Line #123 VideoGame/TheHalloweenHack


1	%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
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3	[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/halloweenhack_14.png]]
4	[[caption-width-right:256: [=PaREntal DiScREtiOn aDViSED ZOOm=]]]
5	Creator/TobyFox's Halloween Hack, also known as "Press the B Button, Stupid!" is an award-winning ROM hack FanSequel of the 1994 cult classic RPG ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}''. It was released in 2008, under Fox's old internet alias of Radiation.
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7	The story starts off several months after the end of ''[=EarthBound=]''. An anachronistic BountyHunter named Varik (of ''VideoGame/{{Brandish}}'' fame) is hired by ex-mayor B. H. Pirkle, now campaigning on a law and order platform, to track down a mysterious creature who mutilated and ate a little girl's parents in Twoson. Along the way, he encounters increasingly horrible things as the adventure takes him all the way to Winters. This isn't your average Halloween game, though -- its content is comparable to games like ''Franchise/SilentHill'' and ''VideoGame/YumeNikki''. This is easily one of the most disturbing ''[=EarthBound=]'' hacks to come out... well, ever, really.
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9	Nowadays, Toby Fox himself isn't too enthused about the project in hindsight, having publicly admitted to regarding it as somewhat of an OldShame that he wouldn't seriously recommend anyone to play (though he is also quite aware that this probably won't stop curious people from seeking it out). Nevertheless, the hack remains quite interesting, as it contains quite a few story elements and themes that Fox would expand and refine upon in his later, more professional endeavors ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}''.
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11	You can find out more about it [[http://hacks.lyros.net/portfolio/radiations-halloween-hack-bad-fur-day-edition/ here]] as well as download it. You'll have to search out your own ROM though or extract one from a cartridge yourself, as per-wiki policy. Also, "the_ally235" on the Starmen.net Forums has taken it upon themselves to touch up areas of the game, such as fixing graphical issues, adding a new title screen, and all around adding more polish to the original hack. If you're interested, his efforts can be found [[https://web.archive.org/web/20170502183950/http://hacks.lyros.net/portfolio/radiations-halloween-hack-bad-fur-day-edition/ here]].
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13	For a much LighterAndSofter ''[=EarthBound=] Halloween Hack'' alternative, see ''VideoGame/HallowsEnd''.
14	-----
15	!!This hack provides examples of:
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17	* NinetiesAntiHero: Varik is made to look like this, what with being a brooding, alcoholic bounty hunter with a DarkAndTroubledPast. We quickly find out this is not played straight at all -- [[ClassicalAntiHero his stats suck, and he's honestly scared of the undead monsters]].
18	* AbsurdlyHighLevelCap: Like ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'', levels go up to 99. However, by the time you reach the FinalBoss, the party should be around anywhere between the late 10s and mid-20s at most, even with LevelGrinding.
19	* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: The Twoson Sewers are covered in hippies and rats. [[spoiler:And then they take you all the way across the ocean to Winters, where the water is replaced with blood, the hippies become zombies, and blobs and roaches join the fray.]]
20	* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler:In ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'', Dr. Andonuts is an eccentric inventor, ally to the main cast, and Jeff's father. Here, he's an insane and depraved villain.]]
21	* AlternateTimeline: This game is set after the end of ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'', [[spoiler:but the Chosen Four didn't return since they were sent to a timeline created when Giygas was killed in the past. Dr. Andonuts went mad with grief because he thought he killed them]].
22	* AlternateUniverse: It seems to begin this way, as an alternate reality in which the Chosen Four won but seemingly died defeating Giygas. [[spoiler:It turns out that this reality is the original, and the Chosen Four were sent to a new timeline. It's just that everyone ''thinks'' they're dead.]]
23	* AndIMustScream:
24	** One of the citizens of [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts' Magicant]] invokes this [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall by telling you]] that they're all doomed to [[WelcomeToCorneria repeat the same action over and over again]].
25	** The [[FreudianTrio Id]] practically begs the player to leave them alone amidst a slow five-note background track, attempting to influence the player's sympathy by describing in vivid detail just how wretched their situation has become. What makes this more frightening is that to most people, the [[GoodAngelBadAngel Id is seen to represent desire and instinct]], and plays a key role in emotion such as happiness and anger. To see Andonuts's Id so beaten down and depressed is jarring indeed.
26	--->'''Id:''' look at my giant, disgusting body\
27	isn't this punishment enough\
28	why must you hunt me down\
29	leave me alone
30	* AnimateBodyParts: Dearkhart, the Anxiety Attack enemies, and [[spoiler:NO, NO, and NO]].
31	* AnthropomorphicPersonification:
32	** Dearkhart represents the hatred that [[spoiler:Dr. Andounts]] assumes [[spoiler:Jeff]] has for him.
