As the last piece of pumpkin pie is eaten on Thanksgiving, you can often already hear the shuffling of many people getting their holiday decorations up. To help get many gamers in that mood, presented here is a list of five unexpected games to help get you in the holiday spirit. There’s a very particular itch that can be scratched with a number of these games, and because they come from unconventional titles you might not necessarily expect, it makes them all the more welcome at this time of year.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Friendships and familial bonds are at the forefront of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and having the game take place during the holidays drives that point home even further. As you find yourself swinging through snowy New York, Miles sees himself having to juggle friendships and fighting crime, a staple of the Spider-Man universe. In the same way that Insomniac’s first Spider-Man game was about Peter Parker and his relationship with Mary Jane and Aunt May, the same can be said for this follow-up.
This is a story that’s primarily about family and friendship, and the relationships that endure throughout the toughest of times. With that idea clearly at the core of the game’s story, having it set during the holiday season makes it even more effective. There’s Miles’ relationship with his father, which was explored briefly in the original game, but plays a much larger role in this title, as well as his relationships with Phin, Ganke, and his mom. This is showcased wonderfully early on, as you all join together for a holiday meal, as Miles is left to put on some vinyl records, as his mom makes dinner. It’s a great scene that perfectly encapsulates the holiday spirit that the game is able to capture.
Persona 4: Golden
In the same way that Spider-Man: Miles Morales highlighted the importance of family, Persona 4: Golden also puts a tight focus on your relationship with others. Like many of the games in the series, bonds are a literal gameplay mechanic, and here in particular their importance during the holiday season comes into even greater focus. As you unravel the final mysteries behind the game during this month, soon after you finally get some time to hang out with your friends worry-free. As you’re playing a high schooler in the game, one can’t help but draw comparisons to how this weight lifting off the shoulders shares a familiar feeling for those days when you could finish up all your schoolwork before the break.
You’ll have to play quite a bit to actually get to the holidays in Persona 4: Golden, but by the time you do make it there, you’re rewarded with some of the coziest vibes that the game has to offer. The highlight is hanging out with your friends and family on Christmas, as you all come together and eat a massive cake. The Golden version of the game also adds in one of the most chill songs the series has to offer, as ‘Snowflakes’ perfectly captures the winter spirit. The game even extends the holiday vibes past the typical December date, as in January snow continues to fall throughout the city, and well into February, you’re off snowboarding with your friends.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Ever since the early days of MMOs (massively multiplayer online games), it’s always been fun to see game developers implement either real or fake holidays into their games. Oftentimes these would be timed events that allowed players to participate and get various goodies. One of the best recent examples of this has been the evolution of Animal Crossing, and most recently in New Horizons. All of these events in the game have something special to offer, but when it comes to the holidays, it always hits that special spot.
What’s so effective about this game, in particular, is its ability to bring back fans who have otherwise put the game down for a while, yet still make the return feel welcoming, almost as if you were coming home for the holidays. As the winter season is underway, you’ll see snowy days start to appear throughout December, and when the big day finally arrives, you’ll be able to participate in Toy Day. You're able to get new recipes for items, buy holiday-themed outfits, and even give your villagers presents. New Horizons does a great job of highlighting your makeshift family and friend group that consists of other villagers, as you’re able to enjoy time with them and thank them for the memories you’ve shared together.
Raw Danger!
One might not expect a game about multiple natural disasters to have the ability to conjure up the holiday spirit, but somehow Raw Danger! on the PS2 is able to achieve that feat. A sequel to the game Disaster Report, and the second game in the series, Raw Danger! drops you in the middle of December, as you play as a waiter at a large event. A major earthquake takes place, and you’re left trying to survive the resulting fallout, of which there is a lot.
This game is a little different than all of these other titles, in that it ends up putting you in a dangerous situation almost right away. However, even during all of these terrible events, there's still a sense of peace you're able to find and hold onto as you'll often hear Christmas music as you run around the city. You’ll also see holiday decorations littered throughout different areas, and be able to collect different holiday-themed items to use on your journey. It’s oddly very calming in the way it’s able to bring about the holiday spirit, but for a game with such heavy subject matter, it’s able to do so in an incredibly effective way.
Kingdom Hearts II
For this entry, one could easily also single out a world like Arendelle in Kingdom Hearts III, but there’s a truly special blend of cozy holiday spirit that Kingdom Hearts II is able to achieve. In this title, the game takes players back to Halloween Town from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Unlike the game’s first iteration, this time it also expands to Christmas Town, which holds Santa's house and his workshop.
It’s quite a small area to explore, even when considering the size of the worlds in the game, but there’s still a lot to enjoy. You’ll find yourself running around taking on Christmas-themed heartless, and Sora, Donald, Goofy, all get their own holiday outfits. Even Jack Skellington gets in on the fun as dresses up as Santa. The man in red himself even makes an appearance, leading to some unexpected surprises. Couple all that with the upbeat music that you’ll be listening to, and it makes for the perfect type of area to get you in a festive mood.