December has gently knocked on our door, bringing colder days, Home Alone on TV, and everyone's favorite Christmas, leading many to stay indoors and enjoy their hobbies. Although Christmas isn't a common theme in video games, we have managed to find some titles you can enjoy this month.
Christmas Lemmings
The popular little creatures Lemmings have received a series of games, expansions, and demo versions known as Christmas Lemmings or Holiday Lemmings. These titles feature up to 64 levels, with the same gameplay principle, only the Lemmings are dressed as Santa Claus.
Christmas Nights into Dreams
The action game Nights into Dreams first appeared on Sega Saturn, and the story revolves around the characters Claris and Elliot in a dream world where they are helped by a clown named Nights. Christmas Nights into Dreams is a demo version of the original game that came with video game magazines or bundled with other titles. Players could experience two new levels and the full story themed around Christmas, where the goal was to reach the star on top of the tree.
Duke Nukem Nuclear Winter
At first thought, you might be wondering what the popular Duke Nukem and Christmas have in common, considering that the themes of his games are not exactly for everyone's eyes and ears. Duke Nukem Nuclear Winter is an expansion for Duke Nukem 3D, bringing the titular hero a new mission where he must fight against evil snowmen and an army of female elves whose brains have been washed by Santa Claus.
Die Hard Trilogy
Die Hard or Die Hard is one of the iconic action films featuring the acting legend Bruce Willis. There are frequent debates about whether the first two films are related to Christmas, many argue that they are not, even though the stories are set during that holiday. The first Die Hard game was a third person shooter, while the second chose on-rails shooter for its gameplay. Many consider this second one to be the best in the trilogy.
Daze Before Christmas
Daze Before Christmas was a platformer for Sega Mega Drive and SNES where we played as Santa Claus who had to save his reindeer and elves from the evil snowman and the character Mr. Weather. Santa also had another form called Anti-Claus that could be obtained by drinking coffee and provided a range of abilities such as bag attack and immortality.
Batman series
Superhero Batman has had connections to Christmas in the world of video games twice. The first title was based on the second film Tim Burton's Batman Returns, and the second was part of the Arkham series. Returns was a classic beat-em-up that followed the film's story, while Arkham Origins was an action open world game from a third-person perspective and is considered the least favorite title in the series.
James Pond II: Codename RoboCod aka Super James Pond
James Pond II: Codename RoboCod is a Christmas game that many may not remember on their lists, and it is yet another platformer for SNES. Players take on the role of James Pond who must save Santa Claus's workshop and its employees from his rival Dr. Maybe. The game featured 50 levels, and James received a robotic suit that helped him overcome obstacles more easily.
Home Alone
The series that doesn't need much introduction and is still an absolute titan of Christmas movies Home Alone had several video games. Most remember the one based on the first movie that appeared on NES and Sega Genesis, while the one on PlayStation 2 is less known to most.
The Grinch
Another unmissable name associated with Christmas is the popular character Grinch, who is a stubborn enemy of this holiday. Although he started his life in the books of author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known by the pseudonym Dr. Seuss, he later expanded into the world of film, TV series, and video games.
The Grinch (2001) was based on the movie starring Jim Carrey. The game was developed by Artificial Mind & Movement, and published by Konami. The game was available on PlayStation, Dreamcast, PC, and Game Boy Color, and it was created as a partnership between Universal and Konami.
Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is an adventure title that was released in 2007 for Nintendo DS, developed by Black Lantern Studios, which based it on the book and movie.
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is a platformer game that was released for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch and is visually inspired by the book. As always, the goal of the story is to steal the gifts, and players can control the Grinch and his loyal dog Max. Our editorial team has played this title, and you can read what we thought about it here.
The Elf on the Shelf: Christmas Heroes
This title puts us in the role of a trainee elf who must restore the spirit of Christmas and make gifts to help the sleigh take off again. Soon on our portal, you will also be able to read our impressions of the game itself.
Saints Row 4: How The Saints Save Christmas
The main rival of the Grand Theft Auto series, Saints Row, had a special DLC for its fourth installment called How The Saints Save Christmas, in which the famous gang had the task of saving Santa Claus from a space simulation.
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge
Another classic from Tim Burton is a frequent guest on Christmas and Halloween movie lists. The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge is a title for PS2 released by Capcom and is a direct sequel to the film, placing Jack Skellington in the task of saving Christmas and stopping Oogie Boogie.
Dead Rising 4
Capcom's zombie series Dead Rising sets its fourth installment during Christmas in a small town covered in snow and decorations, blending holiday spirit with the killing of Frank West.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Superheroes clearly love winter and Christmas, so the spin-off Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is set around this holiday and serves more as an introduction to Morales' story, as well as a chance to try out new elements.
Viscera Cleanup Detail: Santa's Rampage
This title puts us in the role of a crime scene cleaner, and in one of the DLCs, it takes us to Santa's workshop where we must cover up the traces left by this otherwise jolly man.
Shenmue
One of SEGA's best games is definitely Shenmue, and although it is not the main theme, Christmas still appears in the game and provides an excellent experience.
Parasite Eve
Square Enix's horror hit Parasite Eve is set on Christmas Eve and follows detective Aya Brea who must kill a strange mutation and save Christmas.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The reindeer Rudolph is one of Santa Claus's more famous companions, and he has received his own game this year. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a 3D platformer in which the titular hero embarks on an adventure to save Christmas. The game is based on the animated film of the same name from 1964.
Ebenezer and the Invisible World
Ebenezer Scrooge is the main character of Dickens's work A Christmas Carol, which is an essential classic for anyone who loves literature. Ebenezer and the Invisible World is a metroidvania title developed by Play on Worlds with Orbit Studio. The story is set after the events of the book, where Scrooge is visited by another spirit seeking help to stop a greedy entrepreneur. The game was released in 2023 and is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