33	** The NO trio represents [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts' homosexuality]]. Notably, you can choose to run away or fight them for the experience. The game progresses the same way, leaving what consequence defeating the NO Trio actually causes up to the player's imagination.
34	** Phaze Destrotur represents [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts' guilt over the "deaths" of the Chosen Four]].
35	* {{Anticlimax}}: PlayedForLaughs with the "good" ending. After beating the FinalBoss, [[spoiler:Varik returns to the lab and finds Dr. Andonuts dead inside his machine. He shrugs the whole thing off and goes home to get drunk and find some chicks. BUT THEN A [[RougeAnglesOfSatin GHOAST]] POOTS ON HIM!]]
36	* ArcWords: Variants of, "This is all a bad dream," at least for the pre-[[spoiler:Magicant]] segment. It returns for the FinalBoss if [[spoiler:you die, where the narrator says this before trapping you in the game over screen endlessly]].
37	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: If you examine the Halloween Candy item, it'll tell you that it comes in Cinnamon Crap, Grape Gasoline, Cherry Chafe, and Mint. Mint is very disgusting, according to the narration.
38	%%* AutobotsRockOut: Most of the soundtrack, but especially "Megalovania/Dr. Andonuts' Rage."
39	%%* BackstoryHorror: More or less all of the bosses, ''ESPECIALLY'' the Phaze Destrortur.
40	* BarrierChangeBoss: The FinalBoss does this with his second and third forms. To deal with his powerful attacks in these forms, the guide recommends [[spoiler:you copy him by using a mechanic completely unnecessary in the original game: changing equipment mid-battle]].
41	* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: [[spoiler:In Dr. Andonuts' mind, where they fight his personal demons as well as the doctor himself.]]
42	* BeefGate:
43	** Technically, it ''is'' possible to sneak past all the DemonicSpiders in [[spoiler:Magicant]] without doing any of the [[spoiler:memory echo realms]]. It's just a ''very'' unwise idea to do. However, you ''can'' get some really good equipment from it earlier than you're intended to if you do so, [[InfinityPlusOneSword the Sword of Kings]] being one of them. (Which Varik himself can equip, although it's a point weaker than the rapier if you went out of your way to get it early on.)
44	** There's also a major difference between when you ''can'' enter the sewers and when you ''should'' enter the sewers. Additionally, there's a major difference between when you ''can'' attempt to [[spoiler:traverse through DarkerAndEdgier Winters]] and when you ''should'' attempt it.
45	* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The "good" ending. Dr. Andonuts dies and Varik is kicked out of his Magicant, but Andonuts dies in agony and torment, still thinking he killed his own son. The monsters have been stopped, and Varik is returned to Twoson, having grown into a competent and brave bounty hunter.]]
46	* BlobMonster: The Evil Ecto, which looks like a PaletteSwap of the Soul Consuming Flames. They're blobs of ectoplasm, which means [[OurGhostsAreDifferent they're basically ghosts]]. They have a creepy yell and can MindRape Varik with Brainshock Alpha.
47	* BodyHorror:
48	** ''The Uberhaunt'' ''[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment ripped out your innards out!]]''
49	** Also, seriously, what is ''up'' with the Desire Dog?
50	** [[spoiler:One of Dr. Andonuts's attacks is to [[AnArmAndALeg rip off your limbs]]. Strangely, this doesn't do anything more than a huge amount of damage.]]
51	%%* BorderPatrol: The Super Doom Shrooms and Blue Antoids. Impossible to defeat, but can still be avoided.
52	* BountyHunter: Varik is hired by B.H. Pirkle to kill the "monster."
53	* BrokenAesop: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts and the narration itself try to shame the player for attacking the poor insane wretch the scientist has become. Never mind that he is creating murderous monsters to kill all life. If you murder him without bothering to enter his mind, the game treats it as a bad ending in which Varik died or went insane. But even if you enter his mind, you can't get him to recover and you just end up killing him anyway.]]
54	* TheCameo: Varik is the main character from ''VideoGame/{{Brandish}}.''[[note]]The game is using his name from the English SNES version. His original name, Ares, is also selectable during the opening.[[/note]] A song from ''Brandish''[='s=] sequel, named "Synchronicity", is remixed in the game's soundtrack. And WordOfGod is that "Megalovania" was composed by trying to scream said sequel's final boss theme in the microphone.
55	* ChekhovsGunman: Apple Kid mentions he hasn't heard from Dr. Andonuts since Giygas was defeated. [[spoiler:Guess who's responsible for all the monsters?]]
56	* ClusterFBomb: After TheReasonYouSuckSpeech [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts delivers before fighting you as the FinalBoss, he proceeds to tell you he'll shove your ass so far down your throat that when you crap you'll sing fucking Beethoven]]. EXACTLY that.[[note]][[ComicallyMissingThePoint Never mind that Beethoven mainly composed symphonies and sonatas, so "singing Beethoven" doesn't make much sense.]][[/note]]
57	* ContinuityNod:
58	** Twoson's theme is a remixed version of [[VideoGame/MOTHER3 The Love Theme]].
59	** In the final BossRoom, the party gets their sprites changed into their ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings'' counterparts.
60	** [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts' situation is certainly reminiscent of Porky's role in [[VideoGame/EarthBound1994 the original game]].]]
61	** Dr. Andonuts mentions having created [[VideoGame/Mother3 an invulnerable capsule that you can't leave once you enter it]].
62	* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: According to Radiation, he changed Ness, the baseball-hatted teenage protagonist of ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'', into Varik, a mysterious, shadowy-faced medieval bounty hunter. This serves to alienate the player from the idea of the ''[=EarthBound=]'' theme, and set a darker mood.
63	* CreepyCockroach: The Preemptive Scavenger is a PaletteSwap of the Violent Roach. The Preemptive Scavenger is creepier because it looks rotten.
64	* CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon:
65	** Just in case you feel like the confrontation with [[spoiler:Andonuts]] is too downbeat. It's probably one of the most-quoted JRPG lines in recent memory.
66	--->"Varik.\
67	I HAVE FUCKING HAD IT WITH YOUR SHIT.\
68	You little fuckers are going to have your bodies ripped in half.\
69	I'm going to shove your asses so far down your throats that when you crap, you'll sing fucking Beethoven."
70	** He also does the following boast when switching to fire attacks.
71	--->I'm going to burn you to such a crisp\
72	Your ashes will scream for water!
73	* DevelopersForesight:
74	** If you actually manage to make it all the way to the Peaceful Rest Valley entrance, you'll find it blocked by a rock with an angry note from Brick Road.
75	** Similarly, if you ''somehow'' manage to get all the way to Onett [[BorderPatrol without getting completely flattened by the enemies along the way]], you'll find it blocked off by Onett's famous police force, and the nearby house has an NPC that [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] that, no, there's no super powerful weapon or equipment you'll get for making it past all those enemies. [[spoiler:Though, you do find a present with a nice hat in it along the way which blocks the effects of [[OneHitKill Whiteshock]].]]
76	* DidNotDoTheBloodyResearch: Assuming [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]] is a native Foggylander (which is [[FantasyCounterpartCulture the equivalent]] of the United Kingdom in the ''[=EarthBound=]'' verse), it seems weird that he would use the word "fag" as an insult rather than a cigarette.
77	* DownerEnding: If you press A when it tells you to kill the monster. [[spoiler:Even though Dr. Andonuts was going to die in the "good" ending anyway, the game mocks you for being a puppet. That, and Varik was implied to have died, too.]]
78	* EarlyGameHell: Much like in ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'', the early game is rather brutal even if you go out of your way to grind for better equips and unlock Varik's magic. The sewers will quickly swarm you with enemies that easily overpower you or stun Varik, and since he's the only character you have at the time, it's incredibly easy [[CycleOfHurting to get stun-locked into oblivion]]. Even when you get past it, the enemies in [[spoiler:Winters]] can easily wipe you out due to their high attack power and, due to a combination of Varik having low PP and inventory space, the best chance of getting through it is to avoid most of them if you can. Once you get to [[spoiler:Magicant]] and start getting more party members, things start to get decidedly easier… [[NintendoHard in certain aspects, at any rate.]]
79	* EldritchAbomination: The whole game is ''packed'' full of them, both enemies and bosses alike, starting when Varik enters deep in the heart of Twoson's sewers.
80	** The Desire Dog is one particularly hideous and disturbing creature, with [[NightmareFuel melting, dripping, oozing tentacles]] for a face.
81	** The Amalgamate also deserves special mention; it is basically [[NightmareFuel the Desire Dog's face]], the Transdimension Template's body, the Remnants' right arm, the Brain Buster's body, and the Giegue League's face thrown together into a single monster and has the ability to transform into a giant axe and swing itself at you.
82	** Out of all these Eldritch Abominations, however, the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Phaze Destrortur]] is easily the most disturbing. It represents [[spoiler:the deformation of Dr. Andonuts' mental image of the original Phase Distorter due to his guilt over the deaths of the Chosen Four]], hence its [[NightmareFuel horrifically disturbing]] [[JumpScare appearance]] which resembles a robotic, [[PsychoElectro electrically hazardous]], bloodshot-eyed Mr. Saturn with a hideously and grotesquely malformed mouth, creepy legs, untended hair, and a giant, [[TearsOfBlood blood-crying]] [[ThirdEye eyeball tumor]] growing out of its body. Still, it has [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic arguably the most uniquely fitting battle theme in the game]].
83	* EverythingsDeaderWithZombies: Zombie hippies (the Overrecycled) and Starmen (the Remnants) in particular.
