54 Christmas video games

The 3rd Birthday is a third-person role-playing shooter co-developed by Square Enix and HexaDrive, and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable. It was released in Japan in 2010 and in North America and Europe in 2011. The game is both the third entry in the Parasite Eve video game series, based on the titular Japanese novel, and a spin-off, having only a loose connection to events from past games. The game features a third-person shooter-based combat system with role-playing mechanics. A key mechanic is the Overdive ability, which allows the player to possess pre-positioned human allies and inflict damage upon enemies.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a life simulation video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS console. In the game, the human character takes on the role of mayor in a town populated with anthropomorphic animals. As the fourth main title in the Animal Crossing series, it was released in Japan in November 2012, and in North America, Europe and Australia in June 2013. The game received positive reviews from critics.

Attack of the Mutant Artificial Trees is a free online video game developed as part of a marketing campaign by the National Christmas Tree Association in 2004. The game was meant to support the natural Christmas tree industry and received criticism from artificial tree producers. It has been described as similar to Whac-A-Mole.

Azure Striker Gunvolt, known as Armed Blue: Gunvolt in Japan, is a 2D side-scrolling action-platform game developed and published by Inti Creates for the Nintendo 3DS eShop released in August 2014. Ports of the game were released for the Microsoft Windows in 2015, for the Nintendo Switch in 2017 and for the PlayStation 4 in 2020. In addition to utilizing gameplay similar to Mega Man Zero, Azure Striker Gunvolt also introduced new gameplay elements such as Gunvolt's ability to "tag" enemies and target many at once, adding an additional layer of complexity to the genre.

Batman Returns is a 1992 side-scrolling action-beat 'em up video game developed and published by Atari Corporation in North America and Europe for the Atari Lynx. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is inspired by the Warner Bros.'s 1992 film of the same name. In the main storyline, Batman must confront both Catwoman and the Penguin.

Batman Returns is a 1992 beat 'em up video game for various platforms based on the film of the same name. The Sega console versions were published by Sega while the NES and Super NES versions were developed and published by Konami. The MS-DOS and Amiga versions were also published by Konami, but were developed by Spirit of Discovery and Denton Designs respectively. An Atari ST version by Konami was also advertised, but never released. There is also an Atari Lynx version, published by Atari Corporation.

Batman: Arkham Origins is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by WB Games Montréal and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the follow-up to the 2011 video game Batman: Arkham City and is the third main installment in the Batman: Arkham series. Written by Corey May, Ryan Galletta and Dooma Wendschuh, the game's main storyline is set five years before 2009's Batman: Arkham Asylum and follows a younger, less-refined Batman. When a bounty is placed on him by crime lord Black Mask, drawing eight of the world's greatest assassins to Gotham City on Christmas Eve, Batman must bring Black Mask to justice, while also being hunted by the police and having to face other villains, such as the Joker and Anarky, who take advantage of the chaos to launch their own nefarious schemes.

Bayonetta 2 is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Nintendo for Wii U and Nintendo Switch. It is the sequel to the 2009 game Bayonetta, and was directed by Yusuke Hashimoto and produced by Atsushi Inaba and Hitoshi Yamagami, under supervision by series creator Hideki Kamiya.

Blue Stinger is an action survival horror game released in 1999 for the Dreamcast game console, developed by Climax Graphics and originally published by Sega, with publishing rights outside of Japan obtained by Activision. The game was conceived by then-Climax CEO, Shinya Nishigaki.

Boogie Wings is a horizontally scrolling shooter released in arcades by Data East in 1992. The game was never ported to home systems.

Bully is an action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar Vancouver and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on 17 October 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A remastered version of the game, subtitled Scholarship Edition, was developed by Mad Doc Software and released on 4 March 2008 for Xbox 360 and Wii, and on 21 October 2008 for Microsoft Windows. Bully was re-released for PlayStation 4 available via PlayStation Network on 22 March 2016. An updated version of the Scholarship Edition, titled Anniversary Edition, was developed by War Drum Studios and released for Android and iOS on 8 December 2016.

