Smash Halloween Pumpkins: The Challenge feels like something you would find in one of those "Over 1000 Games" shovelware CDs in the 90s that was loaded with shareware\Freeware\demos. It would probably be one of the better titles, but that’s not saying much. There isn’t a lot of content – most of the levels are very small and aren’t much of a challenge at all. There are only a few actual levels with some moving platforms and strategy involved (showcased in the game trailer.) Only 2 weapons – shotgun and rocket launcher. The boss battles are simple as well – just mash the fire button at them while collecting health and ammo that respawns. It starts out with a story and a short cut scene, but there is no more after that – completing the game just brings up the credits screen.

The biggest challenge is trying to play the game while it hides half of the screen with info boxes. Pick up ammo, health, or even starting a level causes a large info box to popup for a couple of seconds. It has other bugs like when an enemy is hit the flashing sprite stays in place so it looks like there are more enemies than there really are. Overall, it might be a short time waster if you can get it in a bundle, just like how it would have been sold back in the early 1990s.

Smash Halloween Pumpkins: The Challenge feels like something you would find in one of those "Over 1000 Games" shovelware CDs in the 90s that was loaded with shareware\Freeware\demos. It would probably be one of the better titles, but that’s not saying much. There isn’t a lot of content – most of the levels are very small and aren’t much of a challenge at all. There are only a few actual levels with some moving platforms and strategy involved (showcased in the game trailer.) Only 2 weapons – shotgun and rocket launcher. The boss battles are simple as well – just mash the fire button at them while collecting health and ammo that respawns. It starts out with a story and a short cut scene, but there is no more after that – completing the game just brings up the credits screen. The biggest challenge is trying to play the game while it hides half of the screen with info boxes. Pick up ammo, health, or even starting a level causes a large info box to popup for a couple of seconds. It has other bugs like when an enemy is hit the flashing sprite stays in place so it looks like there are more enemies than there really are. Overall, it might be a short time waster if you can get it in a bundle, just like how it would have been sold back in the early 1990s.