84	* EvilKnockoff: The Transdimension Terminate {{Mook\|s}}. It looks like Ness' robot from the very end of ''[=EarthBound=]'' and can cast Lightning Alpha every turn.
85	* EyeScream:
86	--> "NO attempted to rip your eyes out of their sockets!"
87	* FakeDifficulty:
88	** Despite the fact that the hack intends for you to use status PSI as much as possible in battles if you want to survive, Varik barely gets ''any'' PP in order to effectively make use of this. At most, you may be able to get use of one, maybe two status PSI before his PP runs out, in a game that likes to get spam happy with monsters that can easily overpower the group otherwise. This usually means several tedious turns of using PSI magnet to drain PP and get back to full, only to make minimal progress and have to resort to this tactic again.
89	** The sewer might as well be one giant LuckBasedMission, especially considering you only get one character at the time. You get swarmed in groups of three/four enemies that like to stun-lock you, and in large groups you'll be lucky to get even a single turn in as the group stun-locks you to a slow and painful death. Your only real hope of making it through is trying to despawn enemies, which is hard since the sewer water slows down your movements considerably, and enemies like to spawn on top of you as you transfer through doors.
90	* FanSequel: The Halloween Hack takes place in one of ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'''s offshoot timelines.
91	* FelonyMisdemeanor:
92	-->"I didn't wash my hands!" ("Character KO'd" sound)
93	* FinalBoss: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]] ends up filling the spot eventually after an extensive tour of his addled mind.
94	* FleshEatingZombie: The Monster, Overrecycled and Uberhaunt enemies. All three have sprites with blood dripping from their hands and mouths, implying that they eat flesh. [[spoiler:WordOfGod said that one of the Monster enemies was the one who killed and ate the Rosemaries in the beginning of the game.]]
95	* ForcedLevelGrinding: If you're planning on making it through the Twoson Sewers, then later [[spoiler:to Andonuts' lab]], and then [[spoiler:through the memory areas in Andonuts' Magicant]], you're going to do a fair bit of level grinding just before said areas, even if you're smart enough to know the status spells aren't [[UselessUsefulSpell useless.]]
96	* FourEyesZeroSoul: Proceeding through the game slowly warps [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]] into a sadistic being of frothing rage. You give him a MercyKill.
97	* {{Gayngst}}: [[spoiler:Implied for Dr. Andonuts]] through various dialog segments - The boss NO, NO and NO is an AnthropomorphicPersonification of this.
98	* GenreShift: Turns the game's original upbeat mood of light-hearted, courageous adventure into that of a fearful, psychologically warped tale based on the willingness of game players to fulfill what they are obligated to do, even when it goes against their wishes. According to Radiation:
99	-->"It was born of a combination of many things I had been thinking about at the time — the lack of non-stereotypical, major homosexual characters in media, the staleness of a fifteen-year-old video game, the player's consciousness of their own decisions in video games, and the fact that it seemed that most people generally thought I was just 'another funny guy.'"
100	* GoMadFromTheRevelation: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts, upon coming to the false conclusion that the Chosen Four are dead or trapped in the past.]]
101	* {{Gorn}}: Twoson Sewers Part 2 in particular, but everything from there on features some degree of gorn.
102	* GroinAttack:
103	** One of the three "NO!" bosses is a crotch and as an enemy, it needs to be beaten.
104	** [[spoiler: One of Dr. Andonuts's Attacks is to jed the entire party in the crotch enormously hard. This attack can poison the party and is harming Paula as much as it harms Varik, Jeff and Poo, if not more so considering her GlassCannon status. [[note]] Which is TruthInTelevision; a Groin Attack can harm girls as much as it harms guys.[[/note]]]]
105	* GuideDangIt:
106	** At one point, you're presented with a choice that appears to only have one real option, and that option just gives you a DownerEnding.[[note]]In that case, Press The B Button, Stupid![[/note]]
107	** However, it's played straight in trying to figure out what enemies count as undead (to use Timestop on) and what don't (for using Sleepstun on), especially since figuring that out is critical because you ''need'' the {{Useless Useful Spell}}s to [[NintendoHard have a chance of beating this game.]] There are quite a few enemies that ''look'' like they should count as undead but instead technically count as living, as well as there being quite a few that ''look'' like they count as living but count as undead, and considering Varik [[QuirkyBard doesn't have a high PP stat for all his status effects]], you'll likely only be able to get one status off per battle if you don't stock up on PP restoring items. [[ParanoiaFuel Better hope you make the right choice.]]
108	* HardLevelsEasyBosses: For all the DemonicSpiders and GoddamnBats populating the areas of the game, the bosses tend to be far easier by comparison, thanks to usually only fighting one of them at a time instead of being swarmed by enemies and the fact that the {{Useless Useful Spell}}s ''aren't'' useless against them. If a boss is weak to Sleepstun, it's not too hard to lock him into a pattern of keeping him asleep, and if a boss is weak to Timestop, they're as good as dead, really.
