Snoop Dogg is going back to the beginning. November 2023 will mark 30 years since Snoop’s debut album, Doggystyle, released via Death Row Records, and it seems that Snoop has plans to commemorate the anniversary. The West Coast rap icon disclosed to Stephen A. Smith on the September 30 episode of his K(no)w Mercy podcast that he’s been in the studio with Dr. Dre.
“You’re the first one to hear this,” Snoop told Stephen A. around the 34:30-mark. “Me and Dr. Dre been working on an album for the past two months, and it’ll be done in November. And it’s produced by Dr. Dre. It’s our 30th anniversary to Doggystyle. And the name of the album is Missionary.”
When asked why the album is called Missionary, Snoop simply said, “The first album was Doggystyle.”
Leading up to that big reveal, Stephen A. asked Snoop a general question about the origin and evolution of his relationship with Dre. Snoop responded:
“That’s crazy because Warren G walked me to Dr. Dre. Warren G is Dre’s half-brother through marriage, so Warren G would always feel like I needed to be with Dre. Even when they was in their N.W.A. heyday and I was young, he would always press the issue. Once he gave Dre the music, and Dre loved the music, we began working.
And then it became a certain point in time where Dre was like, ‘I need you to to come with me,’ and then we would hang out together. Then, we would ride together. We would go on missions. This is before we was married. … If there was two females, they was definitely friends [and] stayed in the same apartment building, we’d ride out there to see them. He go his way, I go my way, we meet back up, jump in the car, slap a tape in, listen to music — inspired, we go back to the studio, and make a song.
So, our bond became — he had just left N.W.A. So I felt like he was looking for a brother, but I wasn’t a big brother. Someone who could outweigh him. I was somebody that was a humbling soldier that was ready to learn, and at the same time, I was down for the get down. That was my penmanship, my eagerness to get out there and to write for him. Remember, the first record was about him. I was all about writing for him. … To make him ultimate star because we believed in him like he believed in us. I believe that our relationship became family because he seen my work ethic for him.”
Snoop isn’t the only one steadfast in his loyalty to Dre. This February’s Super Bowl LVI halftime show featured Dre alongside Snoop, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and even Anderson .Paak. The captivating performance won three Emmys last month. In August, speculation began that something new was up after Dre, Em, and Snoop were spotted in the studio together.
Snoop acquired Death Row Records in February and reclaimed ownership of his Doggystyle and The Doggfather masters. He then shared that removed several Death Row albums from streaming services “because those platforms don’t pay” during an April appearance on Drink Champs. “What I wanted to do is snatch my music off, create a platform similar to Amazon, Netflix, Hulu. It’ll be a Death Row app, and the music, in the meantime, will live in the metaverse,” he added.
When and where Missionary becomes available is yet to be seen, but until then, the possibilities of what it could entail will live rent free in our heads.
If you’re partaking in “Sober October” this year, you can opt for water, hop water (a product which sounds odd but we really like!), or an alcohol-free brew that at least semi-resembles the beer you imbibe the rest of the year. But non-alcoholic beer is hotly debated because… well, a lot of drinkers think it’s always trash.
We disagree. We’re in a new age of NA beers with many big names and craft breweries mixed in. How big is the NA market? According to data from Drizly, the number of non-alcoholic brands available on their site has more than doubled over the past year. It’s also the fastest-growing category over the last two years. It’s clear drinkers have been craving an alcohol-free alternative.
Keep scrolling to see eight refreshing non-alcoholic (or extremely low alcohol) beers. Each ranked in terms of flavor.
In the past few years, Athletic has made a name for itself in the alcohol-free beer world with its vast array of beers created for athletes and anyone looking to drink beer sans alcohol. While they make some great IPAs, they also make a pretty decent golden ale called Upside Dawn. It’s known for its thirst-quenching, well-balanced flavor with Vienna malts and a mix of American and English hops.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is fairly dull with maybe some floral hops and lemon zest. It doesn’t really smell like a beer, but that’s to be expected. The flavor is grapefruit, orange, and some light hops. Really not much else going on with this one besides the light citrus flavors. Kind of dull to say the least.
