by Gregory Gay - 12.22.09

I don’t know about you guys, but I love the holiday season. Love it! Hanukah, Christmas, Festivus, whatever, I love this time of the year. It isn’t for any special religious significance, or even the holidays themselves. No, I love this month because it’s the time where we can finally relax, take a couple of days off of work or school (in my case, both), and get some gaming on.
Believe me, I’ve been taking advantage of that time off. I’ve been playing a ton of games over the past few weeks - inFAMOUS (it’s no Crackdown, but I dig it), Valkyria Chronicles (a game I want to touch more on later - beautiful, charming, immersive, and the most important innovation in the jRPG in years), Mad World (artistically brilliant, but the gameplay is deeply flawed - I had my fill after an hour), Assassin’s Creed 2 (the plot is a bit rubbish, but the gameplay, art, and historical setting hit the right notes), and Left 4 Dead 2 (if you have friends, you need this game).
What about you, fellow rebels? What games have you been enjoying during the holidays? Are you going to bring the Wii to your parent’s house? Are the folks giving you any new games? Do you have any great stories of holidays past? Chime in!











I remember the year I got Animal Crossing GC. That was hella fun!
Carl - 12.22.09 2:30 am
Another good memory is the year my brother got a Genesis. We only ever owned two games for it, Sonic 2 and Street Fighter 2, but it was still fun.
Carl - 12.22.09 3:22 am
Schools done and it means I get to play my games without being interrupted I love it. As well I’m gonna get New Super Mario Bros. Wii for Christmas alongside Spirit Tracks as I’m a poor university student who can’t afford that many games right now.
SO that’s another aspect I’m excited for. More importantly I asked for Tetris ice cube tray and the Mega Man Zero complete works art book. I hope I get those it would be awesome!
YAY… now if it would only snow a little more.
the.maverickk - 12.22.09 5:55 am
I plan on taking up all my time with Crackdown and perhaps a little viva pinata. I need my fix of bright cartoon animals and over the top platforming action at xmas.
Have only recently discovered the absolute joy which is Crackdown, I didnt enjoy the demo, so have avoided it for yeaars. Silly mistake.
Also need to get to grips with brutal legend, have been neglecting it for months now.
ALH - 12.22.09 6:15 am
Honestly, I am just going to use the (brief) break I will get over Christmas just to catch up on everything I’m playing at the moment. A ltitle Left 4 Dead 2 with friends, a little Shenmue while the mood is right, and definitely Christmas Nights into Dreams!
Michelle - 12.22.09 8:25 am
Yeah, definitely agree with you on Mad World. Tried playing it twice, each time gave up after about an hour. Looking forward to playing some of the bigger titles recently - Uncharted 2, New Super Mario Bros, Batman. Also like to finish some XBLA and PSN titles I never got around to finishing, including ‘Splosion Man.
Adrian - 12.22.09 9:14 am
It’s true about Mad World and I’m currently stuck at a boss, the wolf guy from the 5th or 6th level.
My plan is to finish several games I recently got: Mario & Luigi 3 (nearly done), Layton and the Diabolical Box (nearly done), Retro Game Challenge and I must get back to Little King’s Story. Also, I will try to beat that 3rd level in Bit.Trip Void, collect all golden coins in NSMBW and continue with Spirit Tracks.
i_am_error - 12.22.09 11:26 am
Break? What break. The holidays blow
tanooki84 - 12.22.09 12:40 pm
Christmas for me has always been all about games, either getting new ones or finally finding time to play something that’s been sitting on my shelf for months. Oh, and digging out old consoles to entertain the visiting kids and settle some old scores. So many memories
!
Gavin - 12.22.09 2:04 pm
Woot! I’ll be playing Brandish for SNES, Shiren 3 for Wii, Persona for PSP & Random DS games here and there!
Ujn Hunter - 12.22.09 4:12 pm
I remember the time I got a Sega Game Gear, carrying case and two games and my younger brother got a Game Boy, case and two games.
It was awesome.
In the long run he got the better deal though.
Nat - 12.23.09 11:58 am
Years ago, my favorite game during the winter holiday was Animal Crossing on Gamecube. I’ve played the game every day - sometimes without really ‘playing’ it.
I’ve sat before the TV and watched the different animals running around and doing their ‘jobs’
A great game and an experience I’ve hardly had after that game…
Merry Christmas !!!
Bodo - 12.23.09 1:25 pm
I’m taking a brief 30 second break from clash of heroes to post this.
Time’s up!
imaginarythomas - 12.24.09 11:56 am
I actually didn’t get a Super Mario game first day this year. And I want it so. But I did get a complete copy of ElectroPlankton for my cart-only copy and some $. Nothing kills a half hour wait like musically inclined microbes.
LazarusKing - 12.25.09 6:11 am
Christmas is definitely about getting the video games. At least that’s what it’s been for me, growing up in the ’80s and getting Atari and then Nintendo. This year I got my beloved Marcee a Nintendo Wii. She was just shocked, shocked! when I told her. I had to buy a second pair of controllers, the new black ones, for multiplayer games.
For games, I got Wii Sports Resort (my game of the year for 2009), New Super Mario Bros, and Just Dance. All spectacular games that make the Wii shine, especially Just Dance, which is the surprise hit of the season. Seriously, give it a try with friends and you’ll have a blast.
I also downloaded some Virtual Console games for Marcee, including Super Mario Bros 3, Ice Climber, Advanture Island (nes), and Boulderdash (c64). Ah, good times, good times. Still with the VC releases would step up. And what does Nintendo have to do to bring Atari on board? I want my 4-player Warlords, dagnabbit!
daniel thomas macinnes - 12.25.09 4:32 pm