"Splatterhouse" is an arcade-style sidescrolling beat 'em up with platform elements, in which the player controls Rick, a parapsychology student who is trapped inside West Mansion. After his resurrection by the Terror Mask, Rick makes his way through the mansion, fighting off hordes of creatures in a vain attempt to save his girlfriend Jennifer from a grisly fate. Players of this game will also recognize a number of western horror film influences, such as "Friday the 13th" and "Evil Dead II".