If you haven’t noticed, in America, Halloween is a big, freakin' deal. In fact, between candy, parties, costumes, decorations, Halloween haunted houses, and events—and yes, liquor—Americans are estimated to spend $6.9 billion dollars on the October 31st celebration altogether.
Scary, right?
For gamers, it’s a celebration of what we love—dressing up and playing make-believe. Whether you want to be a terrifying zombie, freak-show slasher, pretty pretty princess or brave hero, Halloween is your chance to do it without judgment or trips to the asylum.
And it's only days away. And you're still scrambling for a costume?! Epic fail.
Now everyone knows the usual suspects: Link, Mega Man, the Mushroom Kingdom Crew. All those are nice options, to be sure, but for the more creative gamer looking for something a little more original, we’ve come up with some last-minute ideas (in alphabetical order) to show off the gamer in you.
Aiden Pearce – WATCH_DOGS
Difficulty: Easy. Cargo pants, trench coat, black hat with bent bill, face cover, technological gadgets.
Upsides: Easy to put together.
Downsides: Everybody asking all night why the game got delayed.
Take It To The Next Level: When people ask you if you can hack, search “do a barrel roll” on Google for them.
Arthur – Ghosts 'n' Goblins
Difficulty: Easy. Oversized lance. White boxers with hearts. A helmet if you're feeling ambitious.
Upsides: Legal excuse to run around in your boxers.
Downsides: Cold drafts. Cold drafts everywhere.
Take It To The Next Level: If anyone touches you, die on the spot.
Birdo – Super Mario Bros. 2
Difficulty: Hard. Construction might be involved. Basically, craft a snout and a pink Yoshi costume.
Upsides: It's unique. Add a white rugby ball as an egg for a nice touch.
Downsides: Just make sure no one tries to throw the egg back at your head you carefully constructed.
Take It To The Next Level: If anyone's dressed as Yoshi, guess who you're following around all night! Hope they're cute!
Bub & Bob – Bubble Bobble
Difficulty: Hard. Find a “cute dinosaur” costume, then find a partner to go with you. The costume doesn't really work separately
Upsides: Have a canister of bubbles! Everyone loves bubbles.
Downsides: When one dino takes a bathroom break, explaining to everyone else what your costume is. “No, remember that game, where you trapped everyone in bubbles?”
Take It To The Next Level: Right before you're about to leave whatever event you're at, yell “HURRY!”, then tear like a bat out of hell out of there.
Captain N – Captain N The Game Master
Difficulty: Moderate. Jeans, yellow t-shirt, red letterman jacket, Zapper. NES controller for a belt gets you bonus points.
Upsides: The satisfaction of almost everyone going “Oh my GOD, I loved that cartoon!”, which will hopefully translate into free drinks.
Downsides: Knowing some poor saps out there never saw an episode of Captain N.
Take It To The Next Level: Convince your girlfriend to be Princess Lana. Make all your gamer fantasies come true later.
Connor & Aveline – Assassin's Creed III & Assassin's Creed III: Liberation
Difficulty: Expert. You'll want to have some serious cosplay pieces for this, as it's a mix of Assassin and Revolutionary War.
Upsides: Done right, it's incredibly impressive.
Downsides: If you're Connor, it's knowing that all the hard work that went into your costume got trumped by Aveline.
Take It To The Next Level: When people ask who you are, correctly pronounce Connor's birth name, Rahtonhnhaké:ton.
Cooking Mama – Cooking Mama
Difficulty: Easy. Yellow apron, pink kerchief on head, white shirt. Various cooking implements.
Upsides: Simple, and if people don't recognize Cooking Mama, you'll be the chef, and that's fine too.
Downsides: You'll hear “That's a game?” a lot.
Take It To The Next Level: At any parties, you can say anything you want about the food, good or bad, and get away with it, because you're adorably dressed.
Eggplant Wizard – Kid Icarus
Difficulty: Moderate. Take an eggplant costume, modify it with one giant eyeball and a magic eggplant staff. Accentuate with cape.
Upsides: Once the prepwork is done, any gamer will instantly appreciate the originality.
Downsides: It's… not exactly the sexiest costume.
Take It To The Next Level: Remember that guy who dressed up as Captain N? Also, photo ops with any Pits or King Hippos.
Elena – Pandora's Tower
Difficulty: Hard. While the actual outfit won't be too difficult (platinum blond hair, short white dress), the arm thing has to be constructed with various emanations.
Upsides: Pull off that arm thing, and you have a winner.
Downsides: JRPG fans will know who you are; others will require extensive backstory.
Take It To The Next Level: Eat anything given to you that night. But first make a disgusted, pouty face.
Elizabeth – BioShock Infinite
Difficulty: Moderate. White dress with blue accents, blue mini blazer. Think Pan-Am without the pillbox hat.
Upsides: Everyone loves Elizabeth, as she's very recognizable and was one of the first escort quests to truly not piss everyone off.
Downsides: Guess who's fetching everything at the party? That's right.
Take It To The Next Level: Any time you see American paper currency, stage a minor panic attack then go, “No, no… I'm fine, really.”
Green & Purple Tentacle – Maniac Mansion
Difficulty: Hard. Construction will be needed. You wouldn't think it would be hard to do a tentacle but there you go.
Upsides: Every gamer should recognize you, followed by “I haven't played that game in YEARS!”
Downsides: You may get some disturbing offers to make real-life tentacle porn.
Take It To The Next Level: Any time people try to go around you, refuse to move until they bring you food. Or a can of Pepsi.