Bottom Line:
If you want a non-alcoholic beer that tastes like a can of watered-down grapefruit Squirt, this is the beer for you. Otherwise, try something else.
Lagunitas is well known for its IPA prowess. It’s no surprise the popular California-based brewery would launch a non-alcoholic version of its popular flagship IPA. Brewed with English Crystal malts and dry-hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and CTZ hops, it’s hoppy and loaded with citrus.
Tasting Notes:
Notes of citrus peel, pine, and grass greet your nose before your first sip. While there are more pine resin, citrus, and fresh grass flavors on the palate, due to its NA status, this beer is maltier than it seems like it should be. The longer you drink it, the more all of the flavors begin to disappear and it begins to taste like hoppy, fizzy water.
Bottom Line:
If you really need to have an NA IPA and you want to try Lagunitas’ take on it be aware it won’t taste like your favorite West Coast IPA. If you’re not okay with that just grab the brand’s Hoppy Refresher instead.
The brewers at Brooklyn Brewing don’t want you to crack open its Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Amber and immediately realize it’s a non-alcoholic beer. That’s why they brewed it using a “special fermentation method” in order to create an alcohol-free amber ale that still has the flavors and aromas of the beer you love.
Tasting Notes:
This beer smells more like an herbal tea with a twist of lemon than a beer. Even with this start, it’s still welcoming and at least appears (aroma-wise) that it will be flavorful. The palate continues this trend with notes of fresh baked bread, wheat, citrus peels, and earthy, herbal notes.
It’s not a bad NA beer, it just tastes a little more like fizzy tea.
Bottom Line:
There are slight hoppy notes, but all in all, this NA beer tastes like you cracked open a can of fizzy iced tea with some lemon added.
If you’re a fan of New England-style IPAs, you might be tempted to crack one open this month because you don’t think there are any NA versions worth trying. Well, the folks at BrewDog want to tell you you’re wrong. This NA hazy IPA is known for its juicy flavor highlighted by floral hops and tropical fruits.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas of grass, grapefruit, and dank pine make up this beer’s nose. All are fairly light, but it at least smells like an IPA (albeit slightly watered down). Drinking it reveals bright, floral, piney hops right away. There’s also some tropical fruit, lemon, and grapefruit, but really not much else. It’s slightly piney, watery, and still fairly refreshing.
Bottom Line:
This is a tough NA IPA to rate. It’s piney and has some citrus and fruit flavors. It’s just that it tastes more like fizzy flavored water than beer — which is, not too surprisingly, pretty common in this space.
Partake IPA was the non-alcoholic beer brand’s first beer. Its flagship offering is only ten calories, two carbs, and is a mix of sweet malts and citrus-filled, floral hops. this piney, effervescent NA beer is brewed with Cascade, Amarillo, and Citrus hops and is sure to scratch your IPA itch this month.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a ton of fruit on this beer’s nose. Lemon zest, grapefruit, and slight tropical fruits. There are also some grainy, malty notes mixed in there to remind you this is a beer even if it’s an NA brew. The palate is a mixture of sweet, bready malts and slightly bitter, piney hops. It’s not overly exciting but does the trick.
Bottom Line:
This beer won’t replace your favorite IPA forever, but during sober October it won’t make you feel bad about deciding to take a month off from alcohol.
If you’re a Heineken drinker, you’re going to miss that earthy, herbal, piney, slightly skunky flavor of your beloved beer. Luckily, there’s a non-alcoholic version. Heineken 0.0 is known for its balanced of yeast, malts, hops, and classic Heineken flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Cereal grains, sweet corn, honey, and lightly floral, spicy hops are prevalent on the nose. While much waterier than regular Heineken, it still has the classic cereal grain, sweet corn, slightly hoppy, skunky flavor profile of the original. The finish is crisp and refreshing.
Bottom Line:
If you enjoy the flavor of classic Heineken, you’ll still prefer it to this NA beer. That said, Heineken 0.0 is a great substitute.
