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Why are there no games about Santa ?
In my long history of playing video games I do not remember ever coming across a game where you get to play as Santa. Granted the possibilities for exciting gameplay are fairly limited with such a soft hearted cuddly character, but surely it has been developed by someone somewhere ? I'd love to know (just out of curiosity by the way, I'm not going to rush out and buy Santa games all of a sudden !).
In the older days of video gaming (and I am talking about the days when an Atari VCS was the console to desire) a few companies developed a series of religion / bible based games, but funnily enough these never quite took off. But the topic of Santa was (to the best of my knowledge) never released as a game format.
But lets look at todays games. The thoughts of delivering presents to houses in a game is pretty dull, but what if you mix it up with some of our newer characters or game types ?...
Santa Mario
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He's fat, he wears red, he can't run very fast, he rides yoshi (who could be easily adapted to look like Rudolph, given a few twigs to use as antlers, and one of the left over red-noses that seem to pop up every now and again), he doesn't kill people, he's got a rucksack (at least it looks like he does in his next Gamecube outing). Perfect !!
Solid Santa
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This could be more like it. Although Solid Snake doesn't really look that much like Santa (although he does seem to be growing a beard) surely his stealthy approach to life would make him the ideal candidate ? After all we are not supposed to see Santa as he sneaks around delivering presents, so who better for the job. And after all if an naughty kid happens to seem him, a well placed tranquiliser dart will soon erase all recollection of the event !
Santa Croft
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Not a lot to say about this one, but what hot blooded young man wouldn't like to see Lara dropping from their fireplace dressed as Santa ? Not sure about the chimney dimensions though !
Grand theft reindeer
----------------------------
Here's a game idea... your goal is to steal everything from Santa in whatever way possible. In one section our (anti)hero cunningly leaves a glass of milk loaded with whiskey along with some cookies (containing dubious substances) for our fat red friend. Once Santa takes the bait and is pleasantly merry you can steal his sleigh and speed off across the city. Of course this will cause a high speed FBI gunship to chase you, but that is where the fun begins.
Once you loose the cops you can then drop some "presents" (containing high explosives) off to all your mob enemies.
Fun.
Anyone out there got any other ideas for Santa based games ?
Thanks for reading.
KevD.
Here's a few more Chrimbob games for you:
Jak and San-ter
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Walk around some very white locations as Jak, whilst also watching him struggle under the weight of the 300lb old man on his shoulder. Just like the original game, you can be annoyed by Santer chirping up with little comments when you least want them.
SSX (Santa's SaX) Tricky
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Watch good ol' St Nick fall down a hill on his big fat ass. Pure amusement.
Drop-pressies
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Set in a futuristic world, Santa now uses a dropship instead of a sleigh (more economical, anyone can see that) andthe aim of the game is to drop a pressie when directly above a kiddies chimney.
Final Santa-sy
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Build up a team of characters including Santa, Rudolph, Mrs Clause, and more, in an epic battle to rid the world of the Grinch and get all the kiddies presents back in time for Chrimbob.
Pres(id)ent Evil
----------------
Some strange goings on have been reported in a small mid western town. You play Santa, who stumbles upon a workshop where elves have turned bad. In a Silent Hill-esque way, ghost elves come at you with knives, and a wild geranium has been turned into Plant 42. The final boss is the Tyrant (Mrs Clause) who wants you to do the washing up and mend the drain pipe that you said you'd mend last Chrimbob eve. Kill her, kill her now.
Or maybe I'm just getting cynical in my old age.
I'm sure that there used to be festive themed games in the days of cover tapes - usually coded by a reader, and usually beyond dire (but still better than the junk I'd churn out if I tried).
And what about James Pond 2? Santa starred in that, although admittedly, you had to rescue him. It even had a jazzed-up version of Jingle Bells, which incidentally, I heard the Salvation Army playing in town the other week - note-for-note the version in the game.
In saying that though santa costumes should be available in most games that allow you to unlock hiddne costumes.
You had to rebuild his sleigh then deliver all of the presents by daytime.
It was crap. :-)
Why are there no games about Santa ?
In my long history of playing video games I do not remember ever coming across a game where you get to play as Santa. Granted the possibilities for exciting gameplay are fairly limited with such a soft hearted cuddly character, but surely it has been developed by someone somewhere ? I'd love to know (just out of curiosity by the way, I'm not going to rush out and buy Santa games all of a sudden !).
In the older days of video gaming (and I am talking about the days when an Atari VCS was the console to desire) a few companies developed a series of religion / bible based games, but funnily enough these never quite took off. But the topic of Santa was (to the best of my knowledge) never released as a game format.
But lets look at todays games. The thoughts of delivering presents to houses in a game is pretty dull, but what if you mix it up with some of our newer characters or game types ?...
Santa Mario
-----------------
He's fat, he wears red, he can't run very fast, he rides yoshi (who could be easily adapted to look like Rudolph, given a few twigs to use as antlers, and one of the left over red-noses that seem to pop up every now and again), he doesn't kill people, he's got a rucksack (at least it looks like he does in his next Gamecube outing). Perfect !!
Solid Santa
-----------------
This could be more like it. Although Solid Snake doesn't really look that much like Santa (although he does seem to be growing a beard) surely his stealthy approach to life would make him the ideal candidate ? After all we are not supposed to see Santa as he sneaks around delivering presents, so who better for the job. And after all if an naughty kid happens to seem him, a well placed tranquiliser dart will soon erase all recollection of the event !
Santa Croft
----------------
Not a lot to say about this one, but what hot blooded young man wouldn't like to see Lara dropping from their fireplace dressed as Santa ? Not sure about the chimney dimensions though !
Grand theft reindeer
----------------------------
Here's a game idea... your goal is to steal everything from Santa in whatever way possible. In one section our (anti)hero cunningly leaves a glass of milk loaded with whiskey along with some cookies (containing dubious substances) for our fat red friend. Once Santa takes the bait and is pleasantly merry you can steal his sleigh and speed off across the city. Of course this will cause a high speed FBI gunship to chase you, but that is where the fun begins.
Once you loose the cops you can then drop some "presents" (containing high explosives) off to all your mob enemies.
Fun.
Anyone out there got any other ideas for Santa based games ?
Thanks for reading.
KevD.