Top Halloween game updates for iOS and Android

Today is Halloween. So, er Happy Halloween everybody! Is that a thing people say?

As you prepare for your juvenile dress-up party, reluctantly prepare to shuttle your kids around to your grouchy neighbours, or prepare for a night in watching something scary, consider a positive fact.

Many developers have issued major updates for the Halloween season. Okay, so most of the time this involves a seasonal palette swap, but they're often good fun nonetheless.

It's the perfect excuse to tune out of all the tacky nonsense that's going on around you, at the very least.

Here, then, is a brief round-up of some of the Halloween updates to look out for.

PUBG

Ah, PUBG. Grounded originator of the Battle Royale sub-genre. Now with added pumpkins and candies.

The new update adds an all-new night mode on the Erangel map and Halloween-themed in-game content.

Skullgirls

Have you played Skullgirls on mobile? It really is one of the better mobile fighters on the market.

Anyway, it's received a Halloween-themed update with six new Halloween-costumed silver fighters and a special 24-hour Halloween Prize Fight on the day itself.

Shadowgun Legends

Madfinger promises that "the fortnight long Halloween event marks the beginning of a new era for Shadowgun fans". This includes a themed hub with unique missions and gear to collect - plus a few (presumably creepy) surprises.

Oh, and you can hunt for legendary gear in a new and "hyper challenging" Gold Arena, and there's a new Infusion System for improving your gear.

Bubble Witch 3 Saga

If you're going to call your name Bubble Witch Saga, you'd better be prepared to go big on Halloween. I mean, come on.

Fortunately, King is fully aware of this. To that end, it's introduced an AR mode named 'Spell Battle,' which seems to pull protagonist Wilbur into the real world and gives you an augmented aiming line.

Candy Crush Friends Saga

Candy Crush Friends didn't quite have the same natural level of Halloween potential as Bubble Witch 3 Saga, but King has updated it nonetheless.

The game's Halloween makeover packs Lemonade Lake with pumpkins, Tiffi dons a vampire outfit, and Yeti gains a werewolf outfit.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Nintendo's Animal Crossing series has always shifted to match the seasons, and its popular mobile game is no different.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp features a Halloween event adds some creepy new furniture and clothing.

Darkness Rises

Nexon is getting into the spirit of things by updating its dark-fantasy RPG with new Plague Doctor and Witch costumes.
The update also includes an expanded level cap and special Halloween events.

Disney Tsum Tsum

Disney has added a limited-time event to its cute squishy stuff game, in which "players must find all the ghosts in the Haunted House for the chance to earn the Bat Hat Minnie Tsum Tsum".

Which sounds like a bunch of random and made-up words, but I assure you it isn't.

Disney Heroes: Battle Mode

Three of Disney's more Halloween-appropriate characters join the fray in Maleficent, Scar, and Hades. There's also a Trick-or-Treat contest, with points granted to players for scaring enemies.

You can also collect candy drops and various Halloween-themed badges, which doesn't sound particularly scary. Could be fun, though.

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes

You might think that Halloween doesn't exist in the Star Wars universe. To which we'd politely remind you that Disney now owns all things Star Wars.

To be fair, this Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes update is more of a "Halloween-Inspired Event" in which players can gather a force of Nightsisters and defend Darthomir from peril for special rewards.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Just as with any with-themed game, you'd kind of expect something Halloween-themed from a game all about the world's most favourite wizard (sorry Gandalf).

In the case of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, that includes a new Duelling Club event that lets you turn your opponent's head into a pumpkin. The Great Hall has also received a bit of a seasonal shift in décor.

MapleStory M

Fancy some 2D casual MMO action this Halloween? MapleStory M's got you covered. It's been going gangbusters.

The Ghoulbuster Halloween event increases the level cap from 150 to 200, adds three new worlds, and lets you hunt Halloween-themed monsters, among other things.