If you’re looking for the classic flavors of your favorite IPA this month, look no further than Wellbeing Intentional IPA. Brewed with Mosaic and Citra hops, it’s known for its refreshing, complex flavor profile featuring tropical and citrus fruits.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of herbal hops, peaches, grapefruit, mangos, and light malts greet your nose before your first sip. The palate is centered around notes of cereal grains, bready malts, ripe berries, grapefruit, and spicy, herbal, floral hops. It’s very fresh and highly drinkable.
Bottom Line:
In a market of watery, fizzy, lackluster NA IPAs, Wellbeing Intentional IPA is bursting with complex aromas and flavors. You should definitely grab some this month.
When it comes to early fall refreshment, it’s tough to beat a classic European pilsner. In a month when you’re refraining from Alcohol, the brewers at Untitled Art have the answer with their Italian Pilsner. Brewed with Hallertau Mittelfruh and Strata Hops, it’s crisp, hoppy, and refreshing,
Tasting Notes:
Grassy, floral, slightly herbal hops are the first aromas you’ll notice when you nose this NA beer. Surprisingly, this isn’t where it ends. There are also notes of bready, sweet malts. The flavor continues this positive trend with cracker-like malts, honey, wet grass, citrus peels, and herbal hops. The finish is crisp and memorable.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to NA beers that actually taste like beer, it’s tough to beat this Italian-style pilsner. Hoppy, malty, crisp, and delicious. We’d drink this all month long.
The last half of season two of Power Book III: Raising Kanan began last month which gives fans just a few weeks until the show’s latest season wraps up. Raising Kanan is the second of three spin-offs that 50 Cent brought to life after the success of the original Power series. Aside from shows’ often chaotic storylines, Power is known for its soundtrack provided for the episodes. That includes the show’s theme songs which help set the tone for each episode. Raising Kanan is the only series out of the original and other spin-offs that uses a different theme song, and it’s one that fans enjoy hearing.
Who Sings The Power Book III: Raising Kanan Theme Song?
The theme song for Raising Kanan is titled “Part Of The Game” and it’s a track that features 50 Cent, Bronx singer Rileyy Lanez, and Memphis rapper NLE Choppa. 50 Cent originally premiered the track at the end of 2020. He also gathered Lanez and Choppa to join him in a video for the song that premiered at the beginning of 2021. A shortened version of the song appears at the beginning of Power Book III: Raising Kanan episodes with 50 Cent’s verse and Riley Lanez’s hook playing to kick things off.
“Part Of The Game” is not the first song that 50 Cent has made for the Power series. The song joins “Big Rich Town” featuring singer Joe and that track appears at the beginning of Power, Power Book II: Ghost, and Power Book IV: Force episodes.
You can listen to the full song in the video above.
NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After confirming Namor‘s presence during an emotional and show-stopping Comic Con trailer, Marvel went big on playing up the classic character’s threat to the world in the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever official trailer that dropped a little over a month before the sequel’s highly-anticipated release. In the epic preview, Namor (Tenoch Huerta) can be seen ruling an underwater kingdom that’s hellbent on waging war with the surface world including Wakanda. Revered as a god by his people, Namor can not only navigate the waters with incredible speed and ease, but his winged feet make him a freaking wrecking ball on land as well.
Badass trailers aside, if you’ve never read the Marvel Comics, you’re probably wondering what the heck is a Namor? Well, don’t worry we got you covered.
Marvel Comics
Much like Captain America, Namor the Sub-Mariner is one of Marvel Comics’ oldest characters. With a history that stretches all the way back to the 1930s, Prince Namor is the ruler of Atlantis. Over the years, he’s frequently clashed with the surface world, particularly the nation of Wakanda. He’s one of the Black Panther’s most bitter rivals, and the two have warred repeatedly over the years. (It hasn’t helped that Namor is a primo jerk. Arrogant as the day is long.) In recent years, Namor has been revealed as a mutant, which explains his aquatic abilities and strength. As the MCU sets the stage for the arrival of the X-Men, Namor’s mutant status will reportedly transfer over to Wakanda Forever. However, the film will making some noticeable tweaks to the character.
