Midnight Hour: 7 Paranormal Games to Play in the Dark Tonight.

Based on old rituals to summon the dead and Gods of old, we recommended that you do not, under any circumstances play any of these games, but if you do you’d better know the rules.

If you're bored of Monopoly and seeking something a little darker then simulated capitalism, you might be interested in the following paranormal games. Based on old rituals to summon the dead and Gods of old, each one comes with dire warnings to those daring enough to play not to do so, because with these games you’ll be pitted against the dead and in some cases evil itself. While skeptics say they are simply works of fiction, shared as urban legends on the internet ask yourself is it worth the risk?

Even if you don’t believe in the paranormal we recommend taking these games absolutely seriously. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

The Midnight Game

The Midnight Game is said to be an ancient Pagan ritual that was used as a punishment for those who disobeyed the Gods. It involves summoning the Midnight Man and avoiding him from midnight until 3:33am. Anyone who has played this game advises against it, as most of them have walked away with long-lasting mental trauma at best. This game has one of the highest stakes of any on this list, so if the rest of these aren’t terrifying enough for you, take a look and see what’s involved with summoning the Midnight Man.

To play the game you’ll need the following; a candle, matches, salt, paper and pen, a wooden door and lastly a drop of your own blood. To invite the Midnight Man into your home write down your name and add the drop of blood to the piece of paper. Now turn off every light in the house and place the lit candle and the paper in front of a wooden door. Knock on the door 22 times with the final knock when the clock chimes 12am. Open the door and then blow out the candle and close the door again. Relight your candle immediately. With that the game has started, you have until 3:33am to avoid the Shadow Man as he hunts for you in the dark.

Signs he near includes; whispering sounds, drop in temperature and most importantly the candle flickering or going out. If it does you must re-light it within 10 seconds and then surround yourself in a salt circle which you must remain in until the game ends at 3:33am. But what happens if he catches you? Well, according to those that have played he’ll either trap you inside a hallucination of your worst fear or rip out your internal organs one by one. So whatever you do, don’t get caught, actually, it’s probably best if you don’t play this game at all. You have been warned.

Three Kings

The Three Kings game comes to us from the always unsettling NoSleep Subreddit. In order to participate, you need to set up two mirrors that face each other with a chair placed in the middle. Lastly, you’ll need a lit candle. The chair is your “throne,” making you the King; the mirrors are your Queen and your Fool, although you may know not which is which. At exactly 3:30 AM, you are to sit on the chair with the candlelit, facing a mirror. Hold the candle and stare into the darkness: the game has begun. The purpose of this game is to transport your consciousness to another dimension.

Many players have reported having conversations with themselves in an honest and introspective manner. They gain the ability to look at their past and present through a new set of eyes. Others have claimed that this is a ritual that will induce a lucid dream. Either way, if you’re interested in staying up all night meditating, this may be the game for you. Just remember whatever secrets you may learn will stay with you long after the game has ended, be they good or bad.

3. The Closet Game

The Closet Game’s sole purpose is to summon a demon into your home. To play, stand in your closet with an unlit match and utter the phrase, “Show me the light or leave me in the darkness.” At this point, you should hear a faint whisper. As soon as you hear it, light the match you have in your hand. This is important because if you fail to light your match in time it’s said the demon will pull you into a pit of eternal darkness. If you do light the match, open your closet door and slowly step out into the room. Congratulations! Now your closet is haunted by a demon.

It’s recommended that from now on you never look inside your closet without light, it’s also rumored that if by chance you leave your closet door open at night you’ll see the demon watching you from inside, with red eyes that glow like matches.

One-Man Hide and Seek

One-Man Hide and Seek is based on an old ritual that is said to summon the dead. The folklore that surrounds this game involves restless, wandering spirits, which are said to endlessly search for bodies to possess. You are to summon such a spirit, by offering it a doll instead of a human host. While this game can have some seriously creepy ramifications, it admittedly takes a lot of preparation before play can commence. First, take a doll and empty out the stuffing. Fill it with rice along with a piece of your fingernail or hair and sew it closed again with a red thread. Put the doll in a tub filled with water, then turn off all of the lights. Fill your mouth with saltwater and go back to the tub, where the doll should have disappeared. Begin searching your house, remember to keep all the lights off. This game must take place in the dark.

One-Man Hide and Seek can only end once you have found the doll.  Pour the saltwater into your mouth on it, wait until dry then burn and discard the remains to complete the ritual. Of course, it’s probably easier to just play this with a friend, but if you’re really craving some seriously spooky Hide and Seek then this should do just fine.

5. Dry Bones

If Hide and Seek with a doll seems too soft for you, then you might be interested in this game. Dry Bones is Hide and Seek against a demon, and the stakes are much higher if you lose the game. First, make sure you have a candle and a match. At 12:01 AM, go to your bathroom and stare at your mirror, lighting the candle with your match. Let the match burn out on its own, and then say the words: “I am aware of your presence and I welcome you into my home. Come now.” What happens next? You run as fast as you can and hide. To survive the game you must remain hidden.

To end the game wait until 3am then go to the largest room in your home. Say the following “Thank you for playing, but you must leave now. You are no longer welcome.” At this point, you should hear a groaning sound which means the demon has consented. Legend says if you survive you will be rewarded with a prize of your choosing. If you lose… a fate more terrible than we can describe here, so whatever you do, don’t lose.

Elevator to Another World

The belief in the supernatural importance of elevators has its origins in Korea, where it is said you can travel to another world – possibly to a parallel universe using a specific combination on an elevator. To experiment with this, make sure you go to a building with at least 10 floors and are alone in the elevator. Press the buttons 4-2-6-2-40-5 in that order, and begin your ascent. On the fifth floor, a woman will enter the elevator with you. Make sure you don’t look straight at her or talk to her (just like any elevator ride). After she enters, press the first-floor button. The elevator will then ignore your command, taking you to the tenth floor instead. Once you reach the tenth floor, exit the elevator into another world. If the woman asks where you are going, don’t answer her. To exit the world, get on the same elevator and use the same combination.

7. Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary is one of the most famous paranormal games in existence. We’ve all heard the urban legend based upon the bloody reign of Mary Tudor, or alternatively Mary Worth the child murderer – but have you actually tried it? The objective is to summon her spirit, much like the Closet Game, this game should probably only be tried if you plan on moving out shortly. To summon Bloody Mary, stand in a dark room in front of a mirror with a lit candle and say her name three times. Mary should then appear behind you, covered in blood. Since her spirit is thought to be malicious, encounters are said to be violent and possibly deadly.