Guess what everybody!! It's only 3 MONTHS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!! How awesome is that?! In commemoration of this grand occasion, let's talk about some games out there that include some Christmas or winter-type levels or themes!
Playing Christmas games goes way back for me. Way back to when my uncle gave me an old computer and I installed classic DOS games, like Jetpack and Jazz Jackrabbit. Both of these has excellent Christmas editions that were there to spread a little holiday cheer and make the countdown to Christmas a little faster.
Jetpack in and of itself is a fantastic game. And any fantastic game that adds the ability to play as Santa and put presents under the tree becomes a legendary game. Even better there is a level editor! Such beauty has scarcely been seen by human eyeballs. Back in the day, I had a great level that was simply meant for messing around. Teleports, random enemies, no goals or anything. Great fun!
Jazz Jackrabbit was also a fantastic DOS franchise. One part Sonic, one part Rambo, the rampaging rabbit always had plenty of adventure. Plus, there was a Christmas version. And, if anything was awesome about Jazz Jackrabbit, it was the music. The holiday music remixed as a sort of techno-rock mashup is simply a joy to listen to. And the gameplay was fun, too.
But these aren't the only games that can let you have a little Christmas fun. Sometimes, you need to look for Christmas inside a regular game. For example, Mariokart has some great snowy levels. The original SNES version had Vanilla Lake, a great level where you race around a frozen lake. The best part was getting mushrooms and trying to see how far across the water you could go before you sank. The N64 version has Frappe Snowland, the snowman-bomb ridden landscape with an excellent soundtrack.
Diddy Kong Racing also has some fantastically festive levels. Frosty Village is my favorite. Weave your car, hovercraft, or airplane through falling snow, giant candy canes, and Christmas spirit so thick you can cut it with a fruitcake knife. And don't forget Walrus Cove. While not as obviously Christmasy, it still provides some winter racing excitement.
But there are even more holiday gaming options outside of racing. Mario Party 3 (the best of the series, in my opinion [and I'm right]), has the best board Mario has ever partied on. The first board is called Chilly Waters, and it has the coolest music and environment around. Watch out for giant snowmen!
Even some 1-player games have some worlds that can help bring a little more Joyeux Noel into your life. Animal Crossing has an entire season of snow and fun! There are even special events during Christmastime. Super Princess Peach, the sadly undersold save-the-plumber adventure includes an entire world of Christmasy fun, complete with jingle bells and candy canes. Most Kirby games include some sort of snowy, cream-cheese world, too.
But don't limit your options to consoles. There are plenty of PC games (and many of them free!) that bleed Christmas. There are tons of Mario-type Christmas adventures, Christmas pinball, Christmas slot machines... you name it!
Basically, there are tons of games out there with plenty of Christmas spirit. It just needs to be found! So get out there, and find some great holiday games! As for me, I think I'm gonna fire up Twinkle Bulbs and play a little Christmas Jetpack.
Have a great Christmas game that I didn't mention? Let us know!
-benjamines
Currently Playing: Kirby Super Star Ultra, TMNT 2 Battle Nexus, Super Smash Bros. Brawl
