Nightmare

***Nightmare*** (known in certain regions as ***Atmosfear***) is the first game overall in the *Atmosfear* franchise. Released in 1991 and hosted by the Gatekeeper, it was followed by three expansions, each hosted by different Harbingers.

## Brief

**EXPERIENCE ATMOSFEAR!**

Turn the volume up, the lights down, press **PLAY** on your video cassette recorder and you are in for a night of frightening fun as **NIGHTMARETM** brings a thrilling new dimension to home entertainment - **INTERACTIVE TELEVISION!**

No game ever plays the same twice, and there is no need to **FAST FORWARD**, **REWIND** or **PAUSE** the tape. All you need is **ONE HOUR** and a video cassette recorder.

Once you press **PLAY**, you only have 60 minutes to win or the game's host, **THE GATEKEEPER**, wins! Only you can stop him!

To beat **THE GATEKEEPER**, you must collect 6 keys and make your way to the center of the board where you will face your nightmare; the thing you fear most!

But your number just came up and **THE GATEKEEPER** wants to speak to you! If you fail to answer him or fail his tests, you are banished to the **BLACK HOLE**.

### Contents

* *Nightmare* VHS tape.
* Game board
* 256 cards (48 Fate Cards, 160 Time Cards and 48 Chance Cards)
* 36 Keys (6 for each character)
* 8-10 Nightmare Cards
* 6 tombstone playing pieces
* 6 numbered discs
* 1 coin
* 1 cloth bag
* 1 pencil
* 1 die
* Rule leaflet

## Characters

**The Gatekeeper** - "Your Host"
**Hellin** - the Poltergeist
**Elizabeth Bathory** - the Vampire
**Anne de Chantraine** - the Witch
**Khufu** - the Mummy
**Baron Samedi** - the Zombie
**Gevaudan** - the Werewolf
## Overview

Before the game begins, the Gatekeeper will state to his players that whenever he calls someone by their character color/number, or whose turn it is next, they must always answer "Yes, my Gatekeeper!" He then has the player who has the lowest number answer him with this reply, or they will be banished to the Black Hole and not play again until he releases them. The player with the highest number, after answering the Gatekeeper, rolls first to start the game.

*Nightmare* needs 3-6 people to acquire keys while racing against the clock on the video cassette. The game comes to a halt at irregular times and the Gatekeeper emerges to reward, punish, or mock. Then, the players must write down their "greatest fear" on individual Nightmare cards before beginning. The winner is determined by acquiring six special keys before reaching the middle of the playing board and drawing a "fear". If said player draws another's fear, the tape is stopped and that player is considered the victor. If no one can perform this task within one hour, the Gatekeeper is declared the winner.

## Expansions

Expansions based on each of the characters were planned, as stated in the rules under The Cast of Characters, though only three were released and the fifth was cancelled.

* Nightmare II (Baron Samedi)
* Nightmare III (Anne de Chantraine)
* Nightmare IV (Elizabeth Bathory)
* Nightmare V (Khufu, cancelled)
* Nightmare VI (Gevaudan, never produced)
* Nightmare VII (Hellin, never produced)

## See also

* Transcript
* Rules
* Card List

## Trivia

* On the back of the box stating the list of contents, it mentions 8 Nightmare cards included, but most copies have 10 cards total.
* In some regions, Elizabeth Bathory's name is mispelled as "Elisabeth Bathory" on her playing piece and set of Keys. This was rectified in the 30th Anniversary Edition.

## References

1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. Nightmare (Atmosfear series). Retrieved on April 24, 2022.