109	* HellIsThatNoise: The background music for the Evil Ecto battle is just a single groaning sound played over and over again. Several other songs from the original ''[=EarthBound=]'' that were only meant for brief disturbing scenes have been repurposed as battle music, too.
110	* HopeSpot: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts becomes determined to recover from his madness as his past is explored. Sadly, it doesn't end well.]]
111	* HubWorld: You start in the town of Twoson. Later on, [[spoiler: Andonuts' Magicant]] takes up the role.
112	* HumanoidAlien: In the concept art for this hack, the Giegue League is actually based on a doodle Radiation drew, and it's kind of a parody of itself so to speak. Giegue League resembles Giygas before his breakdown, which is fitting for a custom ROM hack foe.
113	* InformedFlaw:
114	** Apparently, Varik is supposed to be [[IJustWantToBeBadass a wannabe badass]], as the creator of the hack said that he's actually utterly terrified of all the monsters he's sent to kill, as well as having the lowest stat total of anyone in the party. [[TheSoCalledCoward Not that it stops him from doing it anyway, or have any troubles doing it in the process]], nor does it [[spoiler:stop him from willingly going into Andonuts' Magicant in an attempt to bring him back to something resembling sanity]]. The only thing that really [[ShowDontTell shows instead of tells]] you that he might be this is waking up in a pile of his own puke at the start of the game after passing out while getting drunk, and even ''then''...
115	** If anything, Varik comes off as more of a {{Determinator}} and/or a NoRespectGuy to the player than a wannabe badass. In fact, the only one who really calls Varik out on this flaw is [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts in the final battle]], and considering [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope he wasn't exactly all that there either]], nor does Varik really react to it...
116	* IntendedAudienceReaction: Radiation made the beginning of this game charming and humorous, wanting you to think it was just another Arn's Winter Quest. He also made the Twoson enemies simple, goofy palette swaps to make you think he was lazy. It makes the "Wham Level" that much better.
117	* InterfaceScrew: The B-button pressing.
118	* JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: If the player presses the B Button during a certain important event, [[spoiler:Varik enters Dr. Andonuts's mind and discovers the reasoning behind his insanity]].
119	* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]] didn't take the fact that [[spoiler:the chosen four never returned from the past in this timeline]] well at all.
120	* JumpScare: Bound to happen given the creepy, BodyHorror treatment most of the hack's custom foes get. The Phaze Destrortur's UncannyValley appearance is a stand-out.
121	* LaughingMad: [[spoiler:The narrator engages in non-stop, game-ending laughing if you die to Dr. Andonuts at the end of the game.]]
122	* LethalJokeWeapon: The HP-Sucker, when used against the Phaze Destrortur.
123	* MarathonBoss: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]] has tons of HP, so much so that not even [[ThatOneAttack PSI Bitchkill]] will kill him in one hit.
124	* MindScrew:
125	** Varik is the main character of the story who is joined by Jeff, Paula, and Poo... but not Ness. Where is he? The game often draws strange parallels between the two, as if they're the same or Varik has replaced him in more than a story role.
126	** Similarly, are the Paula, Jeff, and Poo [[spoiler:the same ones who were transported to the alternate timeline, who have somehow figured out a way to bridge the gap and attempt to help Dr. Andonuts back to sanity? Or are they just creations conjured up by Andonuts' own psyche based off his memories from them? Considering the "courage" you frequently talk to in his Magicant sounds like it's speaking as if it's each one of them, respectively, and seems to know things Andonuts' himself shouldn't... (Such as the fact that the chosen four ''did'' survive their trip to the past and back again...)]]
127	* MissingMom: [[spoiler:Jeff's]] mom is shown in a flashback leaving [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts and later dying]], explaining why she's not seen in ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}''.
128	* MonstrosityEqualsWeakness: The Id is frightening-looking, but it doesn't even try to fight you. However, after defeating it, [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts goes back to looking human... and then uses his mind power to turn into a PSI-wielding, profanity-spouting superhuman]].
129	* MoodWhiplash:
130	** The game starts out silly and irreverent, just like the canon ''MOTHER'' games. Then you open a door in the Twoson Sewers and the game transforms into something much darker. [[spoiler:Then you enter Dr. Andonuts' mind, which is nothing ''but'' mood whiplash in all directions.]]
131	** Also, in the "good" ending, [[spoiler:after the tragic final battle with Dr. Andonuts, Varik returns home just in time for [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext a ghost to fart in his face]]]].
132	* {{Mordor}}: The World of Doom, a ruined version of Winters.
