Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is a day that is synonymous with the supernatural and universal bad luck. It is also widely associated with the horror icon Jason Voorhees, the antagonist of the ever-growing Friday the 13th franchise.

Friday the 13th – The NES Game

Though the Friday the 13th series of films are some of the most iconic horror/slasher movies around, the bad luck connected with the fated day is what many fans associate to the 1989 NES video game release.

Often considered one of the worst video games of all time, Friday the 13th is a survival horror game that is an extension of the film franchise. Taking the basic story line of the majority of Friday films, you play as a camp counsellor watching over the children at Camp Crystal Lake as the notorious Jason on a murderous rampage.

The aim is to find and defeat Jason 3 times whilst staying alive for 3 days and 3 nights. This can prove quite difficult due to the poor game development.

With ineffective controls and attack systems, the game is known for its bad-taste and difficulty. Often cited as a poor translation of the Friday 13th films, the infamous NES title features new enemies that not otherwise seen elsewhere in the franchise. These included zombies, crows and wolves that attack the player.

Another peculiar aspect of the NES instalment was Jason Voorhees himself. His usual white hockey mask and blue overall suit was replaced by a neon-blue mask and hands with a bright purple suit.

This infamous look has gained its own place in Friday the 13th history with NECA creating a fully articulated limited edition figure for San Diego Comic Con in 2013. The design re-emerged when earlier this year Friday the 13th: The Game saw major issues during launch. In an apology to those who purchased a free ‘Retro Jason’ skin was provided in a game patch.

Have you played ‘Friday the 13th’ for the NES? Will you be playing it this Friday 13th to celebrate? How about checking out any other retro games on our fantastic arcade machines!

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