History VideoGame / Beetlejuice

The ''Beetlejuice'' franchise included two video games - one for the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem, one for the UsefulNotes/GameBoy. Both are titled ''Beetlejuice'', and they were both developed by Creator/{{Rare}} and published by Creator/LJNToys. There was also an MS-DOS game, ''Skeletons in the Closet'', based on the cartoon episode of the same name; this was developed by Riedal Software Productions and published by Hi-Tech Expressions.

* DropTheHammer: More like throw, since it'll bounce back and forth in a straight line until caught. This is used to break the possessed sculptures in the house.

* MacGuffin: There are several items scattered throughout the game which Betelgeuse must acquire and utilize, such as two copies of the ''Handbook for the Recently Deceased''. In addition to keys and OneUp objects, he needs specific {{Mac Guffin}}s to remove each of the seven obstacle characters:

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[[folder: The NES game]]

!! Tropes found in this game include:

[[folder: The Game Boy game]]
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* SandWorm: The enemies found in the penalty SecretLevel. They can be extremely difficult to defeat, unless Betelgeuse has a Two-Headed Man Scare up his sleeve.

* SandWorm: The enemies found in the penalty SecretLevel. They can be extremely difficult to defeat, unless Beetlejuice has a Two-Headed Man Scare up his sleeve.

The Game Boy ''Beetlejuice'' game was released in 1992. It's based on the [[WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}} cartoon]], and carries the subtitle of ''Horrific Hijinx From the Neitherworld''. Lydia's house is filled with assorted ghosts who need to be removed, and only Beetlejuice has the power to evict them; of course, it's also his fault that they're there in the first place. The player must guide him through five levels of various insanity throughout the Deetz household and the nearby town to accomplish this goal. But the final boss, Astaroth, takes Lydia prisoner and the game turns into a rescue mission.

* DemotedToExtra: More like Demoted to Scenery. Poopsie, the dog belonging to the Monster Across the Street, is on hand during the pipe puzzle but he's basically decoration.

The NES game, released in 1991, is based on the [[Film/{{Beetlejuice}} film]] and is a notoriously difficult eight-level platformer. The player takes on the role of Beetlejuice, who is attempting to scare the Deetz family and their friends out of the Maitland house. This is done by exploring the house and nearby area, stomping on insects, and acquiring special scare techniques to use on the various enemies. Early levels are based on the film, although later levels are original content.

* BagOfSpilling: Of a sort. If Beetlejuice gets injured while wearing one of his scares, he reverts to his normal form, even if he's only just transformed - meaning that you might have spent a whole lot of Help Vouchers on something you never got to actually use.
* BlindWithoutEm: To get Adam out of his way, Beetlejuice must find and return his missing glasses.

* DemBones: In addition to the "whirly skulls" which are enemies, one of Beetlejuice's special scares is a skeleton.
* EekAMouse: Delia is removed from the game by finding and showing her a mouse.
* EverythingIsTryingToKillYou: Beetlejuice can be injured by such peculiar enemies as ''shafts of light.'' Also, falling into ''some'' holes will kill you, but falling into ''others'' is necessary to get to the next stage. Even more awkward, sometimes it's necessary to climb above the current area, but doing so in other places will kill you.

* FlashOfPain: A variant - when Beetlejuice takes an afterlife-threatening hit, his name appears. If this happens three times, he loses a life.

* HealingPotion: A rather odd variant. Beetlejuice can regain energy by stomping on beetles - instead of eating them, which is what the character is known for doing.
* HitPoints: The location of the meter varies depending on whether the current scene is top-down or side-view, but the screen keeps track of how many times Beetlejuice's name has appeared and how many lives are remaining.
* MacGuffin: There are several items scattered throughout the game which Beetlejuice must acquire and utilize, such as two copies of the ''Handbook for the Recently Deceased'' - yes, he needs both.
* OneTrueLove: Beetlejuice explicitly describes Lydia this way when he finds her.

* SecretLevel: There is a penalty level, Saturn, where Beetlejuice has to avoid sandworms and get back to what he was doing. It can be accessed by opening the wrong door at the Maitland house, and in a few other ways.

