Haunted Arcades and Creepy Game Myths

Arcades are full of flashing lights and strange sounds, which can be the perfect recipe for a few spooky stories. Over the years, gamers have shared all kinds of creepy myths and urban legends about haunted arcade games. While these tales aren’t real, they’re still fun to imagine, especially around Halloween!

Glitchy The Ghost

Some players claim that if you beat the high score in some old Pac-Man machines, a glitchy ghost can appear—a strange, garbled sprite that isn’t one of the regular ghosts. It’s just a programming bug, but in a dimly lit arcade, it’s easy to imagine that it’s something spookier.

Polybius: The Arcade Game That Never Was

Probably the most famous arcade myth, Polybius is an alleged 1980s arcade game that supposedly caused strange effects in players, from dizziness to amnesia. In reality, there’s no proof that it ever existed in the first place, but the idea of a mysterious, vanishing arcade cabinet is spooky enough to keep the legend alive.

Haunted Pinball Machines

Old pinball machines can make eerie noises when they power on, even if no one is playing. Some players swear they’ve seen flippers move on their own or heard strange sounds late at night. It's probably just old wiring malfunctioning, but maybe that’s exactly what a ghost wants you to think.

Vanishing Tokens

Every arcade has its mysteries, and missing tokens are one of them. Some kids claim that if you leave a token on certain machines and walk away, it will be gone when you come back, even if no one’s around. Is it a sneaky player... or something else?

Creepy Demo Screens

It's not unusual for arcade games to play short demo loops to grab the attention of players walking by, but some have unexpected or strange screens. Glitches, scrambled text, and strange sound effects can feel pretty spooky when you stumble upon them unexpectedly.

Haunt-Free Games at Action City

If you’re in the mood for some safe spooky fun, Action City's arcade is packed with games to explore. No ghosts, but plenty of excitement! Join us on Friday & Saturday nights in September and October for Fall Fright Nights! Glow-in-the-Park, face painting, scavenger hunts, and more!