11 Creepiest Urban Legends In Video Games

Did you hear the one about the dead developers making a video game?

Twisted metal sweet tooth
Sony

Whether you believe them or not, it's hard not to get suckered into an urban legend. Because tall tales such as these are so appealing, it's no surprise that the world of video games have their fair share of myths.

But we're not talking about the Tomb Raider nude code or fighting Street Fighter's Sheng Long. We're looking at the lore that have a flair for the macabre.

Because you can learn if there is any truth to these myths online, you'd assume stories such as these would be quashed quickly. However, because gossip can circulate online at an astonishing rate, it's allowed these horrifying urban legends to linger for years. Even after they have been irrefutably disproven, some tales are just too interesting to die.

What's more bizarre is that some of these legends go beyond the game itself, and spill into the real world. There are rumblings of games that have been connected with murders. Some also entrenched in so much mystery, we're not sure if they ever existed.

If you don't mind not sleeping for a while, here's a look at some of the freakiest urban legends plaguing the virtual world.

11. The Shadows In Shiverburn Galaxy - Super Mario Galaxy 2

Twisted metal sweet tooth
Nintendo

When you reach the Shiverburn Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2, there is a peculiar detail you may notice the instant you enter the terrain. If you go into first-person mode and look towards the glacier cliffs, you should notice three shadowy figures watching you.

Thinking rationally, you may assume these "creatures" are an incomplete texture.

But the more you learn about these dark entities, the scarier they become.

Firstly, the file name for these shadows is "HellValleySkyTree". Weirder still, the area these figures reside in is titled "Beyond Hell Valley." Although you can't tell by looking at them, these entities are enormous. (The tallest one is a hundred times larger than Mario.) It's also worth mentioning these enigmatic critters resemble kodamas - Japanese spirits who hide in trees, waiting to curse anyone foolish enough to cut them down.

But what's worse is Nintendo has never explained what these things are. If they were an enemy in the beta removed from the final cut, why don't the developers just come out and say it?

As there's no explanation on what these beings are, gamers have speculated they are some sort of hidden enemy, forever unclassified.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows