December 23, 2023

36. Special: Christmas 2023

Christmas is approaching and the holidays are upon us, yay! For the occasion we entertain ourselves and find some picks from the Christmas game barrel. Today we have Super Delivery Boy: The Holiday Shift (Amiga), MegaXmas'89 (Sega Megadrive), Don't Get Poo'd on by a Reindier (Gameboy), Santa's workout 1,2 and 3 (Commodore 64) and RED for the Atari Lynx! Join us for some Christmas fun; we also have a rundown of our Christmas movies favs!

What is there more to say? Merry Christmas everyone!

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  • Super Delivery Boy: The Holiday Shift
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    Here we have a festive spin-off developed by Neeso Games, immerses players in a quaint arcade-style world. Utilizing the Scorpion engine, it features a unique single-screen experience where players, as an egg-like character clad in holiday attire, navigate snowy levels to deliver color-matched presents while dodging enemies in a single screen platformer. The game’s visuals and color-matching mechanic inject a strategic layer into its arcade feel. However, its simplicity and limited variety could impact replayability despite its charming graphics and innovative gameplay

  • MegaXmas'89
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    In this festive skiing adventure for the Mega Drive, players enjoy a blend of slalom, snow, and free ski modes amidst a Christmas-themed course, complete with a dynamic rendition of Jingle Bells. The game’s mechanics are straightforward, featuring basic controls and a dash function, set against a backdrop of colorful graphics and a unique “Ho Ho Ho” life bar. While the gameplay is simple, the holiday spirit shines through, offering seasonal fun with an emphasis on joy and simplicity, rather than intricate gameplay depth.

  • Santa's Workout 3
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    This game continues the tradition of offering a heartwarming and cleverly designed festive puzzle-solving experience series by Vector 5 Games, masterminded by Jani Parviainen. Inspired by the classic Sokoban game, players take on the role of Santa, navigating through a neighborhood of houses to deliver presents. Each house presents a series of rooms viewed from a semi top-down perspective, where players must strategically push objects to clear paths, explore the premises, and locate the Christmas tree for present delivery.

    The game introduces a fresh sneak meter mechanic, adding a stealth component to the puzzle-solving, which requires players to plan their moves to avoid detection, enriching the gameplay with added depth and strategy.
    Its inspired use of a semi top-down perspective enhances exploration and puzzle-solving, offering a visually appealing and intuitive gameplay experience.

    For seasoned puzzle enthusiasts, the game might initially seem too easy, potentially impacting its replay value once the mechanics are fully mastered. The thematic focus on Christmas may limit the appeal to a seasonal audience, with its charm potentially wearing thin outside the festive period.

  • RED
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    RED is an an action survival game for the Atari Lynx, where players embark on a heroic quest as Red, an elf determined to rescue Santa from evil forces. The goal is to reach the exit door to the next level avoiding the rotating blades and numerous perils: fail to do so and your blood will be spilled all over the floor. Fail too many times and your blood will become the background color of the level!
    Developed for the Lynxmas 2020 game jam, it boasts simple yet compelling gameplay, stunning graphics reminiscent of Taito’s classic style, and intricate sprite work. The game evolves from speed-based challenges to more complex puzzles and enemy patterns in its 1.11 demo version, showcasing a significant enhancement in gameplay depth and design.