Pokemongames have been around for more than a quarter of a century, with the franchise featuring many songs that will instantly make players feel nostalgic. Whatever generation they grew up with, there will be a collection of songs that takes them back to a time, place, and console where they experienced a standout route, town, or battle for the very first time. But within the music of thePokemongames lies a set of very haunting tracks.
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Most of the time,these songs are associated with haunted placesthat involve a vast collection of Ghost-type Pokemon, like inPokemon RedandPokemonBlue’sLavender Town or the Totem Mimikyu trial inPokemon SunandPokemon Moon. However, some players may not have realized particular Pokemon outside the Ghost-type have a peculiar vibe due to the situation they play over.
1Viridian Forest
Most of the forests in thePokemongames have an ethereal feel to them with their music, like Eterna Forest inPokemon DiamondandPokemon Pearlor Santalune Forest inPokemon XandPokemon Y. However, there are some that verge on being more foreboding than dreamlike. Ilex Forest inPokemon GoldandPokemon Silverand Petalburg Forest inPokemon RubyandPokemonSapphireencapsulate this, but none more so than Viridian Forest inRedandBlue.
As it’s the first major destination in a new trainer’s journey, the music’s vibe perfectly matches the dark, unfamiliar maze filled with Pokemon that a trainer has most likely never encountered. It has a way of putting players on edge while encouraging themto explore the depths of the forestfurther.
2Ruins Of Alph
When players come acrossthe Ruins of Alpha inGoldandSilver, it really is a peculiar site. Unlike other caves in the games, it’s filled with mysterious Pokemon known as Unown, which resemble characters from the Latin alphabet. In addition, the Ruins of Alph theme is eerie, consisting of a haunting melody matching the dark, claustrophobic environment.
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On top of that, if a trainer turns on their Pokegear radio while inside or near the ruins, they’ll hear the Mysterious Transmission on channel 13.5, which transmits bizarre noises. It almost sounds like Unown are talking to each other in a secret language. There’s more of a chance Unown will also appear when the transmission plays.
3Scary House
Nestled away on Route 14 inPokemon XandPokemon Ylies the Scary House, which has an equally spooky theme. The area, also referred to as the Laverre Nature Trail, is eerie enough, with Haunter floating around in the grass. Unfortunately, the route itself seems to be stuck in perpetual Autumn. The haunting theme only plays once the player and their allies decide to enter said Scary House and listen to a ghoulish tale from a man who once sought shelter there.
Said man finds another huddled in the corner, petrified of a “horde of faceless men” that only he can see. The players' friends seem underwhelmed with the haunting story, but the menacing theme and the fear exhibited by the man are pretty creepy nonetheless.
4Abandoned Thrifty Megamart
Trial 6 inPokemon SunandPokemon Moonis not to be messed with, as it sees the playerconfront a Totem Mimikyuin an abandoned Thrifty Megamart. Situated on Ula’Ula Island, the supermarket was destroyed by Tapu Bulu and is now home to an abundance of spooky Pokemon like Shuppet, Haunter, and Gengar.
As trainers complete the trial, a haunting melody cuts in and out of low-quality speakers, with an additional undercurrent of unsettling electrical noise. That’s creepy enough, but added to the trial at hand, it makes the experience of searching the abandoned Thrifty Megamart even more terrifying.
5Slumbering Weald
The Slumbering Weald inPokemon SwordandShieldcontains one of the most beautiful songs in the franchise. Until it drops, that is, and the menacingdisembodied howls of Zacian and Zamazentafill the thick fog of the forest. This theme occurs once more when players encounter the box legendaries in their Hero of Many Battles form, which sees them covered in scars and scratches.
The unsubstantiated fear is amped up during said battle when the player and their newly obtained starter face off with one of thePokemon SwordandShieldLegendaries. However, moves won’t work against it as it’s shrouded in a mysterious forcefield, making the situation even more harrowing as the legendary wolf envelops the player in an even more disorientating fog.
6Area Zero Theme
The main goal ofPokemon ScarletandVioletis to uncoverthe secrets that lie within the Great Crater of Paldea. Once the player does so, entering what becomes known as Area Zero certainly leaves an imprint; thanks in large to its hauntingly breathtaking music. Otherworldly, creepy, and beautiful all at the time, the Area Zero theme matches the overwhelming dread of what lies at the bottom of the crater.
Sending chills down the spine in a mysterious way,Pokemon Scarlet and Violetprovide a rare instance where players will want to stop and take in the music, mixed with the choral highs and punchy lows. The Area Zero theme creates such a memorable atmosphere that’s both hard to forget and creepily disturbing in a way that’s hard to explain.
7Old Chateau
UnlikeXandY’sScary House, trainers can explore the Old Chateau inPokemon DiamondandPokemon Pearl. Unfortunately, players get stuck with one hell of a harrowing song full of ghoulish sounds and effects while they do so. It makes trainers feel as though they’re being haunted as they explore a place they probably shouldn’t be.
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All the distortion and pitch changes inPokemon DiamondandPokemon Pearl’sOld Chateau make it sound like the Ghost-type Pokemon and spirits residing there are trying to communicate somehow. The Old Chateau theme would fit right at home in a horror movie, that’s for sure.
8The Drought
Unlike Kyogre, a Legendary Pokemon that gets a pretty beefed-up theme with Heavy Rain inPokemon Sapphire, Groudon’s Drought inPokemon Rubyis far more menacing. The ear-piercing crescendos make it sound like the player is in a race against time against the Legendary Pokemon’s actions, which is even more terrifying when it’s revealedwhat Groudon can do.
That, coupled with the dialogue between Team Magma’s Maxie and Team Aqua’s Archie, makes for a tense situation that needs to be quelled as soon as possible; just as the song suggests. It’s one of the creepiest pieces of music in thePokemonfranchise, not to mention one of the most memorable.
9Lavender Town
When thinking of the creepiest song in thePokemongames,Lavender Town is a popular choiceamong players, especially those who have been with the franchise since its inception. While it’s undoubtedly less horrifying than players remember, its connotations precede itself. The song is more melancholic than frightening, lending to the fact that Lavender Town is home to the Pokemon Tower: a gravesite for Pokemon.
With it being the prominent gravesite for the creatures in the Kanto region and their spirits residing in the town, the theme is somewhat reminiscent of Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Sonata No 2 in B flat minor, one of the most recognized compositions of the Funeral March genre. It’s a great piece of music, albeit an incredibly creepy one.
