Burnout Paradise: This is the most recent entry to the list so I figured it's a good place to start. The game is an arcade racer set on an open world coastal city presumably during the summer or spring. Most of the other entries on this list have at least some winter themed areas. However, this entry is on the list purely based on the story. I got my PS3 for Xmas 2008, one of the best gifts I've ever gotten thanks to the incredible amount of fantastic games that have become available. When I got the console I had no games for it so this is the first one I bought. I said to myself, "I want a racing game" and saw only two prominent games on the PSN, the other was Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. I went with this title and it blew my mind how engaging and lengthy this game was. It's because of this game that most other games I've played since then have underwhelmed me, I set the standard very high from the get go.
Guitar Hero: This is another non-winter themed entry as it has no seasonal theme whatsoever. However, Guitar Hero exists in the memories of our minds as the Xmas toy for several years in a row much like how Elmo and Beanie Babies were previously and how Call of Duty has become since. Guitar Hero 2 was great. I played the shit out of it until I'd mastered all the songs. Then, my save file got corrupted so I did it all again. Guitar Hero 3 left me disappointed but I still played the shit out of it for months until I'd, again, mastered every song. I hadn't seriously played any other Guitar Hero since, save for GH: Metallica, and instead moved on to Rock Band which was superior but never stuck in people's minds the way GH did. In fact, it was Rock Band that was my first foray into the current generation of gaming consoles and became the catalyst by which I sought out to invest in an HD console.
Parasite Eve: For those who don't know, Parasite Eve was one of the exquisite PS1 games from Squaresoft's heyday. The potential franchise went criminally underrated and underutilized save for an unpopular Resident Evil knock off sequel and a 2nd shooter sequel on PSP over 10 years later. The original game would be sold short if it were compared to Resident Evil. It's an action horror RPG with outstanding graphics, an engaging combat system and a complex story based on evolutionary rebellion of mitochondria and one woman's fight to save the city from an uncombatable foe. Some of you biology fans will have serious science boners. I remember the game cinematics were popular at demo kiosks at the time and features some rather grotesque mutations involving mice. What's all this have to do with Xmas? Well, the story is set in New York City on Xmas Eve. There's no more festive, quintessential Xmas setting than NYC. For that this game makes the list.
Twisted Metal: This series was always one of my favorites. I found the story fascinating and the cast of characters piqued my teenage mind like nothing else. In fact, I was so interested in the series that for years I wrote a long going fan-fiction based on characters and elements from the series. This was back in the 90s before any of us had internet so none of this ever went beyond my little marble notebooks and good riddance. Twisted Metal has always been a fantasy demolition derby with machine guns, explosive rockets and demonic powers. Everyone from thugs, junkies, veterans, sociopaths, bounty hunters and otherworldly beings would bring their deathmobiles on Xmas Eve to the Twisted Metal tournament. For the victor they'd be granted any wish, for the losers death. The first game, my favorite, was set in Los Angeles. The sequels were set in locales across the world due to L.A. being totally destroyed in the first game. It's a loose premise looking on it now but back then it was just what my violent young mind was craving. Now, over 15 years later, I spend a lot of time playing games where I shoot guys in the face. So, I guess it has come full circle.
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask: This is another game on this list due to it being an Xmas gift but it happens to be my favorite Zelda title of them all. The game wasn't as epic as Ocarina of Time (but honestly, what game is?) but it was no less satisfying with darker, more cerebral tones. Your mortality is represented by a 72 hour clock ticking down to the end of the world, a clock which stands as a constant reminder that you could die at any minute. I imagine what the citizens in the Fallout universe must have felt as the sirens started to ring and no one knew what would come next. It couldn't be too far off from this. Also, I find most of the 'side quests' in other Zelda games to be either tedious or boring but Majora's Mask relied heavily on fun side quests for character progression and engaging with the world. See, the world you're saving is full of many people with their own stories and problems. Your job, nay, your duty is to meet and help all of these people and develop a vested interest in the survival of their world. It's a powerful game.
Kirby's Adventure: Last, but not least, we have the oldest title on the list and my very first Kirby title. I've played through almost every Kirby title since then and I still say this is the definitive Kirby game. There's no inherent winter themes in the game but it's so fantastical in the dream world setting that it could suit pretty much anyone's tastes at anytime. I think my oldest gaming related Xmas memory is playing this game and eating Cookie Crisp cereal, both of them being gifts that year. It seems the longer we live the harder it becomes to feel carefree and satisfied. I can remember few moments where I've felt that way since though maybe that's just the magic of childhood memory clouding my judgement. Still, it's a great game and I've always enjoyed it thoroughly no matter what time of the year.