Christmas Clix is a Christmas-themed puzzle game available for the Wii's download service WiiWare, and for the Mac and PC. Co-developed by American studios MunsieGames and JV Games, Inc. it was released on November 30, 2009.

ClayFighter 63⅓ is a fighting video game developed and published by Interplay Productions for the Nintendo 64 (N64) video game console in 1997. The title is a parody of other games released for the N64 at the time, many of which were popular franchises with "64" suffixed. An updated version of the game, ClayFighter: Sculptor's Cut, released as a rental-only game in 1998, is currently the rarest and most valuable N64 game. It, along with Rakugakids was one of the only 2D fighting games released exclusively for the N64.

Daze Before Christmas is a platform video game developed by Norwegian company Funcom for the Mega Drive and published by Sunsoft in 1994 exclusively in Australia. It was ported to the Super NES and released in Europe and Australia. A North American release was cancelled.

Dead Rising 4 is an action-adventure video game developed by Capcom Vancouver and published by Microsoft Studios for Microsoft Windows and Xbox One. It is the fourth installment in the Dead Rising series. It was announced at Microsoft's E3 2016 press conference on June 13, 2016. It features the return of Frank West, and is set in a Christmas-themed Willamette, Colorado.

Deathsmiles II: Makai no Merry Christmas is a horizontal side scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game by Japanese developer Cave, released in 2009. It is the third Cave shoot 'em up to be played using a horizontally-oriented monitor. Deathsmiles II is also the first CAVE arcade game to use polygons instead of their traditional sprites for graphics. A compilation of Deathsmiles I and Deathsmiles II is set to release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch in Japan in 2021.

Diddy Kong Racing is a racing video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64. It was released on 21 November 1997 in Europe and 24 November 1997 in North America. The game is set on Timber's Island and revolves around Diddy Kong and his friends' attempt to defeat the intergalactic antagonist, a wizarding pig named Wizpig, through winning a series of races. The player can take control of any of the featured characters throughout the game. Diddy Kong Racing features five worlds with four racetracks each, and the ability to drive a car, hovercraft, or pilot an aeroplane.

Die Hard is the name of three video games, one released for the Commodore 64 in 1990, one released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1990 and the other for the NES in 1991 by Activision. Its gameplay is based on the 1988 film of the same name. During the game, the player rescues hostages and battles with terrorists from a top view perspective at Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.

Die Hard Trilogy is a video game based on the first three installments of the Die Hard series of action movies. Die Hard Trilogy features three games in one, each based on a movie installment and featuring a different genre and gameplay style. The game was well received and would eventually become a PlayStation Greatest Hits and PlayStation Platinum game. Die Hard Trilogy also inspired a sequel entitled Die Hard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas. The sequel retained the three different playing styles, but featured a spin-off storyline that was not connected to the movie series.

Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza is a first-person shooter video game for Microsoft Windows. The game originally used a modified Build engine, later the GoldSrc engine, before it was finally moved to the Lithtech engine. The game features the voice of Reginald VelJohnson, reprising his role as Al Powell.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! is a platform video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released on November 18, 1996, in North America, on November 23, 1996 in Japan, and on December 13, 1996 in Europe and Australia. It is the third instalment of the Donkey Kong Country series and serves as a direct sequel to Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. It was also re-released for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) in 2005. The game was made available to download on the Wii's Virtual Console service in 2007, as well as for the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2014.

Duke Nukem 3D is a first-person shooter video game developed by 3D Realms. It is a sequel to the platform games Duke Nukem and Duke Nukem II, published by 3D Realms.

Elf Bowling is a bowling video game developed by NStorm and released in 1998. In the game the player, as Santa Claus, attempts to knock down elves who are arranged like bowling pins. An unauthorized, later release of the game, by Ignition Entertainment, was released on the Nintendo handheld consoles Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, and received negative reviews from critics.

