Here are the best gaming-themed pumpkin carvings this Halloween

Check out these Halloween pumpkins with a nerdy twist

I’m not much of a pumpkin-carver myself, but one of the my favorite Halloween activities is seeing everyone post their cool jack-o’-lanterns online. It’s all of the fun of a time-honored tradition with none of the work or mess, so that’s a win-win in my book. While there are some pretty impressive carvings out there, obviously the best ones are the gaming-themed gourds, and there are plenty of them out there. This year, I scoured Reddit in search of the best pumpkins so you don’t have to, and I have to say that I’m pretty pleased with the selection this year.

Cult of the Lamb

Starting off strong with one of my favorite games of the year, this pumpkin features the titular character of Cult of the Lamb, the adorably twisted roguelike/management sim. This carving is complete with bleeding eyes and his little hat, but the best part is that the back of the pumpkin is carved with the symbols of all four heretic prophets. Major points for the attention to detail!

WORSHIP LAMB from gaming

Pac-Man

Pac-Man is one of the most well-loved games of all time, so it’s only natural it would pop up on this list more than once. This jack-o’-lantern in particular features one of the game’s four ghosts, and has the bottom of the pumpkin carved out to make the little guy look like he’s floating. I have no idea how they managed to suspend the light inside, but it looks awesome.

Pac-man Ghost made for a work pumpkin contest. from gaming

Resident Evil Village

It wouldn’t be Halloween with a Resident Evil-themed pumpkin, and this one features the giantess that broke the internet: Lady Dimitrescu. I’m honestly surprised at how well her likeness transferred onto a seasonal fruit, but sure enough, it’s unmistakably her. Couldn’t miss her with that cleavage and that hat.

Lady Dimitrescu pumpkin I carved this year. from gaming

Fallout

This next one isn’t so much a pumpkin carving as it is a pumpkin painting, but it’s definitely in the spirit of things, so I’m including it. A Fallout fan painted his pumpkin so that it depicted the Vault Boy in his classic thumbs up pose, and he even has the matching t-shirt to boot. A painted design looks like a great alternative for someone who doesn’t want to spend half the night mopping up pumpkin guts, so I might have to follow suit next year.

Vault Boy Pumpkin I painted! ???????? from gaming

Portal

Okay, this Portal pumpkin has to be my favorite of the year. Not only is it from one of my favorite game series of all time, but this turret pumpkin carving has to be one of the most creative jack-o’-lantern designs I’ve ever seen. The creator actually 3D printed all of the plastic pieces featured (and provided the plans for anyone who wants to replicate it), and actually posted a video of the build. This is a triumph, huge success.

I made my pumpkin into a Portal Turret for Halloween this year from gaming

The Legend of Zelda

I carved link into a pumpkin from gaming

It’s great to see another classic game series represented, and this pumpkin was carved with all of the elegance the series deserves. It may be a bit simple compared to some of the other jack-o’-lanterns on this list, but it’s got to be one of the cleanest. The simple, cartoony depiction of Breath of the Wild Link is so well carved, I can’t imagine how much time it took to refine.

Half-Life, Pac-Man, and Chess

What’s better than a jack-o’-lantern? Four jack-o’-lanterns! An entire family carved their pumpkins together to depict their favorite games, featuring the Half-Life logo, a depiction of Pac-Man chasing a ghost, and what was going to be a chess board, the poster clarified in the comments, but ended up being a cool-looking geometric design. There’s also a little mini pumpkin in the mix, and while I don’t think the owl is a nod to any game in particular, it is absolutely adorable.

Check out my family’s pumpkins! Mine is the Half-life pumpkin. from gaming

Minecraft and Among Us

Pretty much all of the Halloween pumpkin carvings on this list look like they could have been done by a professional, but these pumpkins actually were — the Minecraft and Among Us pumpkins are part of an event called Carved at the Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge, California. The meticulously detailed jack-o’-lanterns are some of the best I’ve ever seen, and I understand why people would pay money to see gardens full of pumpkins like these.

Gaming pumpkins @ Carved, Descanso Gardens from gaming

Luigi’s Mansion

Luigi’s Mansion is a perfect game to represent on a Halloween pumpkin, because what could be more Halloween-y than a big spooky house full of ghosts. Not only does the front have a classically-terrified Luigi mid-scream, but also features a boo carved into the back, which illuminates the wall behind with its spooky silhouette. Great idea, even better execution!

My jack o’lantern this year from gaming

Well, that’s our list of the best gaming Halloween pumpkins of the year. Are there any we missed? Do you carve your own gaming jack-o’-lanterns? What’s your favorite game you’d want to see carved into the side of a gourd? Let us know in the comments below!