We’ve all spent a fair amount of time braving the virtual cold at some point in our gaming lives. Winter wonderlands are right up there with sewers, haunted houses, lava, and forests in the video game level design checklist. But not all snowy stages are created equal.
As we prepare for the freezing months ahead, wrap yourself in a thick blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and join us for a look back at some of the best winter levels in gaming.
Freezeezy Peak – Banjo-Kazooie
Few snowy stages have quite the same amount of festive Christmassy décor and heart as Freezeezy Peak from Banjo-Kazooie. Giant snowmen to climb, Christmas tree light bulbs to save, sleds to race, walruses to befriend, and presents to collect for neglectful parents are just a handful of the tasks to do in this winter wonderland. Add to that a soundtrack that sounds like the theme of an 1980s Christmas special and Freezeezy Peak is easily the most charming of Banjo-Kazooie’s levels.
Throat of the World - Skyrim
Many of Skyrim’s gorgeous snow-capped vistas are breathtaking, but seeing the land Skyrim stretched out in front of you from the summit of the Throat of the World is one of the most stunning views in gaming. It’s a steep climb to the highest point in Tamriel – some 7,000 steps, plus all the treachery in between – but reaching the top and looking out at the Northern Lights while the snow falls gently to the ground is one of those rare moments of true beauty in a video game.
Heart of Ice – Uncharted 2
So many of the locations Nathan Drake visits while trotting the globe are beautiful, but there’s something special about the Heart of Ice in Uncharted 2. A palpable sense of mysticism and danger hangs in the air of the frozen sanctuary, amplified by the frequent appearance of Yeti-men itching to rip Drake in half. Scaling frozen walls and stone in bare hands can’t be pleasant, but Drake’s willingness to do so certainly made for a memorable moment in a great game.
Cool, Cool Mountain – Mario 64
Butt-sledding down the side of a mountain in a pair of overalls can’t be comfortable, but Mario makes it look fun as usual in Mario 64’s Cool, Cool Mountain. Cool, Cool Mountain is full of collectibles that can only be obtained by completing various wintry activities, including penguin racing, reuniting penguin families, and exploring the frozen landscape. Another healthy dash of charm stolen from holiday specials makes Cool, Cool Mountain one of the more memorable winter levels in a 3D platformer.
Phendrana Drifts – Metroid Prime
A gorgeous and well-detailed frozen environment filled with areas to explore, Phendrana Drifts is one of the more memorable areas conquered by Samus Aran in Metroid Prime. Even more notable than its snow-coated environment, however, is its soundtrack. Carried by a piano and haunting ambient sound, the music of Phendrana Drifts perfectly captured the feel of the icy world and continues to be a popular remix track today.
Ice Cap Zone – Sonic 3
Good things can be expected from a level that kicks off with a snowboarding sequence, and Ice Cap Zone in Sonic 3 definitely delivers. Racing around the level while breaking through walls of snow and chunks of ice, Sonic’s frenetic movement is backed by gorgeous visuals and an awesome soundtrack. Kicking up snow in Tails’ face while running across the powdery ground is, of course, only a bonus.
Snowpeak Ruins – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Nestled in the frozen hills, Snowpeak Ruins is one of the more unique dungeons in the Legend of Zelda games. Rather than being a temple or abandoned sanctuary, Snowpeak Ruins is instead a giant manor with horrible insulation problems and an allegedly diabolical mirror. It’s a great environment to explore, filled with slippery floors, unique enemies, and challenging puzzles. However interesting the house might be, however, one has to wonder why the owners didn’t pay more attention to its shady real estate listing.
Outside Shadow Moses – Metal Gear Solid
Using a snowy environment perfectly captures the shadiness and mystery of Shadow Moses Island. It’s a dark place, filled with long shadows and ominous structures that manage to make even a gentle snowfall feel formidable. With ambient sound and dramatic visuals, this Alaskan island perfectly illustrates just how unsettling a solitary location can be in the dead of winter.