Marvel
Unlike the comics, Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will rule the kingdom of Talocah, according to Empire. This creative decision is to give the character a more Mesoamerican background and presumably avoid confusion with the Aquaman films that have already staked out Atlantis. As for Namor’s beef with Wakanda, T’Challa’s decision to share his nation’s technology with the world apparently put Talocah in “jeopardy.” This situation causes Namor to stick closely to his anti-hero roots by taking action to protect the seas by any means necessary.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11, 2022.
As Gunna awaits trial on the racketeering charges against him and the rest of YSL, the Atlanta rapper has put in his third request for a bond hearing after previously having his request for bond rejected by the Fulton County Superior Court. His latest motion for bond, filed on September 26, argued, “The State has presented no evidence to support its claims of dangerousness and has dismissed the only serious overt act that was present when the first bond hearing was held.”
So, why was Gunna denied bond?
The first time that Gunna was denied bond was in May, almost immediately after he surrendered to authorities after being named alongside 27 others in an 88-page indictment alleging 56 counts of conspiracy to violate the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act. According to local news, the presiding judge called the rapper a flight risk, and during a hearing to set a trial date, prosecutors accused Gunna of holding a “command” role in the alleged hybrid street gang. The judge at that hearing said his biggest concern with granting bond was potential witness tampering.
Gunna was denied bond again in July, arguing again that the rapper could use his influence to intimidate witnesses. In his latest motion for bond, Gunna points out that prosecutors haven’t provided any evidence that he poses a threat, but whatever the outcome, he’s expected to go on trial on January 9, 2023.
Gunna is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Gin is a fascinating spirit. It’s got a rich history, with its origins as early as the 1100s (likely as genever instead of gin), but many believe it was officially created in the 1500s when, according to legend, a Dutch doctor began prescribing a juniper-based spirit for various maladies. While you’d likely have your medical license revoked if you prescribed it today, it hasn’t stopped it from remaining one of the most popular spirits in the world.
This juniper-based, herb and botanical-laden spirit is beloved as the base of some of the most popular cocktails of all time. Its popularity means that there are numerous well-known, classic brands that many drinkers and bartenders instantly grab without much thought, knowing they’ll get a great product. But just because there are a ton of well-known brands, this doesn’t mean drinkers should limit themselves to names like Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Beefeater, and Hendrick’s.
Myriad underrated, undervalued, underappreciated brands deserve your attention. To find them, we asked for a little help from the professionals, asking distillers and bartenders to tell us the most underrated gins to buy today. Keep scrolling to see all of their picks.
Fords Gin
Fords
Eric “ET” Tecosky, founder of Dirty Sue in Los Angeles
Ford’s Gin. I would put this gin as less underrated and more unknown. This gin has always been a bartender favorite but has yet to crossover into the mainstream. Discovering this gin now is like discovering the Stones at a small club in the early ’60 s. Before you know it, this gin will be playing sold-out stadiums so to speak. This is a great London Dry Gin that leads with flavor. You will get the juniper taste you expect from this style of gin, but you also get a complexity of floral and citrus notes that help this gin live up to its moniker of ’the cocktail gin.’
Negroni? Check. Dirty Martini? Of course. This is a bottle to grab when you are ready to make your favorite cocktails.
Watershed Guild Series Chamomile
Watershed
Jackie Zykan co-owner and whiskey blender at Hidden Barn Whiskey in Sparta, Kentucky
Watershed Distillery Guild Series – Chamomile flavored gin. Incredibly unique, and what I like to call the bourbon drinker’s gin. Packed with notes of baking spice and citrus, this one is not your everyday gin.
If there was ever a gin to make an old fashioned with, it’s this.
In Mexico, we have a range of new gins innovating the category, but there’s one standout produced here in the Yucatán called Gin Katún. We love it for its depth of flavor and nods to Mayan culture. It’s made with 17 botanicals, including four different varieties of local chili pepper, fresh herbs, three different citrus fruits, and various spices.
It generates a story that you not only have to read, but also savor. Highly underrated.
