Top 12 Rare Winter Wonderlands

#11. ALASKA – MICKEY’S SPEEDWAY USA

While Mickey and friends had braved mountains in titular Mickey’s Racing Adventure for Gameboy Color, nothing could have prepared them for this frigid freeway in Mickey’s Speedway USA. Once the gang manages to clear sunny Los Angeles from the racing roster, it’s north to Alaska’s tempered tundra where they’ll satisfy their reckless racing follies. The Alaskan track is slick with ice and the hairpin turns are found in plenty supply which makes for some very interesting developments. Along the way, the whole gang will have to snake around forgotten cabins, blast off into chilly caverns and navigate around massive blocks of ice on the track. Alaska does feature a hot beat to keep your mind off of the treacherous track.

#10. PIÑARCTIC – VIVA PIÑATA: TIP

While the garden you’ve been tending to in your front lawn probably doesn’t look too hot at the moment, your greenery in Viva Piñata: Trouble In Paradise will thrive during these harsh winter months. Venture into the Piñarctic territory during a fresh snowfall and it’s likely you’ll find a plethora of Piñatas who prefer the chilly climate to your ordinary garden fare. If you can manage to coax these Piñatas out from the cold, you’ll add an array of new breeds to your roster including the waddling Pengum, fierce Polollybear, and even the illusive Jeli Yeti Piñata! As you explore the frosty terrain, the delicate sound of falling snowflakes is complemented by the soft orchestral score that tells the tale of a barren lonely landscape that begs to be explored.

#9. SUNNY PEAKS – KINECT SPORTS: SEASON TWO

Summer may be gone until next season for Kinect Sports, but luckily this timely arrival has been covered in Kinect Sports: Season Two where you’ll brave the slopes of Sunny Peaks with a total of three hills to choose from, which we’ve renamed Snowy Hill, Steep Peak and Mount Nasty from Slalom fame. Tear up the track and go for a record time down the mountain trail, or play all day and grab yourself a free trial of the Midnight Mountain DLC where you’ll find Backwoods Blast, After Hours and Pitch Black ready to send up some powder as you take in the Northern Lights, take on perilous ski jumps and shred through an icy grotto. Whether you’re playing during the day or night, Kinect Sports: Season Two will keep you warm for sure!

#8. GORILLA GLACIER – DONKEY KONG COUNTRY

After making their way through jungle canopies and gloomy caverns, Donkey and Diddy Kong soon find themselves on the snowcapped peaks of Gorilla Glacier. For many players, the unsure footing found in the first level, Snow Barrel Blast caused the prime apes to slide off of perilous platforms and tumble into the abyss too many times to count, leading to many game overs and snapped controllers. To make matters worse, a brewing blizzard would grow in intensity the farther you made it into the level, hindering visibility and adding hazard to an already daunting difficulty. If you could manage to press on however you’d find Slipslide Ride and Rope Bridge Rumble ready to put you into a proper chilly mood as you braved the ice and snow.

#7. K3 MOUNTAIN – DONKEY KONG COUNTRY 3

While the previously discussed MERRY code in the Top 5 Holiday Havens list secured Donkey Kong Country: Dixies Double Trouble in the number three spot, the third title in the Donkey Kong Country trilogy was anything but unfamiliar with winter wonderlands. Case in point, if you can manage to brave Mekanos, you’ll find yourself atop K3 Mountain which features an endless array of frozen landscapes. During your adventure you’ll manage to take on a large Snowman boss named Bleak, leap over Lemguins in Lemguin Lunge and take the reins of a runaway sledge in Tearaway Tobaggon. The last of which reminds us fondly of childhood, when friends would ask us to go sledding and we’d be too busy playing Donkey Kong Country 3.

