possess other electronic devices, and thus change his own Pokemon type accordingly. While always part-Electric, he can also become a Fire-type heater, a Water-type washer, an Ice-type freezer, a Flying-type fan, or a Grass-type mower. And in the most recent Pokemon Sun & Moon games, Rotom takes place as your companion, possessing your Pokedex and offering zippy advice. He has become quite the popular benefactor in the Pokemon world, that is when he isn't making mischief.
-4- Sissel
Sissel stars in the unique adventure game for the Nintendo DS that is Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. Controlling the ghost of this recently deceased protagonist, players try to recover their memory, figure out their identity and who it is that killed them. As a ghost, players exist between two worlds of the Living and Ghost World. Each have different flows of time, to which time is still in the Ghost World. Sissel can possess certain objects, performing various forms of "ghost tricks" while possessing them. Additionally, should he possess a corpse, he can go back in time 4 minutes before the death and potentially alter the outcome. This clever means of indirect interaction make for one captivating and intriguing phantom private eye.
-5- Ghost Zelda
Link has had an uncanny history of annoying sidekicks in the Zelda series, but The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks makes for a happy exception. When Zelda tragically gets turned to stone in the beginning of the game, her spirit gets separated from her body and joins Link on a quest to rescue her body and restore the land's Spirit Tracks. Aside from adding a humorous and heartfelt companionship, Zelda plays a crucial role in segments of the game by possessing Phantom knights, which can be used to help guide Link through dangerous dungeons. Despite possessing the most fearsome of knights, mice are still enough to send this bulking pile of armor into a frenzied fright though.
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Did I miss any of your favorite gaming ghouls? I'm sure there are many more to be named, so be sure to share in the comments below. Otherwise, enjoy spooky festivities and the gorging of candy. And happy gaming!
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