Malfy Gin
Malfy Gin
Wilson Craig, founder of Waterbird Spirits in Charlottesville, Virginia
Malfy Gin is unique, bright and the perfect introduction the category before diving deeper into the more juniper-heavy gins that are much more common in the market. A highly underrated gin, this Italian-produced spirit is known for its flavors of coriander, citrus, and bold, bright juniper.
Barr Hill Tom Cat
Barr Hill
Melissa Katrincic, founder of Conniption Gin in Durham, North Carolina
As founder of the U.S. Gin Association, I’ve gotten to know Ryan Christiansen of Barr Hill, Caledonia Spirits. My favorite underrated gin is a specific style of gin, an aged Old Tom gin by Barr Hill. Their Tom Cat gin has the lovely dual aspect of being an old tom gin (in this instance sweetened by honey) and then it is aged in American oak casks.
The Botanist Gin is delicious. I wouldn’t call it overly underrated, but it’s not at every single bar and definitely deserves more acclaim than it receives. It’s botanical, with all of the ingredients sourced from its home island of Islay, and brings our tremendous flavor when mixed properly.
I’m a big fan of Leopold Brothers Navy Strength Gin. For me, gin is all about balance. Too much juniper and it tastes like a Christmas tree; not enough juniper, and it doesn’t taste like gin. Leopold Brothers did a great job balancing juniper with some beautiful citrus notes, a high navy strength level, and alcohol content.
Isle of Harris Gin
Isle of Harris Gin
Adam Polonski, co-founder and head of whiskey sourcing at Lost Lantern in Weybridge, Vermont
I love the gins from remote Scottish islands, like Isle of Harris gin and The Botanist. When it’s made with botanicals local to the distillery, gin has a remarkable ability to reflect that region’s terroir. And The Botanist, made at Bruichladdich on the island of Islay in Scotland, does this wonderfully. It captures the feel of a unique and beloved place that is very familiar to Scotch drinkers but in a very different form. But, if you really want to get underrated, it’s tough to beat Isle of Harris Gin with its citrus, floral, and slightly sweet, briny flavor from the addition of sea kelp.
Conniption American Dry Gin
Conniption
Jason Barrett, founder and master distiller at Black Button Distilling in Rochester, New York
Durham Distillery Conniption American Dry Gin is highly underrated. It’s refreshing and classic while being innovative and easy to drink. What flavors make it great? Obviously, for gin you need juniper, but it’s so soft and subtle with citrus and floral notes that pair perfectly with your favorite tonic water.
I love No. 3 Gin. It’s great in a martini and also great in tropical and citrus cocktails. The grapefruit and orange really pop and also make for a great, refreshing southside. Juniper, spices, and citrus, this gin has it all. It deserves much more acclaim.
Kenia Os is stepping into a new era of her career with the “Mía Mía” video that was released on Friday (September 30). The Mexican pop star also announced that she is embarking on her first US tour next year.
In the past year, Os has emerged as one of the Mexico’s most promising new artists. She translated her breakthrough as a YouTuber and influencer into a viable pop career. With the release of her debut album Cambios De Luna in March, Os broke the record for the most first-day streams for an LP in Mexico. She has also maintained her strong social media following with over 46 million followers across all the platforms that she’s on.
For her new single “Mía Mía,” Os worked with hit-maker JonTheProducer, who was at the helm of massive songs by Kali Uchis, Jennifer Lopez, and Becky G. Os embraces trap beats with an electronica edge as she tells an ex to get lost. While cutting the guy down to size in Spanish, she also spreads a fierce message of self-love. The video is next level with Os owning her pop stardom among futuristic visual effects. She debuted her new persona for her upcoming K23 album.
“‘Mía Mía’ was the first song we wrote,” Os said in a statement. “We had it in mind that this was going to be part of a new project and that it could literally be a universe of possibilities. With ‘Mía Mía’ I was able to imagine the visual aspect that we can now present to you, in addition to the story we wanted to create for the videos and the ‘K23’ character which is an extension of myself.”
Early next year, Os will be touring the US for the first time with her K23 Tour. The US leg kicks off on February 22 in San Diego. Tickets for the tour are on-sale now and you can buy yours here.
