CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - THE FESTIVE FINALE

It's finally Christmas Day, and with that comes the final entry in the Christmas Countdown. And it wouldn't be Christmas without some Lemmings, would it? Lemmings Paintball (1996 Psygnosis) is one of those spin off games that completely changes the formula, yet somehow still manages to feel like a natural progression of its predecessors. There are no Xmas-themed add-ons this time round, by many levels have that unmistakable snow-covered landscape of a winter wonderland.

Whatever you celebrate this time of year, I hope you have a good one. I'll be back in the new year with my annual rundown of the modern stuff I've been playing and watching this past year so keep an eye out for that.

Until then... Merry Christmas!

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 11

It's Christmas Eve! Let's get a little medieval with the classic high-fantasy adventure Heretic II (1998 Raven Software Corporation & id Software). For annoying legal reason, it's not available to buy anywhere being the only game in the Heretic/Hexen series to be stranded like this. Well, stranded no more for arguably the best of the lot is here, just in time for the big day. Enjoy!

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 10

On this eve of Christmas Eve, I posit to you a question to ponder over... Could a trout run for public office?

While that thought is percolating around your brain, take a gander at Mind-Gym (1997 Melrose Interactive & NOHO Digital) where such thoughtful quandries and more will expand one's understanding of one's self. Or you could just discover how a cucumber can save the world, it's all good in this comedic send up of self-help books. Or is it?

Stop scratching your brain and click on the links after the jump to find out!

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 9

   

With every Christmas in my youth, I would be almost certain that either me or one of my siblings would get a Disney VHS or SNES cart under the tree. I cannot separate the festive season from many Disney classics, they're so intwined. Around this time last year, I gave you three educational Disney games so let's do it again. Yet another Yuletime Disney Triple.

We have three edutainment titles to suit your fancy; Disney's Adventures in Typing with Timon & Pumbaa (1998 Disney Interactive), Disney's Lilo & Stitch: Hawaiian Adventure (2002 Disney Interactive) and the MacDonald's promotional tie-in called Disney's Treasure Planet: Training Academy (2002 Disney Interactive). They vary wildly in quality (though I suspect you can all figure out which one's the worst) but I'm sure there's something in each that'll please kids and Disneyphiles alike. Head on after the jump to find out more.

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 8

The force is strong with this 8th day of the Christmas Countdown! Star Wars: Yoda Stories (1997 LucasArts) is the second entry in the Desktop Adventures after Indiana Jones took a stab the year before. It's like a super simple and randomised Zelda clone designed to compete with the likes of Solitaire and Chip's Challenge on your work computer. In that context, it's quite a fun little game. Still makes me pine for full-on Star Wars game in the vein of A Link to the Past though. Force blast your way past the jump to find out more.

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 7

Snuggle up to an anthropomorphic feline on Day 7 of our Christmas Countdown. Lionheart (1992 Thalion Software) may look like He-Man crossed with Thundercats' Lion-O - and you'd be right - but his stunning platform game is much better than either of their efforts. It was once exclusive to the Amiga, but thanks to some fans, a reimagined Windows remake (2022 Byron 3D Games Studio) has been doing the rounds too. If, like me, you're as curious as a cat, explore after the jump to explore onwards.

Also on another note, the recent download issue has been solved apart from the offending game file (bye bye Need for Speed SE). Unsure what triggered it as opposed to anything else, but that's life I suppose. 

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 6

Six days gone! Six days to go! We're halfway through out Collection Chamber Christmas Countdown, and today's pick is an underrated and unique puzzler by the name of Wetrix (1999 Zed Two Limited & Infogrames). I was gonna make a pun of how wet and drizzly Christmas usually is on our island, but as I write there's snow glistening on the ground and a robin chirping on the fence so it's becoming unusually festive (Note: Since writing, this has drasitically changed. Back to the grey skies of Britain...).

For more traditional Christmas weather in a abstract puzzle form, follow the link after the jump to head on over to my review and give it a go yourself!

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 5

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me... Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase (1995 Blue Byte Software)! It's a board game unique to PCs taking advantage of all (read: some) of the pixelated whizbangery the mother board will allow. It's like if It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World took place in Europe and everyone took their turns on their way to the end. Read on after the jump to see where you'll place.

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 4

The tree is up, presents are wrapped and now the pitchforks are out. We've got Beasts and Bumpkins (1997 Electronic Arts) on the plate for Day 4 of the Collection Chamber Christmas Countdown, and if you like a real-time-strategy with a bit of hanky panky, then you're in luck. Build your village, breed peasants and kill all those who oppose you. Pretty standard stuff, then. Read on to view my thoughts.

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 3

Day 3 of the Christmas Countdown and we have a sequel! I recently reviewed Sherlock Holmes' first Lost Files, but now it's time for my take on The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Rose Tattoo (1996 Mythos Software & Electronic Arts). It's another classic point-and-click adventure with digitised sprites and decent voice work. Give it a go by checking out the link after the jump.

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 2

On this second day of the Christmas frivolity, I give you a game I touched upon a few years ago. It's a game that bears none of the cheer or pleasantries of the season, but some dank despair of a dystopian future. Otherwise known as Boxing Day. Pył (1998-1999 Optimus Nexus), or Dust as it's translated into English, is a tough first-person-shooter from the land of poles known as Poland. Read on after the jump to check my thoughts on it and give it a go for yourself.

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 1

   

So, in the spirit of this Yuletide season, I though I'd do what I did last year; a 12-day blast of games counting down 'til the big day. I have a lot prepared but we'll start with a trio of oft-requested special editions of games already featured on the site. 3D Ultra Mini-Golf: Deluxe (1998 Sierra On-Line) adds 9 extra holes that are just as inventive as the original 18. A.D. Cop Overseas Mission (1997 Electronic Music and Animated Graphics Co. Ltd) is more of a stand-alone mission pack but there are some nice if minor quality-of-life improvements. Lastly, Need for Speed: Special Edition (1996 Electronic Arts) not only adds two new race tracks, but adds the ability to play all of them at different times of the day as well as new in-game music.

Head on after the jump to see how they compare.