Unlike in other forms of entertainment, Christmas video games never really caught on. Aside from a few poorly made Wii party games, game developers have stayed away from making fully fledged Christmas titles, instead opting for Christmas-themed events or costumes, which don’t really have the same impact in spreading the Christmas cheer as watching Elf, for example.

This doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t suitable games to play around the Holidays. Winter is the best time to play ‘comfy’ games’. These games are perfect to play all cosy by a fire, drinking hot chocolate and watching some festive films. They are laid-back, low pressure games that require little strenuous thought or reflex actions.

Animal Crossing is the obvious choice, and for good reason. Tom Nook, as much criticism and mockery he receives, puts no pressure on the players to payback their loans (which are interest free) and instead pushes you to enjoy your time in the town decorating your new home, collecting fish and insects; all to the sound of relaxing piano tunes and the oddly soothing language spoken by the Animal Crossing Villagers.

I have also always enjoyed training up competitive Pokémon for online battles during particularly stormy nights. Breeding Pokémon to have the best natures, stats, and moves may frustrate some players who find it too time-consuming, but for me, this process is cathartic. The satisfaction from finally hatching your 6IV, Jolly Darumaka is just as good as actually fighting with your team in stressful battles you will inevitably lose.

If cosiness isn’t really your thing, I’ve put together a collection of winter-themed levels that will really get you into the Christmas spirit.

My favourite snow-styled level is ‘The Exchange’ in James Bond 007: Nightfire. Here, players are tasked with infiltrating a party at a mansion in the Alpes, and whilst the last half of this level is inside, the sneaking around the cold mountain-top using covert rifles leads to an incredibly satisfying experience; nothing beats the sound of one of the guards in the towers falling out and hitting the snow with a slightly muted ‘thump’. What’s more, Nightfire’s multiplayer level Skyrail, a snowy hillside ski resort, is an iconic FPS map that I believe needs to be up their with Rust and Nuketown in terms of nostalgic video game maps.

The snowy planet Hoth is amongst the most iconic of Star Wars locations, and it therefore makes sense that it has starred in a plethora of Star Wars related video games, dating back 35 years to the Atari 2600. Of these, Star Wars Battlefront (2015) gives the best representation of the planet. Say what you will about EAs first attempt at a next-gen Star Wars game, but it is visually stunning, replicating the vast openness of Hoth, contrasted by the death and destruction caused by the AT-ATs and AT-STs, to perfection.

Mario Kart has had its fair share of winter-themed courses over its lifetime, and so it was hard to narrow this down to just one. Sherbet Land is one of my favourites, purely based on the slippery nature of the course. Given its name and rather cute setting, players are mistaken in thinking this track will be easy. The Shy Guy’s and penguins that dance around the course are pretty hard to avoid, as is the large body of water on the last corner which I’m sure has caused plenty of broken controllers in its time.

Pokemon Diamond was the first game to make me feel absolutely helpless. I could be talking about my failure to beat Cynthia and her Garchomp in less than two weeks, but instead it was Route 216 on the way to Snowpoint City that caused me the most trouble. As a naïve 8-year-old, my team was not prepared at all for any ice-typed escapades, with my Torterra and Staraptor fainting far too many times. It was only when I went back and caught a Machoke that I dispatched of the Sneasel on the route and swiftly move on through the game.

My final recommendation, which I’m sure will feature a lot in this blog, is Breath of the Wild. I have always said it is so easy to get lost in BOTWs amazing landscape, and so the snowy mountaintops of Hyrule are a perfect place to explore whilst cosied up under a blanket. BOTW is a game that can go from high-paced, intense fights against Lynels and strange monks to a more quiet and subdued, ‘comfy’ video game experience. Reaching the summit of the Gerudo Highlands after defeating the Yiga clan and avoiding the roaming Lynels is an immensely satisfying experience that very few games can replicate. If I could recommend any game that allows you to traverse a winter wonderland from the comfort of your living room, Breath of the Wild should be at the top of your Christmas list.