02/22 — San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
02/23 — Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
02/24 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
02/25 — El Paso, TX @ Plaza Theatre
03/08 — Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
03/10 — Houston, TX @ House of Blues
03/11 — McAllen, TX @ McAllen Performing Arts
03/12 — San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec Theatre
03/15 — Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
03/17 — DC @ The Howard Theatre
03/18 — New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
03/22 — San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
03/24 — Stockton, CA @ Bob Hope Theatre
03/25 — Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco
03/26 — Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory OC
As House of the Dragon continues to expand the Game of Thrones universe, there are some parts of Westeros we are only beginning to understand. The show is so rich with imagery and symbolism that there is no choice but to investigate further, which is why people on Twitter wanted to know, “WHAT IS LYKIRI?”
WHAT IS LYKIRI????? #hotd Like dragon passcode or WAT
Since there are a number of languages in the Game of Thrones canon, it is a little hard to keep track of what means what. High Valyrian is the language used by the Targaryens and Velaryons, which means that some words can be understood by dragons. In episode 7, a new command was muttered by Aemond as he approached the terrifyingly gigantic dragon Vhagar. “Dohaeras. Lykiri. Soves.” Many people who don’t speak High Valyrian were understandably confused! Of course, the dragon knew what was going on.
If you didn’t take the High Valyrian course on Duolingo, then you wouldn’t know, but luckily, that’s what the internet is for. Aemond was literally saying “Serve. Calm down. Fly” in order to keep the dragon focused, which is pretty important considering that she is one of the most powerful dragons in the world. So yeah, it’s basically a dragon passcode.
Even though things are looking grim for former best friends-turned-enemies Rhaenyra and Alicent, at least the fans get to learn some new High Valyrian words to try out!
Will Smith‘s first post-Slap movie, Emancipation (in which the King Richard actor plays a slave attempting to reunite with his family in the north), premiered this weekend as part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Legislative Conference. It received mostly positive reviews, with NAACP president Derrick Johnson tweeting, “I had the pleasure of watching the film #Emancipation and can’t begin to tell how powerful this is for OUR community and OUR history. It’s a story of adversity, of resilience, of love, and of triumph. Thank you Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith for sharing your gifts!”
That’s the kind of positive publicity for Emancipation that Apple TV+ needs, considering the streaming service reportedly has no idea what the heck to do with the movie. It looks like an “Oscar movie,” in the sense that it’s a historical drama about a heavy subject from a notable director and starring an acclaimed actor, but any discourse about the film itself will be overshadowed by the time Will Smith slapped Chris Rock (then won an Oscar).
Try to forget about G.I. Jane while watching the trailer above, though. Here’s more:
Scripted by William N. Collage, Emancipation was inspired by 1863 photographs taken of Peter, when the formerly enslaved man joined the Union Army in hopes of finding his family. The photographs were seen around the world and galvanized opposition to slavery as barbaric. The images were a symbolic forerunner to the photos of the battered body of Emmett Till, video of Rodney King and later the George Floyd video. Until the Oscar slap that drew Smith a 10-year ban from the Academy, Emancipation had been considered a prime awards season contender.
Emancipation premieres in theaters on December 2 and hits Apple TV+ on December 9.
Spooky season is upon us! Now that October is finally here, nobody will be able to escape skeletons, black cats, or the color orange until an army of children invades our neighborhoods to demand candy. It’s also a chance to remind folks that spooky can be fun rather than needing to be scary. Sure, there’s plenty of horror out there for those that want to feel their bones chilled, but the rest of us who enjoy the vibes of Halloween without the scary parts have a plethora of options as well — including video games!
While most games that fall under the spooky label in gaming are horror games, there are a handful out there that fit the spooky mold without going into the horror genre. These games are perfect to play if you want to get in the season, or maybe have some Halloween-themed gaming with a partner, sibling, or child. We did our best to find games that are as close to not scary as possible while still being spooky and also being something that you can legitimately still find.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 – Switch
The Luigi’s Mansion series is the pinnacle of spooky but not scary video games. All of them feature Luigi going around sucking up ghosts in a vacuum cleaner Ghostbusters style and just like the iconic movie these games are not meant to be scary. Luigi himself may be spooked as he tries to traverse through a world of ghosts, but the ghosts themselves are about what you would expect from a Mario game. They’re silly, over the top, and extremely creative in a way that is very unique to Nintendo.
