Background information
Blast from the past! Remember Day of the Tentacle?
by Florian Bodoky
The 9 best tentacle games (without porn and hentais, sorry!)
8.6.2025
Translation: machine translated
Tentacles in video games usually mean wacky horror or absurd humour. The following games offer at least one of these.
I can't get enough of tentacle monsters, at least not since reading the works of horror author H. P. Lovecraft. Luckily, there are a few video games that cater to this preference - even without the sex or horror genre.
I have selected nine games with tentacles that I would like to introduce to you. The tentacle factor (🐙 to 🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙) shows how strongly the tentacular content is represented in the game.
«Bloodborne»
During my initial search for games that capture H. P. Lovecraft's horror particularly well, I was amazed at the recommendation from «Bloodborne». The trailers rather suggest gothic cities full of monsters like werewolves. After playing through the game, I have to admit: I was wrong. «Bloodborne» actually captures the horror of H. P. Lovecraft the best of all - including tentacled monsters like the Amygdalas.
What begins as a Souls game with a dark atmosphere and werewolves turns into a Lovecraftian spectacle after defeating the boss Rom, the mindless spider. After Rome's demise, the veil that she has kept over the world to protect my psyche falls. Huge, tentacled amygdalas become visible on all the buildings, some attacking me, others simply ignoring me like the inconspicuous tiny creature that I am.
My highlight: If I fulfil the right requirements during the course of the game, I transform myself into a kind of tentacled snail.
Tentacle factor: 🐙🐙🐙
Platforms: PS4
«Octodad: Dadliest Catch»
Tentacles don't always have to have something to do with horror or porn, as «Octodad: Dadliest Catch» proved over ten years ago. The game is just as bizarre as its premise: I control an octopus pretending to be a human family man. I am on the trail of Fujimoto, a chef who wants to turn me into sushi. The aim is to play a human as inconspicuously as possible so that my secret identity as an octopus is not revealed.
This disguise turns out to be the biggest challenge. I have to carry out tasks that are commonplace for humans: Getting cornflakes for the kids or winning presents for them at slot machines. The controls become an obstacle. I have to control my tentacles individually. In other words, four limbs to control. Due to the chaotic nature of the game and the controls, this is not at all easy. Especially because I can't cause too much of a stir because of the aforementioned evil chef.
Things get even wilder in multiplayer when up to three additional players take control of the individual tentacles. Tentacle chaos is pre-programmed.
Tentacle factor: 🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙
Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, PS Vita, Wii U, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Mobile (iOS and Android)
«Day of the Tentacle»
In «Day of the Tentacle», a mutated, purple tentacle drinks the waste water from a laboratory and becomes particularly intelligent, but also power-hungry. Purple Tentacle's goal is to subjugate humanity. His former friend, Green Tentacle, asks the heroes and heroines of the previous game «Maniac Mansion» for help. They are tasked with putting a stop to the up-and-coming villain. However, not everything goes according to plan and the protagonists end up in different eras.
In the point-and-click adventure game from Lucas Arts, I control three characters in the present, the USA at the time of the constitution and a future in which tentacles rule the world. The game delights numerous genre fans and was remastered in 2016, bringing the controls and graphics up to modern standards.
Tentacle factor: 🐙🐙🐙
Platforms Remaster: PC, PS4, PS5, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iPad (iOS)
«Sucker for Love: First Date»
When Lovecraft monsters are combined with a Japanese dating simulation, the result is «Sucker for Love: First Date». In this visual novel, I take on the role of Darling, a ritual-obsessed protagonist who accidentally stumbles across a pink Necronomicon. This is a powerful spellbook established in Lovecraft's lore that contains spells or the premature death of its readers.
The owner of the strange necronomicon is Ln'eta, a monster lady modelled on Cthulhu. The King in Yellow and the ominous Nyarlathotep are also represented in the form of dateable ladies. The aim of the game, which lasts just under four hours, is to catch a kiss from my dream monster.
«Sucker for Love: First Date» is not a serious dating simulation. Instead, developer Akabaka doesn't take itself too seriously and plays with familiar genre conventions. For example, I lose my face while trying to get closer to my sweetheart or die of horror because I looked out of the window and saw the world was coming to an end.
The gameplay takes a back seat to the entertaining dialogue. Because more than reading and the one or other simplified performance of a ritual is not on the programme.
Tentacle factor: 🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙
Platforms: PC, Switch
«The Sinking City»
Where there are tentacles, Lovecraft adaptations are not far away. «The Sinking City» is one of numerous games that directly adopt the visual and narrative elements of the late author.
The Sinking City is one of numerous games that directly adopt the visual and narrative elements of the late author.
