jawa asks... all about your Christmas videogames :wub:

>>> ...all about your Christmas videogames <<<

> What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?
> Are there any particular videogames that you tend to play at Christmas?
> What videogames will you be playing this Christmas?

Please share your festive responses here!

The last few years have been wonderful, but this year our wiiU is officially dead, so with no Nintendo console we won't be having Christmas this year

Pokémon Sun and Picross 3D will help to make my Christmas a Nintendo one I might give The Twin Snakes a replay, or try to finish the original PS1 version, as the snow of Shadow Moses Island will fit in well with the festive season.

> What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?
I recall asking for "Little Computer People" (Activision; C64) for Christmas 1985. My mum and dad bought it for me but, when I opened the cassette, I found that the case contained a Manic Miner tape! I was a bit disappointed but played it anyway, and we took it back to the shop (Boots!) just after Christmas and got a replacement. Then, the following Easter, my mum gave me a present of a copy of Manic Miner as she knew that I'd enjoyed playing that on Christmas day .

> Are there any particular videogames that you tend to play at Christmas?
In recent years (i.e. the past two decades or so...) I've barely gamed at Christmas because I've usually been with family / relatives. I do tend to play a bit of Tomb Raider (any of 'em) just before Christmas; I don't really know why but they feel like Christmas games to me.

> What videogames will you be playing this Christmas?
In the run-up to Christmas I will probably still be playing No Man's Sky, but (as above) I plan to start Tomb Raider Definitive Edition, too .

The most significant gaming related gift I've received was my Atari ST 520 STE which I got in either 1989 or 1990 I forget.



I think I've told the story before in other threads but one of the first games I tried out was Blood Money by DMA Design. It's intro opened with a speech sample which blew me away at the time. Would really love to give that game another go as I could only ever finish the first level as a kid.

Also worth mentioning is the year my Mam got me Viewtiful Joe on GameCube only for me to want to trade it in by Boxing Day because I thought it was too hard, which didn't go down too well.

This year I'll be getting Uncharted 4 but it won't even get looked at until I'm done with FFXV... which incidentally I would have also have been getting for Christmas if I hadn't bought it myself already

John Phillips, London wrote:...Picross 3D will help to make my Christmas a Nintendo one...

I've not played Picross, Dragon, but it looks kinda cool. Certainly the sort of thing that could deliver some puzzling fun after your Christmas lunch .

John Phillips, London wrote:...I might give The Twin Snakes a replay, or try to finish the original PS1 version...

A bit of Metal Gear to see you through the chilled out Christmas days. Nice one!

IAmTheSaladMan wrote:The most significant gaming related gift I've received was my Atari ST 520 STE which I got in either 1989 or 1990...

Ah, Salads, I loved the STe! Such a cool machine... and what a terrific Christmas present . That bright green GEM operating system .

IAmTheSaladMan wrote:...I'll be getting Uncharted 4 but it won't even get looked at until I'm done with FFXV... which incidentally I would have also have been getting for Christmas if I hadn't bought it myself already

Cool to hear that you're kicking off the festive period already, dude!

I remember getting an N64 for Christmas. My mum let me have a look at it early out of the box (don't know why I wanted to tease myself like this) and after playing around with the controller I was worried the Z trigger was some kind of switch that turned something on (it was a weird controller, ok?).

I convinced myself that there was an internal battery that would somehow be drained by the time Christmas Day came round because I was messing around with the Z button. I think I felt more relief than joy when playing Mario 64 for the first time.

jawafour wrote:> What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?

ZX Spectrum in 1983 and Super Mario Kart in 1992 stand out for me.

> Are there any particular videogames that you tend to play at Christmas?
Legend Of Zelda games. Their bittersweet melancholy seem like a good fit for Christmas. They are also the best games in the World.

> What videogames will you be playing this Christmas?
I've just started Majora's Mask (3DS), I'm getting Twilight Princess HD for Christmas and Pokemon Moon. I'm going one hundred pro Nintendo.

jawafour wrote:

>>> ...all about your Christmas videogames <<<

> What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?
None.

> Are there any particular videogames that you tend to play at Christmas?
No.

> What videogames will you be playing this Christmas?
No clue
Please share your festive responses here!

Edit: Actually, I remember get my Nes when I was little for Christmas with Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I also remember getting my Mega Drive with Sonic and my SNES with Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario All Stars (I think,) and lastly my PS1, which broke Christmas day as the disc spinny thing warped, had a new one boxing day.

> What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?

I got a Master System for christmas in 1989, with two built in games (Hang-on and Safari Hunt), I vividly remember playing Hang-on whilst my dad listened to a Led Zeppelin compilation CD - thus my loves of gaming and rock music were born.

> Are there any particular videogames that you tend to play at Christmas?

No but I do usually play something from my backlog.

> What videogames will you be playing this Christmas?

Probably Planet Coaster

What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?
Video games have been a pretty significant component of my Christmas presents for years now but there are a few that stick with me more than others and they were all within a couple of years of one another.