We went with Luigi’s Mansion 3 here for a few reasons. The biggest one is that since it’s on the Switch it’s going to be the easiest to find. The other is that Luigi’s Mansion 3 has a great co-op option that makes this game perfect to play with someone else on the couch. It’s plenty of fun on your own, but everyone knows that games are more fun with friends so this gets a strong recommendation from us.
Costume Quest – Steam
Costume Quest is probably the most Halloween-centric game on this list because it’s literally about Halloween! While out trick or treating, your sibling is kidnapped and you have to go on an turn-based RPG adventure to rescue them. Everything about this game is Halloween from the costumes, to collecting candy, and the quests that the player has to complete. On top of all that, it’s also really fun to play too. The gameplay itself is fairly simplistic, making it great for kids, but it’s really fun to explore the world and talk to characters because the writing is superb and genuinely very funny. It also features co-op so it’s yet another game that can be played with someone else on the couch.
Unfortunately, the first Costume Quest can be a little difficult to find on modern consoles since it’s an Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 game. You can play it on Steam, or if you’re someone that doesn’t mind playing the sequel first then you can always play Costume Quest 2 on any modern console. It came out for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One which means it can be played on a PlayStation 5 or Series X/S through backward compatibility. It’s not as complicated to hunt down as it sounds, but you might have to put in slightly more work than the other games on this list.
Death Road To Canada – PC, Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
What if you took The Oregon Trail, set it in a zombie apocalypse, let players put their friends into the game, and wrote one of the funniest games ever made? Well, then you would have Death Road to Canada a total gem of a zombie apocalypse game. While not necessarily spooky outside of the zombie setting, this is a game that’s really fun to play with a large group of friends. It’s the zombie apocalypse and rumors that Canada is a safe haven has the player on a journey to Canada to escape, and as they go on their journey they’ll come across others that can join up with them and those others can be player created versions of friends, family, or whoever really you want them to be. You better be good at managing your resources though, because if your friends die or get mad and leave the party then that’s it for them. They aren’t coming back.
Death Road to Canada shines in its writing. Without giving too much away, there is a scenario where the player gets into a flexing contest with a group of raiders and depending on the result someone has to walk away in shame. It’s extremely funny and only made better when you insert all your friends into the game as well. It’s available on pretty much every modern platform and we highly recommend it.
Castlevania – Switch
Pick any classic Castlevania game and you will find pretty much everything that embodies modern-day spookiness. The player will go on a side-scrolling adventure, whip in hand, and destroy Dracula. On the way, they’ll come across many classic horror icons such as Frankenstein’s Monster, Medusa heads, skeletons, and Death itself. It’s funny because these games were considered horror games back in the day but by current standards the scariest thing about them is how difficult they are. They’re retro games, challenge and all, making them a great way to experience some classic spookiness.
Since these games first came out on the NES and SNES there are plenty of ways to experience them today, but the easiest way is probably the Castlevania Anniversary Collection on Switch. It has all the classics on there so any player can get their fill of spookiness for only $20. Just maybe look up a guide online if you decide to play Castlevania II.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons During October – Switch
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is not a spooky game. The closest it comes to that is a silly ghost that you scare so bad he splits into pieces making you put him back together again, but throughout the month of October, the entire game is full of spookiness. There are Halloween decorations that you can put up, candy is everywhere, and there are plenty of costumes for the player to put on to get into the Halloween spirit. All of this leads up to October 31 when everyone gathers in the town square and the player can use all of the candy they’ve earned for cool rewards and furniture.
Halloween is one of the more fun events in Animal Crossing and it gets even better as your entire island starts to become full of the decorations you put up all over town. If you bought Animal Crossing back in 2020, and haven’t played it since we strongly recommend picking it back up for the holidays. There’s been a lot of updates since then and it’s really fun to back and experience your island for an event like Halloween.
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