133	* MorePopularSpinOff: While itself far less popular than Toby Fox's [[VideoGame/{{Deltarune}} later]] [[VideoGame/{{Undertale}} works]], there are few even among fans of the ''Halloweeen Hack'' who are aware of his first ''[=EarthBound=]'' hack, VideoGame/ArnsWinterQuest, which has a much [[LighterAndSofter lighter, softer]] and more comical story about SavingChristmas - err, [[YouMeanXmas EB No Matsuri]] - and was actually [[MythologyGag referenced]] in the ''Halloweeen Hack'' itself.
134	* MuseumOfTheStrangeAndUnusual: The Death Museum. It features models of [[spoiler:Paula, Jeff, Poo, and Dr. Andonuts's wife. A mental construct of Dr. Andonuts in said museum claims he is proud of killing the Chosen Four]]. Most creepily, it has a pedestal perfectly fit for Varik. The blank pedestal is confused about who Varik is.
135	* MusicalNod: "The Id" is not an original song by Toby, like "Meglovania." It's a remix of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyLegendIII'''s "Ending Sol's Demise." Both boss battles are similar, as well.
136	* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts blames himself for the deaths of his wife and the Chosen Four.]]
137	* MythologyGag: The Hack's [[MixAndMatchCritters Amalgamate]] enemies [[note]]which were themselves the inspiration for an enemy of the same name in ''Undertale''[[/note]] are [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin amalgamations of multiple previous enemies]] encountered in the Hack's version of the Sea of Eden, much like the Last Battles from Radiation's first ''[=EarthBound=]'' hack, ''Arn's Winter Quest''. They even have a little speech bubble that says "I'm Old!" Next to their sprite, which was taken directly from the Last Battles (who themselves took it from the miniboss Starman Senior).
138	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: The Uberhaunt, the Transdimension Terminate, [[EldritchAbomination the Phaze Destrortur]], the Monster, the Vladula, Dearkhart, the Giegue League, and the Brain Buster certainly qualify.
139	* NationalStereotypes: Parodied with the Mexican stereotype costume.
140	--> "HELL YES MEXICANS"
141	* NerdGlasses: Bizarrely, Jeff has to find and equip these in order to actually wear them.
142	* NeverSayDie: Very purposely averted. The whimsical death messages were retooled into BloodierAndGorier versions, with unique deaths for many enemies.
143	--> "The Remnant strangles itself to death with its many hands!"\
144	"The Desire Dog's body collapsed into an array of wriggling tentacles!"
145	* NeverTrustATrailer: Done on purpose. Radiation explained on his site that he only put in the humorous beginning scenes in the trailer to make everyone think it was going to be a silly hack.
146	* NewAgeRetroHippie: Obsessive Recyclers. They are an obvious PaletteSwap of the Hippies and live in Twoson Sewers.
147	%%* NightmareFace: The Desire Dog's face.
148	* '''NintendoHard''': Radiation even tells you to spam the save states if you need to.
149	* NoIndoorVoice: The... ''[[EldritchAbomination THINGS]]'' in [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts' consciousness]] tend to yell a lot. It's creepier than it sounds.
150	* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: The "Remember Me?" monster. One of its attacks is to hug Varik, solidifying him somehow.
151	* NonstandardGameOver: Lose a battle to the final boss and you'll end up in the continue screen as usual… [[AndIMustScream except the narrator refuses to let you continue]], forcing you to close and reopen the game.
152	-->"Just kidding, you are dead forever! [[LaughingMad Hahahahahahahahahahahaha]][[BrokenRecord hahahahaha..."]]
153	* NoteFromEd:
154	-->"ED'S NOTE: HAHAH NO IT IS NOT BEEF IT IS PORK"
155	* NothingIsScarier
156	* OurMonstersAreWeird: [[spoiler:In Dr. Andonuts's mind]], you will see [[NightmareFuel the weirdest and creepiest shit...]]
157	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: The Vladula. Falls asleep during battle, but if it wakes up, it has dangerous techniques.
158	* OurZombiesAreDifferent:
159	** The New Age Retro Hippies get another PaletteSwap in the form of the zombified Overrecycled. The Overrecycled look rotten in comparison to the Obsessive Recyclers and end up being an obstacle to Varik's journey like their counterparts.
160	** The Remnant enemy is a goopy, melty version of the Starman {{Mook\|s}} from ''[=EarthBound=]''. They were probably beaten by Ness and came back through sheer will and determination.
161	** When the Uberhaunt dies, it blows up into confetti.
162	* PaletteSwap: Used to great effect. The early parts of the game use cheap palette swaps and out of place enemies like dinosaurs and Frankystein Mark II's, in order to lower expectations. Then extremely elaborate palette swaps begin to appear alongside entirely new enemies, to the point that nearly nothing from Twoson Sewers on isn't heavily modified.