1991 - Getting my first PC (A 486) with Sierra's Mixed Up Fairytales installed, my first ever real experience of gaming (bar a brief play around with a Spectrum ZX81). That game was the perfect first game for me and it really was the foundation for my love of point and click games which led on to me playing and loving the likes of Monkey Island further down the line. I was only 4 so I don't really have much memory of it but it was fundamental to me becoming interested in games and technology as well as it really helping me with reading at such a young age.

2001 - Return to Castle Wolfenstein on PC, it was so technically impressive at the time and so hyped and I was anticipating it for ages, could not put it down over Christmas, absolutely loved that game.

2002 - Eternal Darkness, Timesplitters 2 and Starfox Adventures for the Gamecube. Was really excited by them all having been hyped since they were first announced, particularly in the case of Starfox Adventures. Was a particularly good gaming christmas playing those.

2003 - Original Xbox and a load of games including most importantly Halo. I spent almost the entire Christmas playing through Halo in co-op which remains one of my favourite gaming memories.

2008 - I'd only really got back into gaming in a big way here after having spent a few years fairly disinterested in it, that year was all about Fallout 3 / Fable 2, can't remember whether I either received these at Christmas or was just playing them then but damn what a great Christmas that was to be an Xbox 360 owner!

2011 - (EDIT) Skyward Sword! I received this as an early christmas present from myself ( ) and after anticipating it for ages I remember Royal Mail lost it and I ended up with two copies of the game. It gets its fair share of criticism and it really frustrated me in places but I still loved it overall and a large part of that Christmas was spent playing it.

2012 - Again, Christmas present to myself here but just before Christmas I decided to get back into PC Gaming in a big way and built myself a monster PC. Spent most of that Christmas building a silly backlog in the Steam winter sale and playing a hell of a lot of Dishonoured!

Are there any particular videogames that you tend to play at Christmas?
Last few years Christmas holidays have been one of the few opportunities where I have a good length of time off with no real work so I usually have something that I've been meaning to play, either that I've picked up recently or is in my back catalogue and play through it. I had a brilliant time last year playing GTA V on PS4 throughout the Christmas holidays and the previous year it was the Tomb Raider reboot.

What videogames will you be playing this Christmas?
At the moment I'm trying to play through both Uncharted 4 and Pokemon Sun, really enjoying both but not having as much time as I'd like to play either at the moment so I imagine they'll continue over Christmas. I also have Oculus Touch coming in the next week so I imagine I'll be spending a fair bit of time playing around with stuff in Rift. If I can find time I'd really like to revisit either Mafia II or Fable II as both have that winter sort of setting at the beginning and are both games I love.

> What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?
Quite a good proportion of the games I owned when I was younger came as Christmas presents, so lots of memories. Main ones would be getting an N64 with Goldeneye, getting Majora's Mask and playing it on Christmas day, and another year where I got Super Mario 64 and Diddy Kong Racing. The Winter/Christmas levels in DKR are great.
> Are there any particular videogames that you tend to play at Christmas?
Not really.
> What videogames will you be playing this Christmas?
These days I don't really play games around Christmas as I'm away visiting family, but I might take my DS with me this year and an RPG; either Final Fantasy Tactics or Golden Sun. Might also play Christmas NiGHTS in the lead up, because...why not.

Cuttooth wrote:...I convinced myself that there was an internal battery that would somehow be drained by the time Christmas Day came round because I was messing around with the Z button...

Well, a new system, and a young kid wouldn't have known. Glad there was a happy ending, Cut .

Octoroc wrote:> What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?
ZX Spectrum in 1983 and Super Mario Kart in 1992 stand out for me...

Two classic Christmases, Octo! Did you go full 48k with your Speccy?

Sledz wrote:...Actually, I remember get my Nes when I was little for Christmas with Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...

Blimey! Sounds like you were a lucky lad there, Pedz!

Sledz wrote:...and lastly my PS1, which broke Christmas day as the disc spinny thing warped, had a new one boxing day.

Man, the nightmare scenario of a faulty console. At least you had it sorted out in double-quick time, dude.

Hide the Presents wrote:...I got a Master System for christmas in 1989, with two built in games (Hang-on and Safari Hunt), I vividly remember playing Hang-on whilst my dad listened to a Led Zeppelin compilation CD - thus my loves of gaming and rock music were born...

A Sega and Zepp... the stuff that dreams are made of, Ironhide .

Cedar Gingercrystals wrote:...
1991 - Getting my first PC (A 486) with Sierra's Mixed Up Fairytales installed, my first ever real experience of gaming (bar a brief play around with a Spectrum ZX81). That game was the perfect first game for me and it really was the foundation for my love of point and click games ...

That was quite a jump from a ZX81 to a 486, Bob! I guess that that maybe you were too young to appreciate the power increase? Point and click gaming is ideal for kids to get to grips with.