Elite Beat Agents is a music video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was released in North America, Europe and South Korea. It is the spiritual sequel to Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, a Japanese rhythm game released in 2005, sharing many common elements with it. Similar to Ouendan, the player taps and drags on indicated locations on the touch screen of the DS in time to the rhythm of the music to score points, while the upper screen shows comic-style scenes of the fictional "Elite Beat Agents" cheering on others in tough situations through their dance moves. The improvements made in this game were implemented in the Japanese game's sequel, Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2.

The Escapists 2 is a strategy role-playing video game developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and published by Team17. It is the sequel to The Escapists (2015) and it was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2017. Nintendo Switch and mobile phones versions were released in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

The Escapists is a strategy game played from a top-down perspective. The game was developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and following a Steam Early Access release in 2014, was released in 2015 for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It was released on iOS and Android in 2017. A Nintendo Switch version of the game containing all downloadable content was released in 2018. Players assume the role of an inmate and must escape from prisons of increasing difficulty.

Extermination is a 2001 survival horror video game for the PlayStation 2. Since the title was a first-party game and came out very early in the system's life cycle, it was used as a showcase for the system at trade shows before its release. The game was considered the first survival horror release on the PlayStation 2 and generated some hype amongst critics, but Extermination only received mostly average reviews. Former members of the development team joined Access Games. There are significant differences between the European and North American versions of the game including a redesign of the main protagonist, and entirely rerecorded dialogue using different voice actors.

Hatoful Boyfriend: A School of Hope and White Wings is a Japanese dōjin soft otome visual novel released in 2011 for Microsoft Windows and OS X. It was developed by manga artist Hato Moa's dōjin circle PigeoNation Inc., and is the successor of a Flash game of the same name she created for April Fools' Day in 2011. A free demo version of Hatoful made with the FamousWriter engine was released later that year, followed by a full commercial version released on 30 October 2011 at COMITIA 98, and an English version released in February 2012. An international remake by developer Mediatonic and publisher Devolver Digital, dubbed Hatoful Boyfriend HD in Japan, was released on 4 September 2014 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux and for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita on 21 July 2015 in North America, and on 22 July 2015 in Europe, respectively. A port for iOS was released on 25 May 2016.

Hitman is a 2016 stealth video game that was developed by IO Interactive and was released episodically for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from March to October 2016. The game, which has six episodes, is the sixth mainline entry in the Hitman franchise and the first installment of the World of Assassination trilogy, taking place six years after the events of Hitman: Absolution (2012). It follows professional assassin Agent 47 as he goes on a worldwide adventure and solves a mysterious series of seemingly unconnected assassinations. Hitman features a number of large, open-ended sandboxes that Agent 47 can freely explore. The game presents the player with various assassination opportunities, many of which are unconventional. IO Interactive introduced a "live component" to the game with new content being regularly delivered in downloadable form.

Hitman: Blood Money is a 2006 stealth video game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released in May 2006 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360. It is the fourth installment in the Hitman video game series, serving as a sequel and partial prequel to Hitman: Contracts.

Home Alone is the title of several tie-in video games based on the film of the same name. Versions were released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Master System, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, Amiga and MS-DOS platforms.

James Pond 2: Codename: Robocod, also known as Super James Pond, is a platform video game and sequel to James Pond. It was developed by the same British teams as the original. The title music by Richard Joseph is a marimba-heavy rendition of the RoboCop film theme.

Jazz Jackrabbit is a platform game developed and published by Epic MegaGames. It was released in 1994 for PCs operating DOS, with subsequent Macintosh and Microsoft Windows releases in 1995 and 1996. It was one of the first games to bring the side-scrolling platformer style—common on gaming consoles—to a PC audience. On November 30, 2017 the game was re-released on GOG.com along with Jazz Jackrabbit 2, with support for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Jetpack is a platform game available as freeware, developed by American studio Adept Software and originally published as shareware by Software Creations in 1993. The object of the levels is to collect all of the green emeralds scattered around the level while avoiding obstacles and enemies. Once accomplished, a door opens which the player must go through in order to advance to the next level. There is a single player, and a local multiplayer mode. The multiplayer mode supports up to eight players, where players take turns on the same machine.