#6. FREEZING FURNACE: GRUNTY’S REVENGE

Short of traveling back to the Ice Age in this time travel epic, Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge places the bear and bird duo in Freezing Furnace, a icy level that shares a spot with would-be Grunty Industries. While en-route to repairing the space-time continuum, Banjo and Kazooie will go fishing in a small igloo, have a brush in with large Biggafoot enemies, commandeer a snowmobile to rescue the helpless Snowies and make their way through the freezing water with the help of Mumbo‘s Octopus transformation. While Freezeezy Peak would arguably become the go-to level to putting us in the Christmas spirit, Freezing Furnace fills its role well, with howling winds and jingly melody that completes this winter wonderland.

#5. EVERFROST PEAK – DIDDY KONG RACING

While not quite festive enough as the other levels featured in Snowflake Mountain, the confines of the holiday aren’t enough to keep Everfrost Peak from Diddy Kong Racing from presenting itself as an excellent level to play during the winter months. Set in darkness that might rival Midnight Mountain‘s twilight tracks, Diddy and crew are tasked with rushing through the frigid air with their planes, or bogging down through the slush with hovercraft for three laps. Whatever the mode of transportation, you’ll have a barrel blast riding through chilly caverns, soaring around massive snowy structures, and choosing the high path or the low road when it comes time to collect twin Silver Coins and then blast through the zippers ready for more!

#4. HAILFIRE PEAKS – BANJO-TOOIE

While we currently wish we could wander over to the fire bit of Hailfire Peaks, this mammoth mashup from Banjo-Tooie features the best of both worlds with a fiery inferno on one end and a frozen wasteland on the other. Once the duo have managed to see their way into the proper side, they’ll be tasked with unthawing the missing Sabreman who’s found himself frozen on the shore of the level, traversing the world as a continually expanding snowball, rendezvous with Boggy‘s family and tour a massive icy cavern inside the frozen volcano while avoiding bloodthirsty Icicles. Be sure to watch out for Biggafoot enemies as you explore the land, but do take in the twinkling melody and howling winds before jutting off to the warmer side…

#3. SNOWBALL VALLEY – DIDDY KONG RACING

While some may retreat to a mountain resort during the winter holidays, they’ll usually leave the car in the lot as they ski down the slopes. Apparently Diddy Kong and crew aren’t familiar with this train of thought, as they’ve taken to driving their vehicles down the mountain instead. After equipping monster snow tyres, the group is tasked with sliding along a trail of ice into a claustrophobic tunnel, dropping into the Snowball Valley below and then braving the likes of massive rolling snowboulders that threaten to squish them all flat. From there it’s just a simple matter of riding into a large igloo, getting nearly impaled by extremely sharp ice crystals and then riding it through for three more laps. So nearly as much risk as actual skiing then…

#2. CLICK CLOCK WOOD – BANJO-KAZOOIE

While not nearly as acclaimed as forerunner Freezeezy Peak in the same game, visiting Click Clock Wood in the winter months provides just as much festive fun as its Christmas themed counterpart while remaining entirely non-denominational. During their romp in the wintery woods, Banjo and Kazooie will be tasked with a tearful goodbye to Eyrie the Eagle as he flies to the south, ram headfirst into a league of ill tempered Sir Slush Snowmen and dive down into freezing waters and risk hypothermia to pay a visit to Gnawty the beaver all the while listening to a delicate wintery rendition of the Click Clock Woods theme. Mumbo may have fled the woods to get away from the cold, but stay a while and you’ll be in for a festive treat!

#1. SNOW TOP VILLAGE – KAMEO: EOP

Hidden from view amongst the perilous peaks, Snow Top Village resides atop a massive mountain that Kameo will have to call upon the aid of Chilla to scale and stumble across this hidden sanctuary. Be sure to take in the sights and sounds as you ascend to the top, such as the massive frozen tree that supports the villagers homes to the curious theme that twinkles away to match the falling snow. If you’ve managed to get your hands on the Winter Warrior DLC Pack you’ll manage to complete the scene by donning the creatures in rad apparel that includes a Sexy Santa Suit for Kameo, Baubles and Christmas hat for Rubble, and Snowman skin for 40 Below. Set the scene and head for Snow Top Village for a tour of a Winter Wonderland.

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