The Ice Climbers – Ice Climbers
Difficulty: Moderate. Baby blue or pink track suits (bonus for velour and ones with hoodies), oversized mallets.
Upsides: Great costume for a couple doing their first Halloween costume together.
Downsides: Another costume where time apart is excruciating. Also, parkas can get hot. Feel free to offer it to Arthur if you need a break.
Take It To The Next Level: Any time you see any character used in Super Smash Bros., bonk it with your mallet.
Juan Aguacate – Guacamelee
Difficulty: Moderate. Blue wrestling tights or something close, blue lucha mask, wrestling-style belt, boots.
Upsides: You're a luchador!
Downsides: “Dude, look! It's Nacho Libre!/Rey Mysterio Jr.!”
Take It To The Next Level: Anyone who calls you Nacho Libre or Rey Mysterio Jr, climb up on something and drop an elbow on them.
Little Mac – Punch-Out!!
Difficulty: Moderate. Green shorts, black tank top, boots. The hardest part is finding green gloves (trust me, I tried).
Upsides: Easy, comfortable, recognizable
Downsides: You know how much practice it takes to hold a drink in boxing gloves?
Take It To The Next Level: Have a pink tracksuit handy if you're cold. Just don't stand next to the Ice Climbers.
Nathan Drake – Uncharted
Difficulty: Moderate. The clothes are easy—jeans, dirty white henley, half-tucked. The accessories (holster, etc) may be a little harder.
Upsides: Nathan Drake is hot.
Downsides: Nathan Drake is not real.
Take It To The Next Level: Come out to Vegas and show me your half-tuck. I mean… uh… moving on.
Ness – Earthbound
Difficulty: Easy. Yellow-striped shirt, shorts, red cap, backpack, baseball bat, yo-yo, psychic powers (this part may be the only hard part).
Upsides: Almost all gamers know Ness, and a lot of non-gamers too.
Downsides: Can't really think of any.
Take It To The Next Level: Got friends who need costumes? You could use a Paula, Jeff, and Poo. Also, any time anyone takes your picture, do a peace sign and shout, “Fuzzy pickles!”
Nilin – Remember Me
Difficulty: Moderate. Maroon top, cargo pants, white mini jacket, streaked hair.
Upsides: Unique, just plain looks cool.
Downsides: The game flopped sales-wise, so expect a lot of “Who are you supposed to be?”
Take It To The Next Level: If the costume bombs, the next day just claim you scrambled everyone's memories and you were actually dressed as Princess Peach.
Phoenix Wright – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Difficulty: Easy. Blue business suit with pin. The only hard part is the hair.
Upsides: Easy to pull off.
Downsides: Even though it's an American hit these days, many will still not recognize Mr. Wright.
Take It To The Next Level: Make a sign that shouts “OBJECTION!” on one side and “HOLD IT!” on the other.
Servbot – Mega Man Legends
Difficulty: Hard. Not only do you need the blue robot body, you need the Lego-looking head.
Upsides: Look at that smiley face!
Downsides: Everyone thinks you're a Lego guy.
Take It To The Next Level: Anyone dressed like Mega Man? Looks like you have something to do all evening.
Tetra – The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Difficulty: Easy. Blue top, pink scarf/kerchief, white pants.
Upsides: Comfortable, and everyone likes pirates.
Downsides: Mmmmmm… nope, can't think of any.
Take It To The Next Level: About halfway through the party, change into Tetra's princess dress. Leave the ponytail.
Tingle – The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Difficulty: Moderate. Green full-body spandex suit, red speedo, green cap. Visit your local sex fetish store for availability.
Upsides: People… will… certainly remember you.
Downsides: Chances of getting laid plummet to 0.
Take It To The Next Level: …Actually, on this one, please don't take it to the next level.
Tiny Tina – Borderlands 2
Difficulty: Easy. Black and white little girl costume, band-aids, roll around in the dirt for about 30 minutes.
Upsides: Recognizable, and you can drop all the swear words you want.
Downsides: Liberal use of swear words plus alcohol may lead to a different kind of explosion.
Take It To The Next Level: Someone at the party you don't like? Give them the most severe haranguing of their lives, Tina.
Tom Nook – Animal Crossing
Difficulty: Hard. Raccoon suit, apron or business suit.
Upsides: Instantly recognizable by anyone caught up in the Animal Crossing craze.
Downsides: Instantly recognizable by anyone caught up in the Animal Crossing craze.
Take It To The Next Level: Someone at the party you don't like? Give them the most severe haranguing of their lives, Tom.
Tron Bonne – Mega Man Legends
Difficulty: Moderate. Pink top, skirt-ish thing, leggings. Hardest part is getting the hair right. Don't forget the headband!
Upsides: Cute, fun, within her rights to take everyone's candy.
Downsides: The "recognizable" factor is really hit or miss on this one.
Take It To The Next Level: If you see any other Capcom characters (or Marvel characters) challenge them to a fight. Run away if they take you up on it.
Ulala – Space Channel 5
Difficulty: Expert. Orange PVC tube top with the Space Channel 5 logo, orange PVC miniskirt, orange PVC arm length gloves, orange PVC, pink pigtails, microphone. You should be able to find all this in the same place where you can get the stuff for Tingle.
Upsides: If you can pull it off right, there's no denying it's a sexy look.
Downsides: Reminding people all hard up for Ulala that no means no.
Take It To The Next Level: If the Casper Slide or the Cupid Shuffle comes up, guess who's the star of the party now?
