As the holiday season approaches, the Nintendo Switch provides an impressive variety of video games that capture the festive spirit. Whether you’re traveling and playing on the go or nestled at home enjoying cozy treats while gaming on your television, the Switch’s versatility is a blessing. The console’s extensive game catalog includes a range of relaxing and family-friendly titles that evoke the warmth of the season, virtually transport players to charming worlds, and create a delightful holiday atmosphere.
The Nintendo Switch is renowned for its collection of cozy games that cater to players of all ages, offering opportunities for relaxation and enjoyment. While many titles include holiday-themed events, others elevate the experience with elaborate in-game celebrations or stories centered around Christmas and festive traditions. These interactive experiences enhance the holiday spirit, making the season feel distinct from other times of the year.
10 Cozy Grove’s Winter Festival: A Relaxing and Charming Holiday Event
Event Duration: December 20 to January 23
Cozy Grove is a delightful life simulation game that resembles Animal Crossing: New Horizons in gameplay style. Players embody a Spirit Scout, helping quirky local ghosts while camping on an enchanting island. Its real-time game clock means that the in-game festivities coincide with the actual holidays. Thus, when it’s time to celebrate in the real world, players can enjoy the festivities in their virtual escapade.
This year’s Winter Festival event spans from December 20 through January 23, offering a plethora of seasonal decorations, festive clothing, and friendly snowfolk to interact with. Each day brings new snow piles where players can collect snowballs, perfect for crafting snow sculptures or engaging in playful snowball fights. Additionally, players can create delightful gifts, including fruitcakes, to present to bear characters for special rewards. Since Cozy Grove contains much more than the Winter Festival, players can continue their adventures long after the holidays pass.
9 Röki: A Winter-themed Platform Adventure
A Fantastical Snowy Experience Without Explicit Holiday Themes
Röki draws inspiration from Scandinavian folklore, immersing players in a visually stunning world filled with challenging puzzles and heartfelt storytelling. While it may not be overtly holiday-themed, its winter setting and emotional narrative create a captivating atmosphere, evoking feelings of nostalgia and warmth.
Players embark on the journey of Tove, a young girl on a quest to rescue her brother Lars from the clutches of folklore monsters. Throughout her adventure, Tove encounters a range of mystical beings, unveiling emotional twists relating to family and loss. While the game contains heavy themes, it is presented in a beautifully whimsical winter landscape that enhances the experience.
8 Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story with an Adorable Snowy Narrative
Hug a Yeti and Explore the Snowy Freljord
Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story may not have an explicit holiday theme, yet it evokes the spirit of the festive season through its charming narrative. According to Screen Rant’s review, the game is described as “a gentle and accessible experience that can be completed in one or two sessions, with few platformers letting you hug a yeti.”
This 3D platformer follows the adventures of Nunu and his yeti companion, Willump, as they embark on a quest to find Nunu’s lost mother. Players do not need prior knowledge of the League of Legends universe to appreciate the beautiful story, although fans may enjoy added depth through familiar cameos and references.
7 Santa’s Xmas Adventure Delivers Holiday Puzzle Fun
720 Levels Across Three Different Modes
Santa’s Xmas Adventure, launched in 2020, is a captivating puzzle game with a Christmas theme. Players assist Santa in navigating sliding puzzles to retrieve lost gifts after a mishap has scattered them. The game is suitable for all ages and promotes collaborative problem-solving for families.
Though the initial puzzles are easy to solve, the game features a total of 720 levels across three distinct modes. As players progress, the challenges become increasingly demanding, with hints available if needed.
6 Ebenezer and the Invisible World: A Unique Metroidvania Adaptation
A Unique Interpretation of A Christmas Carol
In Ebenezer and the Invisible World, players experience a fresh take on the timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. This action-packed 2D Metroidvania reimagines the Christmas classic, transforming Scrooge into an unlikely hero who collaborates with ghosts to save London from a greedy industrialist.
As players embody Ebenezer, they unlock powers granted by the ghosts and navigate through a creatively reworked landscape based on A Christmas Carol. This visually stunning platformer is designed for players aged 10 and up, featuring intricately designed hand-drawn art and an expansive map typical of the Metroidvania genre.
5 Disney Dreamlight Valley’s Gift of Giving Event: A Festive Experience
Event Duration: December 18 to December 31, 2024
This year, Disney Dreamlight Valley introduces a captivating Gift of Giving event where players engage in a unique quest to collect special items and craft a special snowman. Building this delightful snowman involves several steps, resulting in a collectible decoration that embraces the spirit of winter, even though it doesn’t enhance gameplay functionality.
4 Snowman Story: A Heartfelt Journey of a Snowman Named Chris
An Emotional Puzzle Adventure Focused on Escaping Spring
Snowman Story tells a moving narrative about Chris, a sentient snowman yearning to survive beyond just one winter. With delightful visuals and a whimsical premise, the journey explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the inevitable passage of time through captivating dialogues and intriguing puzzles.
Though rated for everyone, the poignant themes may resonate deeply, offering reflections on loss and resilience. Players seeking an introspective holiday narrative will find much to appreciate in Snowman Story.
3 The Grinch: Christmas Adventures – A Delightful Platformer
One or Two Players, Perfect for Family Fun
Inspired by the beloved tale of Dr. Seuss, The Grinch: Christmas Adventures revitalizes the classic holiday story in an engaging platforming experience. Players guide the Grinch and his trusty dog, Max, as they navigate creative challenges to pilfer presents from Whoville.
Blending colorful graphics with Seuss-inspired illustrations, players utilize various tools like a Santa suit for stealth and a snowboard for speed throughout their mission, enhancing the whimsical gameplay.
2 Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Toy Day Event – Bringing Jingle to Town
Festive Celebrations from December 15 to January 6
The annual festivities in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are underway for 2024, featuring festive lights adorning trees from December 15 until January 6. Following the same real-world time cycle, players eagerly anticipate the special Toy Day celebration on Christmas Eve.
During Toy Day, players dress as Santa and help distribute gifts to villagers, assisting the beloved character Jingle the Reindeer. Notably, unlike prior installments, Jingle remains accessible all day on December 24, enabling players to balance holiday joy with their real-world activities.
1 The Legend of Santa: A Whimsical Platforming Adventure
Up to Four Players Can Join in the Fun
In The Legend of Santa, players join Santa on an adventurous mission to fend off a penguin invasion and thwart a troll’s plans at the North Pole. After a harrowing aerial incident, Santa must traverse through 18 exciting platforming levels to reclaim Christmas. This game epitomizes the essence of a holiday-centric platformer, inviting up to four players for collective merriment and chaos.
With vibrant graphics and engaging gameplay, The Legend of Santa serves as a merry gateway into the festive spirit. Players can leap, run, and toss candy canes while saving Christmas this season on the Nintendo Switch.
Source: Nintendo of America/YouTube, Xbox/YouTube
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