Surprisingly few video games are set during the holiday, and fewer classics gamers need to play every Christmas. That said, there are a few gems, ranging from colourful platformers to moody action games. Let's take a look at this underused subgenre, and see how they rank on the festive-jolliness scale.
Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U
Origins is the third entry in the acclaimed Arkham series, and finds Batman near the start of his career. The game takes place during Christmas Eve, where a crime boss has placed a large bounty on Batman, meaning he has to deal with eight assassins coming for him during a snowstorm – which makes Christmas even more stressful than usual.
Jolliness rating 3/5
Arkham Origins is probably the weakest of the series, but it's still a top-notch adventure and the snowy setting gives it a unique feel.
Die Hard Trilogy (1996)
PlayStation One, Sega Saturn
It wouldn't be Christmas without Die Hard on TV – or Die Hard 2 if you need to mix it up. Die Hard Trilogy adapted the first three movies, with each entry getting a unique game. The first game is a third-person shooter where John McClane runs, shoots and rescues hostages in Nakatomi Plaza. Part two is a light gun game where the unlucky detective shoots his way through locations from the second movie, and the third game has McClane race against time to stop various bombs going off.
Jolliness rating 4/5
Only the first two games are set at Christmas, and while they don't capture the spirit of the season, they're great fun to play.
Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge (2005)
PlayStation 2, Xbox
The sequel to Nightmare Before Christmas came in video game form with Oogie's Revenge, which picks up a year later. The gameplay is a mishmash of Devil May Cry style-combat mixed with Tim Burton's distinct art style. It's not very merry, but it allows players to dress as Santa and toss presents as weapons.
Jolliness rating: 2/5
It's a bit too gothic and creepy to capture the Christmas feel, plus it's not really that much fun.
Daze Before Christmas (1994)
SNES, Mega Drive
It doesn't get any more Christmassy than playing as Santa himself. Daze Before Christmas has the overworked Saint Nick race against time to rescue his elves and reindeers from evil snowmen. He uses his powers to turn the baddies into presents or whacks them with his gift sack; he can also turn into evil twin "Anti-Claus" whenever he drinks coffee.
Jolliness rating 5/5
It's an adorable little platformer that gets by on being quite charming.
Dead Rising 4 (2016)
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Smashing up zombies may not sound festive, but it is when you do it dressed in an elf outfit with a candy-cane sword. Dead Rising 4 finds series hero Frank West trapped in a shopping centre during Christmas with thousands of zombies; he goes clothes shopping, makes new friends and steamrolls over zombie hordes in a big truck.
Jolliness rating 3/5
Its hyper-violent and gross, but for anyone who's ever been shopping during the Christmas rush, getting to stomp through crowds in a mech-suit is fantastic therapy.