163	* PointOfNoReturn: Lots, since ButThouMust is a major theme of the game: entering the Winters Sewers, entering the World of Doom, entering [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts' lab]], entering [[spoiler:Magicant]], and finally, entering the final BossRoom.
164	* ThePowerOfHate: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]] runs off this during the final battle.
165	-->'''[[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]]:''' I will burn you to such a crisp, your ashes will scream for water!
166	* PureEnergy: Psycho Psource. It can cast various [[PsychicPowers PSI]] and shove itself down the group's throats.
167	* PurpleProse: Some of the enemy attack and death messages can get really flowery, which, combined with the text auto scrolling, can make it hard to read a few of them. A few of them can easily take up ''three'' text boxes by themselves.
168	* PuzzleBoss: Thanks to the fact that a lot of the (supposed) {{Useless Useful Spell}}s actually ''do'' work on the bosses, bosses that can be nightmares are complete jokes. In addition, some bosses can actually be defeated quickly by using outside the box tactics. [[spoiler:A few examples include defeating the "NO! NO! NO!"'s [[GroinAttack groin first defeats all the "NO!"s]] and using [[JokeWeapon the HP Sucker]] on the Phaze Destrortur deals a high amount of damage to it.]]
169	* {{Railroading}}: Varik can explore the town of Twoson, but he cannot leave it because there are really tough enemies on the outskirts of town. If he manages to get past these enemies, the exits are blocked off. Using cheats to go past the boundaries leads to some glitchiness thanks to the massive map edits.
170	* SequentialBoss: The FinalBoss. [[spoiler:You start out by fighting Dr. Andonuts's defenseless Id. After beating it, Andonuts completely loses it. Andonuts himself has five phases, each with its own weakness: First Timestop, then Freeze, then Flame, then reflecting PSI Shields for PSI Bitchkill, and finally one last beatdown.]]
171	* TacticalRockPaperScissors: Whiteshock[[note]]PSI Flash[[/note]] works on undead, Sleepstun[[note]]PSI Hypnosis[[/note]] works on living enemies, and Timestop[[note]]PSI Paralysis[[/note]] works on non-living objects.
172	* QuirkyBard: Varik himself. His stats are notably lower than Ness', and unlike him, he doesn't have a single offense PSI--er... ''magic'' attack. All his magic abilities are status inducers. [[UselessUsefulSpell This is less useless than you'd think, though]], as those status inducers ''will'' be needed [[NintendoHard if you want to even hope to get through this game]]. He can also equip all of Poo's equipment, although some of them are actually weaker than what is exclusive to him. [[note]]For example, the Sword of Kings is a point weaker than his own Rapier.[[/note]]
173	* RapidFireNo: ''In boss form!''
174	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]] delivers one to Varik before the final battle, claiming that Varik is not a hero and that he should leave him alone.
175	-->"Varik! Are you surprised? Look at what this world has done to me. LOOK AT ME! YOU'RE NOT A HERO.. You kill people for money. Where's the heroism in that? YOU WENT INTO AN OLD MAN'S MIND SO YOU COULD KILL HIM! [...] WHAT IS THIS FEELING? ...hahaha, I know what this feeling is... It's hatred. For the person who came so far. Just to destroy an old man. My mind is gone. All that is left is pure hatred. g-[=GUHhmyNOhahahhahaha=]. People says I can't take what I dish out. YOU SEE THIS BURNING, BLOODY UNIVERSE? YOU SEE THIS ULTIMATE, UNLIMITED POWER? Varik. I HAVE FUCKING HAD IT WITH YOUR SHIT. You little fuckers are going to have your bodies ripped in half. I'll shove your asses so far down your throats that when you crap, you'll sing fucking Beethoven. tl;dr: eat shit, faggots."
176	* RecurringRiff: Twoson in the fall. It is the "Twoson" theme and the "Love Theme" from ''Mother 3'' wedged together. Just goes to show how the ''Mother'' games had similar melodies.
177	* RemixedLevel: Many of the ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'' maps are reused in different contexts. For instance, the Twoson Sewers map is an edit of the Fourside Sewers map.
178	* TheRemnant: Several enemies with that name are encountered in Winters and have the appearance of disfigured, half-melted Starmen, suggesting they are this to Giygas' army. [[spoiler:That, or they were reanimated by Dr. Andonuts.]]
179	* RuleOfFunny: Yes, even after things go south. [[spoiler:Every part of Dr. Andonuts's mind has at least some degree of black humor in it.]]
180	* RuleOfThree: The hack contains three Sanctuary (Memory) bosses.
181	* SpoilerTitle: Pressing the B Button at a critical decision will allow the player to access the rest of the game.
182	* ShockAndAwe: The Phaze Destrortur, being [[PsychoElectro a living electrical hazard]], uses this as its main method of attacking.
183	* ShoutOut:
184	** A guy and his cat in Twoson reenact a ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' strip.
