Topic: How do you make a Platform game genuinely scary?

[Thy Gory Rory]

The original Splatterhouse games were kinda creepy. Not necessarily platform games but still 2D side-scrolling. Grotesque monsters, genuinely eerie music, lots of tension build-up around freaky boss battles and some startling moments here n' there... The environments were dark, dingy and gory too. That series is practically/partially credited for helping form the survival horror genre that we know it so it's a good idea to check them out.

[Inccubus]

Another good game which is a platformer, that has a really good atmosphere and music is Nosferatu for the SNES. I did jump at parts of the game, but that was only during sections where the enemies were hidden in the roof and they just appear out of the blue and grab you.

I always wanted to play that game, but I've never gotten a chance to.

Splatterhouse has great atmosphere, yes.

[X]

I always wanted to play that game, but I've never gotten a chance to.

I don't own the game either so I just emulate it. PS. In order to get by areas that require sliding you first need to run then hit the attack button  This left me stuck for so long before I finally figured it out.

[Inccubus]

Thanks! That'll help.

[TheouAegis]

Splatterhouse.
'nuff said
The NES one was corny, but the Genesis ones were creepy.

Aliens (kinda creepy)

Or take the route Enemy Zero (a 3D FPS on the Saturn) took and make all the enemies invisible. After the first enemy encounter, I threw down the controller and never went back. I do NOT like having my brains splattered by unseen aliens!

Ooh or Tecmo Knight. It was a beat'em up like Splatterhouse and almost as gory. Oh god, I remember the game's intro and game over screens so vividly... 

[Neobelmont]

Clock Tower does the scary moments great especially with scissor man.

The first time I have ever seen Clock tower was on Gamecenter CX the hell was that big ass thing in the cave which you needed the black robe and the blonde woman and that one guy behind bars that eats you in one of the endings what the Freak...