Snow Barrel Blast – Donkey Kong Country
With snow-tipped evergreens and mountains standing tall in the distance, Snow Barrel Blast looks like an image ripped out of a Wyoming tourist pamphlet. It’s not just the impressive visuals, though, that make it significant. The level is loaded with a wide range of enemies, bonus areas to find, and all the barrels Diddy and Donkey Kong can fire themselves out of. It’s all the fun of Donkey Kong, with a touch of winter magic sprinkled on top.
Assault on the Control Room – Halo
One of the longer missions in Halo: Combat Evolved, Assault on the Control Room pits Chief against the Covenant in a snow-covered mountainside filled with caverns, corridors, and plenty of Halo's trademark wide-open combat arenas. It’s no easy task to fight Grunts and Elites in the deep snow, but Chief’s access to virtually everyvehicle and weapon in the game, plus the help of comrades and of course the venerable Scorpion tank make it all worth the trouble.
Dun Morogh – World of Warcraft
The beloved home of dwarves and gnomes, Dun Morogh is the quintessential imagining of a frozen fantasy land. Snow covers the craggy mountains and massive trees, the frozen landscape is overrun with magical creatures to slay, and many quests are ready for the taking in various camps and villages. It’s eternally December in Dun Morogh, and there’s plenty of magic to be felt and seen within.
Bonus Round: Winter Games!
Certain games don't have specific winter environments, but instead capture the feeling of frigid, chilly winter days across their entire adventure:
Dead Space 3
What could be worse than fighting Necromorphs in the vast, abandoned reaches of space? Probably fighting them in sub-zero temperatures. Isaac’s life is tough enough with all the strange mysticism and twisted creatures he has to face, and it certainly doesn’t help when that danger is amplified by the fact he has to divide his fear between being eaten by a human spider monster and frozen by exposure to the elements.
LostPlanet
In yet another doomsday tale about the collapse of Earth and the need to find a new home, LostPlanet’s home of EDN III is a gorgeous winter environment with enough powder to put our planet’s worst blizzards to shame. Too bad it’s overrun with a horrible alien insect race hellbent on destruction.
SkiFree
Skiing is more of a way of survival than leisurely activity in the world of 1991’s SkiFree. Rather than enjoying the scenery while on the slopes, skiiers have to worry about dodging all manner of obstacles and a flesh-hungry yeti with an uncanny love for speed-walking.
SSX 3
SSX 3 earned great reviews thanks to its near-perfect racing and trick controls, but it remains beloved to this day, 11 years after its debut, thanks to... The Mountain. Every event in the game took place on a single massive peak, from gentle low-elevation slopes to the craggy and dangerous summit. It felt like a real place, and it was absolutely epic to complete the 20-30 minute trek down the entire thing in one massive run.
Ice Climber
It takes a special kind of person to want to devote their lives to scaling the faces of icy mountains, and the titular ice climbers Popo and Nana have the guts the job calls for. Dodging enemies, jumping on fast-moving platforms, and attempting to reach the summit using only their wits and gigantic hammers, these two adventurers made a life in the sub-arctic that few can ever match.Double-Bonus: Honorable mentions!
It might sound crazy, but making a list of the most memorable winter stages in games is a much more contentious topic than you might think. Everyone has memories of trudging through a particular snowy video game environment while safe and warm in their home. Bonus points if you got to play while it was actually storming outside, and you had nowhere you needed to go all day long.Moments we considered spotlighting include Cliffhanger in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Sherbert Land in Mario Kart 64, Chill Penguin Stage in Mega Man X, Death Peak in Chrono Trigger, any Star Wars video game's depiction of Hoth, Snowhead Temple in Majora's Mask, the winter months in Animal Crossing, Snowy Mountains in Jak & Daxter, and plenty more. Whew! Who knew so many games nailed that winter feeling so perfectly?
Depending on where you live, winter might look like palm trees blowing in a balmy breeze or treacherous frozen winds beating at the windows. No matter if you’re one of the lucky ones in the warm climate or the unfortunate ones digging their cars out of the snow, anyone can appreciate the beauty of a fresh snowfall or the glistening, far-away peaks of snow-capped mountains, especially in a video game.
Have any other winter levels you’re fond of? Let us know in the comments below!
Cassidee Moser is a freelancer for IGN and other gaming outlets. You can follow her on (where else?) Twitter at @CassideeMoser.