Video Games That Let You Fight Santa Claus

Summary

Santa goes rogue in some video games, adding chaos to Christmas spirit, even for jolly old St. Nick.
Games like Saints Row IV, Terraria, and Dead Rising 4 feature twisted and evil Santas to face.
From murderous Santas with axes to Santa mini-bosses morphing into robots, these games offer unique holiday challenges.

As a long-time enthusiast of video games and someone who has been through countless winter seasons, I must say that the list you’ve compiled is an absolute delight for those who appreciate the darker side of Christmas. It’s fascinating to see how developers have taken the jolly figure of Santa Claus and twisted him into some truly terrifying characters.

Despite being synonymous with festive joy, even the kindest resident of the North Pole can reach his limit. Occasionally, the jovial Saint Nick deviates from tradition – an event that, unfortunately, doesn’t exactly foster a cheerful Christmas atmosphere. And when such instances occur, it’s not merely a minor holiday inconvenience; rather, it escalates into a significant predicament that warrants immediate resolution. No one, not even Santa, should be granted immunity for potentially spoiling the holiday season.

Video games excel at abandoning traditional concepts to introduce innovative and peculiar themes, as exemplified by the “rebellious Santa” theme that allows players to engage in the turmoil, offering their unique take on either saving or merely surviving Christmas. These games may embrace humor, internet culture, or even dark satire, but they unanimously agree on one point: no one, not even Santa Claus, is immune to intervention when things escalate beyond control.

6. Saints Row 4

Fake Santa Impersonator Named Clawz

While Saints Row IV isn’t inherently tied to Christmas, it offers a downloadable content expansion titled “How the Saints Save Christmas,” released in 2013. This additional content is dedicated to rekindling the holiday spirit and lives up to its billing.

The plot revolves around Playa, our hero, who’s a Santa Claus skeptic. However, when the genuine Santa is replaced by his wicked doppelganger, Clawz, during the holiday season, Playa has no choice but to act. To rescue Christmas, it’s up to the Saints to vanquish Clawz and rekindle the holiday cheer. This tale delivers exactly what you’d anticipate from Saints Row IV — it’s outrageous, funny, and unapologetically chaotic. Remarkably, even with their own reservations about old Saint Nick, the Saints manage to pull off a Christmas miracle!

5. Slay Bells

Murderous Santa With A Massive Axe

Released	2020
Dev(s)	Blake McKinnon Productions
Platforms	Windows, macOS

The game titled “Slay Bells” is an indie horror slasher released in 2020. Initially, it appears quite innocuous, but upon the player’s initial encounter with the villain, who turns out to be none other than the terrifying Santa Claus, they experience a chilling dose of sheer terror.

The game is thrilling due to its fast-moving and ominous nature. The protagonist must navigate a vast but shadowy metropolis, constantly vigilant for a menacing Santa in hot pursuit. Contrary to expectations, this Santa isn’t a hulking figure – he’s extraordinarily swift, often catching players off guard. The sinister atmosphere and the axe he wields, along with the chilling environment, only serve to heighten the sense of dread.

4. Terraria

Terminator-Esque Santa With A Lot Of Damage Output

Every dedicated gamer who’s in the loop with gaming trends is well aware that Terraria isn’t a game typically associated with Christmas. However, it does have holiday events similar to other popular games during the festive season. In particular, it has a Frost Moon event that takes inspiration from holidays and includes an eerie Santa-like mini-boss called Santa-NK1. Fortunately, this event is available throughout the year, not just during the Christmas season.

Regardless of its mini-boss status, Santa NK1 presents a tough challenge. He boasts one of the highest damage outputs in the game, with four distinct special attacks and an abundance of firepower at his disposal. Additionally, this Santa acquires a somewhat unnerving trait: when his health dips below 50%, he transforms into a menacing robotic form – rumored to be a nod to the Terminator films.

3. ClayFighter 63 1/3

Sumo Santa And His Plans For World Domination

Released	1997
Dev(s)	Interplay Productions
Platforms	Nintendo 64

The ClayFighter series is an old, humorous franchise of fighting games that first appeared in 1993. It’s known for its claymation-style graphics, which are created using stop-motion animation. This game series often mocks other popular and high-profile fighting games by incorporating elements such as exaggerated speeches, extreme action moves, and combo sequences that add to the humor.

ClayFighter 63 1/3 is the third installment of the series and features a snowy, winter-themed setting, imbuing it with a festive atmosphere. The characters embody this theme in unique, quirky ways, such as Sumo Santa, an adversary that must be unlocked. Despite being the villainous counterpart to the genuine Santa, his goal of world domination may not resonate with holiday cheer, but it certainly introduces a dose of chaotic excitement into the gameplay.

2. Boogie Wings

Massive Santa That Yells “Merry Christmas” But Makes It Creepy

Released	1992
Dev(s)	Data East
Platforms	Arcade

Boogie Wings is a humorous side-scrolling shooter game that hit the shelves in 1992, featuring World War I as its backdrop. Despite its historical context, the game offers an enjoyable and playful experience rather than being overly serious or weighty.

As I navigate through this game, I find myself pitted against a band of malevolent scientists armed to the teeth. But what takes me by surprise is a festive level that transports me into a winter wonderland, complete with twinkling lights and a snow-covered landscape. However, this Santa Claus isn’t spreading holiday cheer; he’s a colossal, chilling adversary. Despite his occasional greetings of “Merry Christmas,” there’s something sinister about him that makes the betrayal even more wicked.

1. Dead Rising 4

Two Evil Zombified Santas With Holiday-Friendly Weapons

In “Dead Rising 4”, you’ll encounter not one but two chilling versions of Santa Claus, each with their own twisted twist. The first is the Sadistic Santa, a maniacal figure armed with an electrifying axe and surrounded by an army of zombified elves, who carry toy weapons and follow his wicked commands.

In another version, the second character is named Santa Claws, a multiplayer boss that appears in Episode 1, specifically at Kiichiro Plaza within the game. He carries a candy cane crossbow and occasionally hurls explosives to keep the player on their toes. It’s quite unlikely that these two Santas are related, but they certainly ensure that the holiday season in Dead Rising 4 is anything but cheerful.

2024-12-25 08:14