Now that November is here, the holiday season has begun and many are putting away their favorite horror games in favor of something to celebrate the holidays. The tricky part is that there isn’t a “holiday” genre that correlates with celebrations like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years, or other occassions in the same wayhorror games pair nicely with Halloween.
While there isn’t aholiday genre in gaming, there are plenty of holiday-themed games for enthusiasts to enjoy. Some have ties to specific holidays, but others are able to be enjoyed even after the season ends and the new year begins.
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Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
WhenMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moralesrevealed it was set in Decemberaround the holidays, fans were excited to explore a snow-covered New York City on a scale never seen before. The city is its own character in Insomniac’sSpider-Mangames, but withMiles Moralesthe studio was able to hit players in the nostalgia as they reminisce about holidays while swinging through the city and fighting crime. Whether it’s chasing Rhino through a mall or walking across a snow-dusted Central Park,Miles Moralescaptures winter with excellent accuracy. What’s more, a lot of its narrative revolves around celebrating with family and one’s community, making for a perfect end-of-year game for anyone looking for those fuzzy feelings.
Batman: Arkham Origins
The debate surroundingDie Hard’s status as a Christmas movie has been raging for years, but many gamers agree thatBatman: Arkham Originsis a Christmas game. Set on Christmas Eve several years before the events ofBatman: Arkham Asylum, a $50 million bounty is put on Batman. The game has players fight their way through waves of Christmas-themed levels, and similar toMiles Morales, explore Gotham under heavy snowfall. It’s perfect for anyone looking to cozy up with a warm drink and knock some heads together while enjoying Christmas vibes.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Few games do holidays likeAnimal Crossing,and the most recent entry in the series makes holidays in the winter months feel special.New Horizonsserves as a comfort game for anyone looking to enjoy the season while playing their Switch next to a fire, and with the addition ofBrewster’s cafe in the upcoming 2.0 update,Animal Crossinghas never been cozier. The best part about the game is that no matter what holidays someone celebrates,Animal Crossingwants to celebrate with them. It includes all sorts of seasonal items for different holidays. Plus, it’s a great time to get plenty of excellent gifts from the villagers who inhabit one’s island.
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Saints Row 4: How the Saints Save Christmas
TheSaints Rowseries is known for slapstick humor and its willingness to “lean into the bit,” which is exactly what theSaints Row 4: How the Saints Save Christmasdoes. This DLC expansion is full of irreverent humor and feel-good holiday vibes. WhileHow the Saints Save Christmasspecifically centers the titular holiday, there are aspects for everyone to enjoy from fighting off giant gingerbread men to reenacting classic holiday movies. It’s a great experience for anyone who likes the characters in theSaints Rowseries; it essentially serves as the “holiday episode” that a lot of television shows produce to showcase the magic of the spirit. It’s clear to anyone who has played theSaints Rowfranchise that if anyone needs to be moved by the holiday spirit, it’s the Third Street Saints.
TheDead Risingseries was a perfect match for the holiday season due to several games' shopping mall settings, butDead Rising 4was the first to make good on the premise and deliver aholiday-filled outing for Frank West.Dead Rising 4’s wackier tone makes the game feel like a do-it-yourselfHome Alonevideo game thanks to the elaborate contraptions Frank makes to dispatch undead hordes.
Fortnite, Overwatch, GTA Online
One of the best things about live-service titles is they’re able to constantly update to fit the season, andgames likeFortnite, Overwatch, andGTA Onlineare some of the best examples of service games that lean into real-world seasons. Whether it’s something as simple as giving players holiday-themed skins to more involved holiday modes, it’s always nice when an online game is able to celebrate with its players, whatever background they might come from. What’s more, service games tend to shift from holiday settings right into winter ones as the new year comes about, giving players more reason to stick around and enjoy the season.
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