If you're not the kind of person who wants to go lurking around in old arcades, but still wants to give Splatterhouse a try, fear not; you have options. In 1990, Namco brought the game to the TurboGrafx-16 and last year that game was brought to the Wii Virtual Console. It's not quite the same game, though, so it warrants further discussion.
Like all console ports at the time, it had to undergo a few changes before it could be released to the home market. Many of the levels have been shortened and a lot of the animations were greatly reduced in frame count to allow the game run smoothly on the limited hardware. The meat cleaver and several of the more violent animations were also completely removed in an attempt to sanitize the game and make it slightly less offensive for parents. However, the game is still fairly violent and did come with a parental advisory. Controls also feel a little looser than the arcade, so be prepared for slightly more difficult play sessions.
It's not the game I would like it to be, but it is still a lot of fun. A good fall back if you have no other option.
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