185	** The FinalBoss shows up looking like [[spoiler:a modified [[VideoGame/YumeNikki Uboa]]]].
186	** The Id boss was based on one of the {{Final Boss}}es from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyLegendIII''. Specifically, it was meant to be an inversion.
187	** The "Blue Antoid" enemy is named after a forumer on Starmen.net.
188	** NO NO and NO are [[spoiler:''VideoGame/ChoAniki'' sprites that have been edited to be a little creepier. And to focus on the parts Andonuts likes]].
189	** One of the Exit Mice makes a non sequitur reference to ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''.
190	** Radiation confirmed that "Megalovania," the FinalBoss theme, was named after Transylvania and the ''VideoGame/LiveALive'' boss theme "Megalomania." [[spoiler:The similar ideals behind Odio and Dr. Andonuts, especially their hatred, is also notable.]]
191	* SoundtrackDissonance:
192	** The music that plays when you fight [[EldritchAbomination Dearkhart and the Phaze Destrortur]] is easily 'at least' the second-coolest music in the game, despite being used for two of the creepiest enemies in the game.
193	** Also, the Amalgamate has New Age Retro Hippie as its battle theme.
194	* StylisticSuck: The early areas of the game don't have much scary or technically impressive things, but that's to trick the player, to lower expectations.
195	* TakeAThirdOption: When you examine the Magicant machine, you are given two choices: "Kill the monster" and the text box border (which the game tells you to pick a "real answer"). To see the rest of the game, you must refuse by pressing the B button.
196	%%* TearsOfBlood: The Phaze Destrortur.
197	* TheTimeTravellersDilemma: The Chosen Four defeating Giygas in the past has [[spoiler:caused the future to change and [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong undid the damage Giygas caused]], but the original future they came from [[AlternateTimeline still existed]] with Giygas having been ''defeated'', but with all the casualties still having happened. Since the Chosen Four returned to the new timeline they created rather than the old one, their friends and family all think they died, with Dr. Andonuts [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone blaming himself for their deaths]] and kicking off the events of the Hack]].
198	%%* ThirdEye: Again, the Phaze Destrortur.
199	* TurnsRed: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts]] as his attacks become progressively more dangerous.
200	* UnprovokedPervertPayback: One of the Twoson department store clerks freaks out at you because she thinks Varik is somehow ogling her.
201	* UselessUsefulSpell: Averted. Radiation said in a walkthrough he placed a few "idiot killers" in the game. If you fly in and just attack without any form of strategy, they will kill you very quick. However, if the player uses a technique that inflicts status ailments, they will be disabled and unable to deal major damage.
202	* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: A multi-segmented one. First, you go through the dangerous part of Magicant, which is similar to the original game's version but with the enemies from the second Magicant dungeon. Then, you traverse a horrific monstrosity vaguely resembling the final boss's room in the original. After that, you have to get through the Cave of the Past. Finally, you hit the Sea of Eve, where you fight the Amalgamates. After all that, you get a safe zone where you can restock and save before fighting the FinalBoss.
203	* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: The Desperate Survivor "enemies" are bloodied, weeping men who always run from you in Winters. They apologize for fighting you, cough and wheeze with the effort of staying alive, can only deal scratch damage to you when they do choose to attack, and finally apologize for ''your'' murdering them in turn. Killing them serves no real purpose other than to provide an actual choice for once, and fill your inventory with healing items if you're feeling paranoid.
204	* VideoGamesAndFate: The game is basically deconstructing the idea of games that force their player to do things they don't want to do, yet the player still does it anyways for the sake of completing the game or seeing more content (which Toby Fox further explored in ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}''). Even the InterfaceScrew choice isn't really a choice because the outcome is the same, though showing agency and going against the game's will nets you the good ending. [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts still dies. But hey, at least Varik doesn't!]]
205	%%* WakeUpCallBoss: Dearkhart.
206	%%* WeaksauceWeakness: The Phaze Destrortur is weak against the HP-Sucker.
207	%%* WhamEpisode: The Winters Sewers.
208	* WhamLine:
209	** Just as you enter the Winter Sewers.
210	--->"Oh, no. Oh, no no NO."
211	** Also when you [[spoiler:meet the [[EldritchAbomination Phaze Destrortur]]]]:
212	--->"At the time I didn't know why I was so scared. Now I know why. ''[[MyGodWhatHaveIDone THAT MACHINE WAS A DEATH TRAP.]]''"
213	* WombLevel: The last, eerie walk into the center of [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts']] mind seems to take place on a large, pulsating optic nerve/brain... thing.
214	%%* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: [[spoiler:Dr. Andonuts.]]
215	* ZeroEffortBoss: The Id never lifts a finger to try to defend itself. It just sits there and tries to guilt-trip you.

Context VideoGame / TheHalloweenHack