* VideoGameLives: Beetlejuice starts with three. He can have up to nine, and these are found in the form of {{One Up}}s throughout the game.

* AWinnerIsYou: Completing the game treats the player to about thirty seconds of Beetlejuice's face and some text talking about how great he is.
* WithThisRing: To make Lydia stop blocking the path, Beetlejuice must find and give her a wedding ring. It's not specified whether the marriage is binding (although judging by his remark that she's his "true love," he seems to be on board with it).

* EldritchAbomination: The FinalBoss, Astaroth, is a head with four arms.

* MinecartMadness: At the end of level 4.

* MacGuffin: There are a few items scattered throughout the game which Beetlejuice must acquire and utilize, such as two copies of the ''Handbook for the Recently Deceased'' - yes, he needs both.

* WithThisRing: The only way to get Lydia out of your way is to find and give her a wedding ring. The game doesn't make it clear whether this marriage is binding.

The ''Beetlejuice'' franchise included two video games - one for the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem, one for the UsefulNotes/GameBoy. Both are titled ''Beetlejuice'', and they were both developed by Creator/{{Rare}} and published by Creator/LJNToys. There was also an MS-DOS game, ''Skeletons in the Closet'', based on the cartoon series; this was developed by Riedal Software Productions and published by Hi-Tech Expressions.

The Creator/AngryVideoGameNerd had fits over this game.

The NES game is based on the [[Film/{{Beetlejuice}} film]], released in 1991, and is a notoriously difficult eight-level platformer. The player takes the role of Beetlejuice, who is attempting to scare the Deetz family and their friends out of the Maitland house. This is done by exploring the house and nearby area, and acquiring special scare techniques to use on the various enemies. Early levels are based on the film, although later levels are original content.

* GottaCatchEmAll: If you manage to get all the way to the final level in the afterlife, the only way to win is to collect the numbers 1 through 6, which allows you to complete the level and thus the game.

The Game Boy ''Beetlejuice'' game was released in 1992. It's based on the [[WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}} cartoon]], and carries the subtitle of ''Horrific Hijinx From the Neitherworld''. Lydia's house is filled with assorted ghosts who need to be removed, and only Beetlejuice has the power to evict them. The player must guide him through five levels of various insanity throughout the Deetz household and the nearby town to accomplish this goal. But the final boss, Astaroth, takes Lydia prisoner and the game turns into a rescue mission.

* EldritchAbomination: The FinalBoss, Astaroth, a head with four arms.

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The NES game is based on the [[Film/{{Beetlejuice}} film]], released in 1991, and is a notoriously difficult eight-level platformer. The player takes the role of Beetlejuice, who is attempting to scare the Deetz family and their friends out of the Maitland house. Early levels are based on the film, although later levels are original content.

* DemBones: In addition to the "whirly skulls" which can be defeated, one of Beetlejuice's special scares is a skeleton.

* FlashOfPain: A variant - when Betelgeuse takes an afterlife-threatening hit, his name appears. If this happens three times, he loses a life.

* HealingPotion: A rather odd variant. Beetlejuice can regain energy by stomping on beetles - rather than eating them, which is what the character is known for doing.

* NamesTheSame: Astaroth, the {{final boss}}, shares his name with the Great Duke of Hell in demonology.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bjgb.png]]

The NES game is based on the [[Film/{{Beetlejuice}} film]] and is a notoriously difficult eight-level platformer. The player takes the role of Beetlejuice, who is attempting to scare the Deetz family and their friends out of the Maitland house. Early levels are based on the film, although later levels are original content.

The Game Boy ''Beetlejuice'' game is based on the [[WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}} cartoon]], and carries the subtitle of ''Horrific Hijinx From the Neitherworld''. Lydia's house is filled with assorted ghosts who need to be removed, and only Beetlejuice has the power to evict them. The player must guide him through five levels of various insanity throughout the Deetz household and the nearby town to accomplish this goal. But the final boss, Astaroth, takes Lydia prisoner and the game turns into a rescue mission.