Cedar Gingercrystals wrote:..2011 - I received this as an early christmas present from myself ( ) and after anticipating it for ages I remember Royal Mail lost it and I ended up with two copies of the game. It gets its fair share of criticism and it really frustrated me in places but I still loved it overall and a large part of that Christmas was spent playing it...

You're keeping us in suspense - what game was it, dude?

Lotus wrote:...lots of memories. Main ones would be getting an N64 with Goldeneye, getting Majora's Mask and playing it on Christmas day, and another year where I got Super Mario 64 and Diddy Kong Racing...

They sound like golden times, Lotus. None of this downloading and updating... just slam in the game pack and get straight into the action .

I don't play any particular games at Christmas and the idea of playing particular games at Christmas seems a little ridiculous.
This year not sure what I will be playing. I expect it will be Dark Souls 3 or Dead Rising 3, whichever I start next. Thinking of getting a new monitor so if I do and it is good, will probably be PC based games.

The best "gaming" present (and I use the word loosely) was when I got a Vic-20 and proprietary cassette player. This was a time when home computers were becoming popular. A few people had BBC Micros, Spectrums or Dragon 32s. I had nothing, but it was a very exciting time for the emergence of new home technology. So when I got the Vic, it was a massive buzz. I don't think I got any games with it, but you didn't need games - you had C&VG or Commodore User magazine, you just needed to type in the games, or see what you could make up yourself.

A Christmas never to be topped.

Death's Head wrote:...I got a Vic-20 and proprietary cassette player. This was a time when home computers were becoming popular. A few people had BBC Micros, Spectrums or Dragon 32s. I had nothing, but it was a very exciting time for the emergence of new home technology. So when I got the Vic, it was a massive buzz...
A Christmas never to be topped.

Ah, the mighty Vic and it's C2N cassette deck . That was my first system too, Deaths! Classic times... the power was low (3.5k RAM, 20-character screen width ) but the thrills were all there! Kids today moaning because of "long" load times of fifteen seconds .

Death's Head wrote:...you had C&VG or Commodore User magazine, you just needed to type in the games, or see what you could make up yourself...

Now you're talking .

jawafour wrote:

Cedar Gingercrystals wrote:...
1991 - Getting my first PC (A 486) with Sierra's Mixed Up Fairytales installed, my first ever real experience of gaming (bar a brief play around with a Spectrum ZX81). That game was the perfect first game for me and it really was the foundation for my love of point and click games ...

That was quite a jump from a ZX81 to a 486, Bob! I guess that that maybe you were too young to appreciate the power increase? Point and click gaming is ideal for kids to get to grips with.

Yeah, I didn't really have a lot of playtime with the ZX81 as it more my parents than mine and I was too young to really appreciate it. Later when I discovered it in the attic I realised how many classic games they owned for it, but my only real memory is a brief play of a Thomas the Tank Engine game. Point and click gaming was great because it was heavily story driven, went along at a nice pace and had fairly good production values. I remember Sierra's Mixed Up Fairytales as being particularly good because you had to step into familiar fairy tales (such as Beauty and the Beast) and fix elements that had gone wrong to progress through the game. It was even fairly challenging in places with some tricky puzzles, I'd love to play through it again some day. It still looks reasonable considering its age.

jawafour wrote:

Cedar Gingercrystals wrote:..2011 - I received this as an early christmas present from myself ( ) and after anticipating it for ages I remember Royal Mail lost it and I ended up with two copies of the game. It gets its fair share of criticism and it really frustrated me in places but I still loved it overall and a large part of that Christmas was spent playing it...

You're keeping us in suspense - what game was it, dude?

Can't believe I missed that out! This is why I should really proof read the things I write, the game I'm talking about was...drumroll...Skyward Sword!

Sega Rally and Worldwide Soccer 97

Mom literally broke her bank to buy me a saturn, we had little to no money growing up as my Dad strawberry floated off. And I legit wasn't expecting it xmas day despite gawping at it every time i went into woolworths.

Wed finished opening our presents, then she just pulled the games out first, I opened them, a literally just burst into tears

Christmas time for gaming when you couldnt afford them yourself was magical. Moms

Florentine Gingerbubbles wrote:Sega Rally and Worldwide Soccer 97

Mom literally broke her bank to buy me a saturn, we had little to no money growing up... Christmas time for gaming when you couldnt afford them yourself was magical. Moms

Glowy, man... that was so cool of your mum .

jawafour wrote:

Octoroc wrote:> What videogames do you remember receiving at Christmas?
ZX Spectrum in 1983 and Super Mario Kart in 1992 stand out for me...

Two classic Christmases, Octo! Did you go full 48k with your Speccy?

I don't think you could buy a 16kB Spectrum by the end of 1983. My favourite Spectrum game is Micromega's Deathchase which was a 16kB game so it just goes to show. I suppose...

I remember the C64 version of Manic Miner - for some unfathomable reason it took a whopping fifteen minutes to load from tape.