The King of Kings is an unlicensed NES video game published in 1991 by Wisdom Tree, the creators of Bible Adventures.

Lemmings is a puzzle-platformer video game originally developed by DMA Design in Dundee, Scotland and published by Psygnosis for the Amiga in 1991 and later ported for numerous other platforms. The game was programmed by Russell Kay, Mike Dailly and David Jones, and was inspired by a simple animation that Dailly created while experimenting with Deluxe Paint.

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake is an overhead action-adventure stealth video game released by Konami for the MSX2 computer platform in 1990. It serves as a direct sequel to the MSX2 version of the original Metal Gear, written and designed by series's creator Hideo Kojima, who conceived the game in response to Snake's Revenge, a separately-produced sequel that was being developed at the time for the NES specifically for the North American and European markets. The MSX2 version of Metal Gear 2 was only released in Japan, although Kojima would later direct another sequel titled Metal Gear Solid, which was released worldwide for the PlayStation in 1998 to critical acclaim. This later led to Metal Gear 2 being re-released alongside the original Metal Gear as additional content in the Subsistence version of Metal Gear Solid 3 for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. It was also included in the HD remastered ports of Metal Gear Solid 3 released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PlayStation Vita and was given a stand-alone re-release in Japan as a downloadable game for mobile phones and the Wii Virtual Console.

NBA Jam is a basketball video game developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports. It is the latest installment in the NBA Jam video game franchise, released in 2010. The game was initially planned to be available as a full retail release for the Wii, with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions available for download via a coupon upon purchasing NBA Elite 11. However, on September 28, 2010, EA announced that Elite would be delayed. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions were released as standalone titles in November 2010.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge is an action-adventure hack and slash video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox based on the 1993 American stop motion musical fantasy film The Nightmare Before Christmas. The game is a sequel to the film.

Nights into Dreams is a 1996 action game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn. The story follows teenagers Elliot Edwards and Claris Sinclair, who enter Nightopia, a dream world where all dreams take place. With the help of Nights, an exiled "Nightmaren", they begin a journey to stop the evil ruler Wizeman from destroying Nightopia and consequently the real world. Players control Nights flying through Elliot and Claris's dreams to gather enough energy to defeat Wizeman and save Nightopia. The game is presented in 3D and imposes time limits on every level, in which the player must accumulate points to proceed.

Parasite Eve is a 1998 action role-playing video game developed and published by Square. The game is a sequel to the novel Parasite Eve, written by Hideaki Sena; it is also the first game in the Parasite Eve video game series. The story follows New York City police officer Aya Brea over a six-day span in 1997 as she attempts to stop the Eve, a woman who plans to destroy the human race through spontaneous human combustion. Players explore levels set in areas of New York while utilizing a pausable real-time combat system along with several role-playing game elements.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a video game based on the television special of the same name. The game was released by Red Wagon Games for both Wii and Nintendo DS on November 9, 2010. However, the developers of the two versions differ: the Wii game was developed by High Voltage Software, while the developer of the DS version is American studio Glyphic Entertainment. In this game, the players compete in four different minigames, with each game having its own motion controls. Each minigame has a time limit. Once the time limit is up, the minigame is finished. Up to two players can participate at a time. The game has faced generally negative reviews from sites such as IGN.

Saints Row IV is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Volition and published by Deep Silver. It is the fourth title in the Saints Row series. In the game, the playable character is the leader of the 3rd Street Saints, a street gang that has become the world's most powerful and popular organization, and must fend off an alien invasion after becoming President of the United States and receiving superpowers. The player is free to explore their environment while completing main and side missions at their leisure. The game incorporates elements from science fiction video games and films, and continues the series' reputation for over-the-top parody. It was released in August 2013 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, and was later ported to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Linux in 2015. A Nintendo Switch port was released on March 27, 2020.

Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space, originally released as Sam & Max: Season Two, is an episodic graphic adventure video game by Telltale Games based on the Sam & Max comic book series created by Steve Purcell. It is a sequel to Telltale's previous Sam & Max game, Sam & Max Save the World.

Secret of Mana, originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 2, is a 1993 action role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the sequel to the 1991 game Seiken Densetsu, released in North America as Final Fantasy Adventure and in Europe as Mystic Quest, and it was the first Seiken Densetsu title to be marketed as part of the Mana series rather than the Final Fantasy series. Set in a high fantasy universe, the game follows three heroes as they attempt to prevent an empire from conquering the world with the power of an ancient flying fortress.

Shenmue is a 1999 action-adventure game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast. Directed, written and produced by Yu Suzuki, it is the first game in the Shenmue series. The player controls martial artist Ryo Hazuki as he sets out in revenge for the murder of his father in 1980s Yokosuka, Japan, exploring an open world, fighting opponents in brawler battles, and encountering quick time events. The environmental detail was considered unprecedented, with numerous interactive objects, a day-and-night system, variable weather effects, non-player characters with daily schedules, and various minigames.

Snatcher is a cyberpunk graphic adventure game developed and published by Konami. It was written and designed by Hideo Kojima and first released in 1988 for the PC-8801 and MSX2 in Japan. Snatcher is set in a future East Asian metropolis where humanoid robots dubbed "Snatchers" have been discovered killing humans and replacing them in society. The game follows an amnesiac member, who joins a Snatcher hunting agency in search of his past. Gameplay takes place primarily through a menu-based interface through which the player can choose to examine items, search rooms, speak to characters, explore a semi-open world, and perform other actions.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Based on the Marvel Comics superhero Miles Morales, it is the second game in the Marvel's Spider-Man series, following Marvel's Spider-Man (2018). The game was announced at the PlayStation 5 reveal event in June 2020 and was released for the PlayStation 4 and as a launch title for the PlayStation 5 in November 2020. It received generally favorable reviews from critics.

Tattletail is a survival horror game created by Waygetter Electronics. The player must care for their virtual pet toy, Baby Talking Tattletail, while avoiding the pursuit of its recalled predecessor, Mama Tattletail. The game was released on Steam on December 28, 2016.

Toy Commander is an action game for the Dreamcast developed by No Cliché and published by Sega.

Trolls is a Troll doll-themed platform game developed and published by Flair Software for the Amiga, MS-DOS and Commodore 64 in 1992. In 1994 it was ported to the CD32.

Twisted Metal is a vehicular combat video game developed by SingleTrac, produced by Sony Interactive Studios America, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. The game was released in North America on November 5, 1995, in Europe on January 13, 1996 and in Japan on November 15, 1996. The North American version was re-released for the Sony Greatest Hits line-up on March 3, 1997. It is the first installment in the Twisted Metal series. The game's plot is centered on the titular competition in which various drivers in modified vehicles must destroy the other vehicles in an attempt to be the last one alive. The winner meets the organizer of the competition, a mysterious man named Calypso, who will grant the winner a single wish, regardless of price, size or even reality.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas is a Christmas-centric budget title for Wii. The party game features 5 minigames to play including Candy Cane Lanes, Present Catch, and Elf Hunt. It also includes an in-game Advent calendar. The player can also write letters to Santa and sing Christmas Carols. Up to four players can join in on the game.

Yakuza 5 is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3. The game is the fifth main entry in the Yakuza series. The game was released in December 2012 in Japan, and localized for North America, Europe and Australia as a PlayStation Network download in December 2015. A remaster with improved resolution and frame rate was released for the PlayStation 4 on June 20, 2019 in Japan, and worldwide on February 11, 2020 as part of The Yakuza Remastered Collection. Versions for Microsoft Windows and Xbox One will be released in January 2021.