If you're dreaming of white Christmas, as it were, but you live in a warmer climate, you might be only metaphorically left out in the cold. Fortunately for you, there are a slew of video game levels that will make those treetops glisten.
Whether the game developers did so in the spirit of the holidays, or just because, here is a look at the top 5 best snow levels in video games.
5. King's Row – Overwatch
King's Row's newfound layer of fresh powder was what first formally introduced us to Overwatch's Winter Wonderland event. And, while the level is little more than a snow-covered version of its regular iteration, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Lucio's movement now looks even more like ice-skating, Mei and Torbjorn look all the more festive and those harsh losses are easier to deal with, while the wins are all the more joyful. Snow makes everything better, doesn't it?
4. Heart of Ice – Uncharted 2
Well … maybe not everything. One Nathan Drake had a heck of a time in Uncharted 2's Heart of Ice level that had him careening across gaps from one frozen, snow-covered platform to the next.
Is it too much to say that this level was a "slippery slope" to danger? … Because it was.
3. Snow Go – Crash Bandicoot 2
Crash Bandicoot was one of the PlayStation's best platforming games – if not the very best. This went the same for Crash Bandicoot 2 and Crash Bandicoot: Warped, but a standout level from Crash 2 is certainly Snow Go.
Even though the main obstacle here was ice, you get the idea, and it completely changed the game, in addition to adding snow- and ice-themed enemies, such as seals and penguins. This is one of the many levels that makes me glad these three games are being remade for the PS4.
2. Sherbert Land – Mario Kart 64
But even with all Crash 2 did with a frozen expanse, it was just scratching the tip of the iceberg. You want ice? You gotta go to Sherbert Land.
If crash thought walking and jumping on ice was hard, he should try driving a freaking race car on it. You have to be very careful with your slides and turns to make sure you don't fall right off. Suffice it to say I wasn't as much of an expert as the person in the video above … not nearly.
1. Hoth – Star Wars: Battlefront II
This could easily be the best snow scene in movies, too. Some of Star Wars' most iconic imagery comes from the battle of Hoth in Empire Strikes Back, and the PS2's Battlefront II tapped into all of it perfectly.
Whether you have the AT-ATs, the X-Wing Fighters or even the freaking Wampas, Battlefront II had it all, and if I ever want to imagine myself in a true Winter Wonderland, I'll take Hoth any day.