«The Sinking City» comes from the studio Frogwares, which is primarily known for its Sherlock Holmes adaptations. In this game, I take on the role of a private detective. My job is to find out what is going on in the half-flooded town of Oakmont. The residents seem to be possessed by unknown forces and there are monsters everywhere. The fact that my character is constantly haunted by visions and the layout of the town keeps changing doesn't help in solving this mysterious case.
Tentacle factor: 🐙🐙🐙
Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
«Baldur's Gate 3»
«Baldur's Gate 3» is a masterpiece. Coincidentally, one that features tentacles from the very beginning. As a game set in the «Dungeons & Dragons» universe, it draws on a broad lore, of which mind flayers (in English «Mind Flayer») are a part. This malevolent race of aliens who want to enslave all other beings was first introduced to tabletop role-playing games in the 1970s - as an homage to H. P. Lovecraft's horror.
These mind flayers are the reason why my adventure in «Baldur's Gate 3» takes its course. At the beginning, I am abducted onto one of their tentacled spaceships, a nautiloid. There, against my will, they implant a parasitic larva into my brain so that it can take control of me and turn me into a mind flayer.
Over the course of the adventure, the mind flayers are more or less in the foreground. They remain a threat until the finale - but also as potential allies or even lovers.
By the way, the first announcement trailer is already getting tentacular. The transformation of a knight into a mind flayer is body horror at its finest:
Tentacle factor: 🐙🐙🐙🐙
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
«Carrion»
«Carrion» begins like many classic horror films. An experiment at a research facility goes wrong and a monster made of biomass breaks free to hunt down the scientists at the station. The clever twist from «Carrion» is that I don't take on the role of the fugitive, but instead control the tentacled biomass.
By eating those present, I regenerate health, grow and unlock new abilities to move even faster through the labyrinthine corridors. The control of the biomass is different to that of humanoid game characters and provides a lot of variety, especially when moving around. It's fun to make my way across the walls and ventilation shafts to my next victims at lightning speed.
The Metroidvania is short, entertaining and the perfect opportunity to slip into the role of a tentacle monster yourself.
Tentacle Factor: 🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙
Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
«Tentacular»
In «Tentacular» I play a tentacular monster. When I put on the VR goggles, I don't cause fear and terror. Instead, I help the people of the island of La Kalma with their everyday problems. This means that I construct buildings in a total of 50 levels, transport individual inhabitants to their desired location or sometimes solve a puzzle.
«Tentacular» incorporates the tentacles as a humorous element in the VR-based controls. Mixed with the game's hilarious physics, tentacle fun is guaranteed for VR fans.
Tentacle Factor: 🐙🐙🐙🐙
Platforms: PC, PS5 (via PS VR 2)
«Splatoon» series
Even Nintendo can't keep its hands off tentacles. With the «Splatoon» series, the video game giant has created a shooter franchise centred around squid people, the so-called Inklings. Instead of cartridges, I shoot paint, which I can dive into and thus move faster. Despite the tentacular coat of paint, the games are solid and entertaining third-person shooters.
Tentacle factor: 🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙
Platforms (Splatoon 3): Switch
Bonus for the first: The Old Gods from «World of Warcraft» / «Hearthstone»
The MMORPG «World of Warcraft» has been around for over 20 years. Enough time to build up a broad lore. This lore also includes the Old Gods C'Thun, Yogg-Saron, N'Zoth and Y'Shaarj, who are an homage to the monsters of H. P. Lovecraft.
Source: Wowpedia
The four cosmic deities will always have a special place in my heart because of the online card game «Hearthstone». On the one hand, the cards made for exciting duels back in the day; on the other hand, I love some of the design decisions that made it into the game with them. For example, the key card C'Thun offends me when I play certain cards. From statements like «You have already lost» to «Your minions think you are weak», it's an unexpected kind of immersion in the card game.
Tentacle factor: 🐙
Platforms: PC, mobile (iOS and Android, only «Hearthstone»)
Bonus for the second: Cathulhu from «Cat Quest 3»
«Cat Quest 3» is a cute action role-playing game that at first glance has nothing to do with tentacles and Cthulhu. Not even at second glance. Only when I tackle the side quest «Lost and Found» does the coolest and most difficult boss fight of the game await me at the end with «Cathulhu» - the feline version of Cthulhu.
Tentacle factor: 🐙
Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
There are many more games with obvious or hidden Cthulhu references. The list is long, almost as long as a tentacle.
Header images: Devolver Digital, Double Fine Productions
Header image: Double Fine Productions
Cassie Mammone
Freelance Editor
cassie.mammone.freelance@gmail.comI wrote my first text about video games when I was eight years old. I haven't been able to stop since. The rest of my time is spent on my love for 2D husbandos, monsters, my cats and sport.
Gaming
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
6 comments
later