3. Strange Metaphors Abound in Earthbound
Earthbound is pretty much the defining example of when it's okay to use the severely overused phrase, "are you afraid of making money?" It's officially the second game of the Mother trilogy, but is (so far) the only one to be released outside of Japan. I have no idea why this is, Earthbound is a cult classic, and there have been countless requests and petitions for the other two games to be localised. Like I say, it's almost as though Nintendo are terrified of making money - something which could well be true, if their current direction is any indication.
So, what's so disturbing about Earthbound? Nothing. Nothing at all. It's a cartoony, traditional RPG involving aliens, and an assortment of other critters. Seriously, it's all sunshine and lollypops, and devoid of any references to wombs or abortions or primordial evils powered by the tears of abused kittens.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Okay so, Giygas may be a rather obvious choice considering that - along with loss of anonymity and Slender Man - he's scared the jimmies out of the internet collective; but I just couldn't leave him off this list. Everything about him screams disturbing: he's symbolic of an aborted foetus, he was inspired by a rape scene in a film which traumatised Shigesato Itoi as a child, and he's appearance is just downright malevolent. Like most of the entries on this list, he comes out of nowhere. Yes, we know the aliens are behind the events of the game, but the aliens you encounter and battle throughout the game are cutesy and thoroughly Nintendo-esque. Giygas is meant to be evil personified. But that there is the rub: Giygas is merely a tool of Pokey, who abused the fact Giygas has lost his mind and imprisoned him, hoping to use his power for his own nefarious purposes. So the embodiment of every negative trait is now a slavering beast? Seems like a somewhat undeserved reputation there. Giygas is shown to have at least some redeeming qualities - despite being terrifying - seeing as how he seemingly cared for his adoptive parents; whereas Pokey is simply a traitorous little bastard.