Item: Haunt the House: Terrortown
Rating: 92
Author: Dinsun

Our Expert Score

92/100

Haunt the House: Terrortown is a masterclass in 'cute-spooky' game design. It’s a side-scrolling puzzle game where you play as a shy ghost who just wants some peace and quiet. Instead of typical horror tropes, the game focuses on the joy of mischief—possessing a jukebox to blast jazz, making a chandelier swing wildly, or popping out of a suit of armor to scare the living daylights out of the townspeople. The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, with a unique art style that feels like a high-end animated short film.

The real charm lies in the 'possession' mechanic. Every room is filled with dozens of objects you can haunt, each with its own set of spooky powers. Scaring people isn't just about tapping buttons; it's about building 'atmosphere' and timing your scares to drive everyone out of the museum, hospital, or cruise ship. The soundtrack is a standout, featuring looping jazz-club tones that perfectly complement the whimsical yet slightly dark tone of the game. It’s short, sweet, and incredibly polished—a must-play for fans of indie puzzle games.

Dinsun reviewed on: Fri Feb 27 2026

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

930868205

$1.99 9+★4.8 1139 reviews

Author : SFB Games

Pubish Date : Wed Oct 29 2014

Last Update Date : Thu Nov 03 2016

Support Languages : English

Genres :

Version 1.4.5Thu Nov 03 2016

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.
Updated store images
A beautiful side-scrolling action puzzle game starring ghosts!
...What was that sound? Is somebody there?
Leave the dusty halls of an abandoned clock tower to haunt your way through a town in the dead of night! Possess objects with your ghostly soul, to scare people away from a museum, a hospital, a theatre and a cruise ship. Will you be able to scare everyone out and reclaim what has been lost, before the night is over?
=== REVIEWS ===
"The visuals are gorgeous, with a unique style which is both cute and creepy at the same time. The audio is also impressive, boasting effective spot effects and some genuinely amusing sounds."
- PocketGamer
"Spending even a mere couple of hours in Terrortown is worth the price of admission. The game is a good reminder that cute ghosts aren't necessarily friendly."
- 148Apps.com
"There's a surprisingly dark heart beating away inside this cheery little Halloween special. There's a genuine sense of mischief, too, conveyed by the bug-eyed howls of your prey and the looping, lilting tones of the jazz-club soundtrack."
- Eurogamer
Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
A beautiful side-scrolling action puzzle game starring ghosts!
...What was that sound? Is somebody there?
Leave the dusty halls of an abandoned clock tower to haunt your way through a town in the dead of night! Possess objects with your ghostly soul, to scare people away from a museum, a hospital, a theatre and a cruise ship. Will you be able to scare everyone out and reclaim what has been lost, before the night is over?
=== REVIEWS ===
"The visuals are gorgeous, with a unique style which is both cute and creepy at the same time. The audio is also impressive, boasting effective spot effects and some genuinely amusing sounds."
- PocketGamer
"Spending even a mere couple of hours in Terrortown is worth the price of admission. The game is a good reminder that cute ghosts aren't necessarily friendly."
- 148Apps.com
"There's a surprisingly dark heart beating away inside this cheery little Halloween special. There's a genuine sense of mischief, too, conveyed by the bug-eyed howls of your prey and the looping, lilting tones of the jazz-club soundtrack."
- Eurogamer

Ratings & Reviews

4.8 out of 5 with 1139 Counts

★★★★★

Age Rating 9+

Leave the dusty halls of your abandoned clock tower and haunt your way through Terrortown in the dead of night! In this beautiful side-scrolling action puzzle game, you play as a ghost who must possess everyday objects—from mannequins and instruments to entire chandeliers—to scare people away from various locations including a museum, a hospital, a theater, and a cruise ship. With a unique 'cute and creepy' art style and a lilting jazz soundtrack, you must use your ghostly soul to reclaim the town before the night is over. Featuring a huge world that has doubled in size since launch, including the 'Ghost Train' and 'Mansion' levels.

Features

Stunning and unique 'cute-creepy' hand-drawn art style

Dozens of objects to possess with unique ghostly powers

Six massive levels to explore, including a Cruise Ship and Ghost Train

Delightful jazz-inspired soundtrack and quirky sound effects

Non-violent, puzzle-based gameplay suitable for all ages (9+)

Tips

The Art of the Scare

To effectively clear a building, don't just jump from object to object. Start by haunting objects to build the 'Atmosphere' meter (the ghostly face at the bottom). As the meter fills, your possession powers become more intense. For example, a painting might just wiggle at low atmosphere, but at high atmosphere, the figure inside will jump out! Aim to scare people toward the exits rather than just scaring them into corners.

Promotion Videos

Haunt the House: Terrortown | Trailer [GOG] - YouTube

News on this game

Haunt the House: Terrortown lets you possess objects and scare people... without being evil

Developer SFB Games announced that its game Haunt the House: Terrortown will come to Android and iOS in time for Halloween.

PhoneArena - Wed Oct 29 2014

EGX 2014: Be possessive in Haunt the House: Terrortown, coming to iOS and Android in October

At EGX 2014, Detective Grimoire developer SFB Games revealed that one of its earlier games, Haunt the House: Terrortown, will be coming to...

Pocket Gamer - Wed Oct 29 2014

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Gameplays

Possession and Exploration

Explore detailed levels like the Museum, Hospital, and the Railroad Carnival. Each level is packed with unique items to haunt. Tapping on possessed objects triggers different actions—some are subtle, while others are loud and terrifying. Your goal is to scare every single human out of the building to unlock the next area and find your missing ghost family.