Hold on, what’s that cleaver for? No, wait, put it down! Oh, you’re just after this pumpkin? Sorry, video games have given us a very skewed perception of the uses for sharp instruments. There are plenty of ways to enjoy Halloween gaming events this year, but if you’re going to get stuck in with some real-life pumpkin carving, why not check out our roundup of video game pumpkin stencils? These designs (combined with that cleaver) will help you bring your favorite video game characters to fiery life when lit from within. So give your Halloween a geeky spin this year by printing off and following any (or all) of the video game pumpkin stencils below.
Video game pumpkin-carving stencils
We have loads of video game pumpkin-carving stencils below, but if you’re new to pumpkin carving, we recommend getting someone a bit more experienced to help you out -- those big orange squashes can prove quite tricky to cut correctly. When taking on more challenging stencil styles, remember that Lighter shaded areas can be achieved by peeling the pumpkin skin, rather than cutting all the way through. Use the stencils to line up the edges of your design, poke holes through, then carve once you’ve marked out the full design!
HyperX pumpkin stencils
Related: The best scary games to play with your friends
Before we get into stencils of our favorite video game characters, we couldn’t miss out on the chance for HyperX to join in with the spooky atmosphere. We’ve got two different HyperX pumpkin carving stencils to try out below. If you make use of either of them, be sure to share the results with us on Twitter! You can find high-quality images of both the HyperX pumpkin carving stencils here and here.
Nintendo pumpkin stencils
It's finally October! Create spooky jack-o-lanterns with these stencils & share pics using #NintendoHalloween pic.twitter.com/zRyyp9nGD1
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 1, 2014
Nintendo has joined in the Halloween fun in plenty of previous years, releasing official stencils for several spooky characters. If you want to carve out Boo, Bowser, or a cute little Shy Guy, these official pumpkin-carving stencils will help you out.
© Nintendo
If you want to make a pumpkin of the main mascot himself, Nintendo also provided a handy Paper Mario stencil with instructions that'll add a cute touch to your decorations this year.
Pokemon pumpkin stencils
© The Pokemon Company
We’ve given Pokemon it’s own separate section from Nintendo because, hoo boy, they did not hold back on the pumpkin-carving stencils. Take a trip to the Halloween section of the Pokemon website and you’ll find a massive range of stencils including everything from Pikachu to Marowak.
© The Pokemon Company
This year there are even new stencils for the starters of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It's the perfect time to align yourself with Fuecoco, Sprigatito, or Quaxly. There’s a huge range of difficulties here, so pick something you reckon you’re actually capable of achieving or, like us, your attempt could end up looking more like Mimikmush than Mimikyu. The Haunter and Gengar’s Silhouettes are a great place to start for newbie pumpkin carvers.
Minecraft pumpkin stencil
© Microsoft
The blocky nature of Minecraft makes it a perfect title for some pumpkin stencils, and where better to start than our favourite explosive villain, the Creeper. There's no need to limit yourself to just one, though! This year's Spookyfest celebrations include a whole package of Minecraft stencils to use, including a Creeper, Enderman, Spider, and Hungriest Horror.
To grab them for yourself, head to the Minecraft Halloween Spookyfest page and scroll down until you see "Get Crafty With DIY". Click the "Download Now" link and you'll get access to the whole bunch and a collection of mask designs. Minecraft includes plenty of other real-world activities to get involved with, including a recipe for pumpkin dip and a guide to make Minecraft Creepy Cake Pops.
Sonic pumpkin stencils
© SEGA Shop Europe
Pumpkins don't move much, but you can give yours a burst of speed thanks to these official Sonic the Hedgehog stencils! Released by Sega Shop Europe, they include designs for the blue bur himself and Dr Robotnik (Eggman). Check out the full list in the replies to this thread, or download and print the image above.
Hopefully these video game pumpkin stencils will help you add some pixels to your pumpkin fun this Halloween, but if you find any other great gaming stencils then share them with us in the comments section below! If you carve yourself a HyperX pumpkin then make sure you drop us a picture of it on Twitter too! For more Halloween-themed fun, check out our list of the best horror games to play with your friends or new horror releases from this year that you could play this spookfest instead of the usual horror fare.
