Best Snow Level - Share yours.

[Mutant1988]

Figured I'd try to get a top list topic going here befitting the season. With a distressing lack of snow where I live, I sure could use a few reminders of how beautiful snow can be. So please, list your favourite snow levels.

The only rule is: There's got to be snow on the ground. So levels where snow is falling but there's none present in the environment are disqualified.

My pick:

007 Nightfire (NGC/PS2/Xbox - PC version is an entirely different game):

Level 2 - The Exchange.

Taking the role of ever suave British agent James Bond, you're tasked with infiltrating a castle in Switzerland, belonging to villain de jour Raphael Drake. To say that the environments are gorgeous would be an understatement (Using component video, the game could easily be mistaken for an early PS3/Xbox 360 game). It's also a fantastic level, idyllic snowfall aside, offering a lot of well designed gameplay. You can go in guns blazing or stealth your way inside, going from the exterior of the castle and then through it's courtyards. Upon reaching the keep you switch over to your finest suit to blend in at the party inside, mixing in with the other party guests while playing around with your handy combined lighter/camera. Once you've made contact with your contact inside, it's back to fighting and a daring escape from the castle using the gondola outside.

(Note: Not my own video)

Now let's hear your suggestions.

 

[Batou667]

I'll get an obvious choice out of the way:


Awesome music, and a pretty fun level too.

[edit] And the iconic first Act's gameplay:


Ristar followed this formula too, with a very similar intro. The snowball fight at the end is one of those many little varied touches that made Ristar a great game.

 

[Mutant1988]

I'll get an obvious choice out of the way:

Sonic 3 Ice Cap Zone

Awesome music, and a pretty fun level too.

I'd really like some visuals though, so if you can find a video if it being played or get a screencap, that would be great.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

I'll get another obvious choice done with then:

Spoiler: Phendrana Drifts

Sorry can't find any good videos of it ATM, just the music and picture. Just go play the game instead. One thing this vid doesn't capture is how the music arrangement changes subtly in different areas, sort of like Banjo-Kazooie which has its own excellent snow levels in both games.

 

[SmallHatLogan]

Well since you wanted something "befitting the season" and I live in Australia I thought I'd post my favourite lava level instead, but I'll be good and stick with your northern hemisphere master race theme.

One that stands out to me is the final sections of Journey. It starts with you climbing a mountain with the cold, stormy weather slowly sapping you of your strength until it reaches a point where you're near death. Then a magical MacGuffin comes along (or not, I don't remember exactly what happens) and revitalises you, allowing you to joyously soar your way to the peak.

Note: this video contains the entire final section of the game including the end credits so spoilers, I guess. Not that's it's really a spoilery game.

 

[StatusNil]

How about this one:


It has that winning combination of snow, ice and an occasional dip in the conveniently unfrozen water. Always a good time. Plus the Voice of Michael Ironside. Need I say more?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Any snow level from Donkey Kong Country (SNES), purely for the OST.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Warlords of Draenor has the gorgeous Frostfire Ridge and the soundtrack is great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUwoNUN2yFo

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

D'oh Metroid Prime's Phendrana Drifts and Sonic 3 Ice Cap were both already mentioned... Phrendrana had isolated atmosphere the franchise was known for, but the beautiful scenery and music gave that mood a peaceful twist that makes me love that snow-swept area. Ice Cap is simply another example of good Sonic level design (especially Act 2, where you can skip the cave if you keep going higher), and the snowboarding intro shows off the franchises 'tude.

Spoiler: I found some Phrendrana footage without needing to skip far into the video or with commentary.

Alright, something new: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess's Snowpeak Ruins. The elemental theming of many Zelda dungeons was getting stale by the time TP came out in 2006, so Nintendo wisely chose to give some more character to the dungeons in the new game. Snowpeak wasn't just some vague ice-themed temple. It was a run down mansion in the cold mountains that still was inhabited by a friendly yeti couple (and some monsters). It felt more organic to have to move through a building with interconnected rooms and a courtyard, than a generic cave.

Spoiler: Huh? The first video Google gives me is a 3 heart run.

[small]Now, I will sit back and wait for some masochist to say Cold Hard Crash is their favorite snow level.[/small]

 

[Schtimpy]

Cheating a little, but Minecraft snow biome, while snowing, at night. I could find you a video, but uh, minecraft video. I like the silence of it, feels kinda like how it does in real life. Been playing terrafirmacraft (mod), and it has seasons. Really cool to see snow cover the area I've been building in.

Jus' saying, I don't know if I ever played a snow level I didn't like at least a little bit. Kinda like the inverse of water levels.

 

[Squilookle]

Figured I'd try to get a top list topic going here befitting the season. With a distressing lack of snow where I live, I sure could use a few reminders of how beautiful snow can be. So please, list your favourite snow levels.

The only rule is: There's got to be snow on the ground. So levels where snow is falling but there's none present in the environment are disqualified.

My pick:

007 Nightfire (NGC/PS2/Xbox - PC version is an entirely different game):

Level 2 - The Exchange.

Hmm I dunno- that always struck me as just trying to be Goldeneye's Surface level atmosphere with a mansion. Though I did like the parked helicopter covered with snow- that was a nice touch.

Your pick actually reminds me of Skyrail- probably my favourite snow multiplayer level. Not the Nightfire one though- the TWINE one. It lacks the mini vehicles of Nightfire but it's actually symmetrical this time, which makes it a lot more balanced:


As for singleplayer, the Snowman's Land from Super Mario 64 comes to mind, but since Mercenaries has snow in a sandbox and has that incredibly atmospheric music, that gets my vote.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

one of my friends just binged on this game last weekend, reminded me of this level, could be nostalgia talking but I did love this level


game: Shadows of the Empire
system: N64

 

[MysticSlayer]

Either

Spoiler: Fort Schmerzen (Medal of Honor: Allied Assault)

OK, I really just liked the whole mission.

It starts off with a couple open levels where you have to avoid Nazi camps, bunkers, and snipers. Eventually, you reach an outpost that you have to sneak through and then later escape. This escape takes you through a town where you're again encouraged to use stealth but are eventually forced into combat. The fort itself is a couple short, intense firefights.

Overall, it does a great job of bringing together everything from the game into one set of levels. The winter atmosphere, whether it be in the forest, town, or fort really adds to the atmosphere as well.

Spoiler: Cliffhanger (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2)

The stealth section was enjoyable (for a non-stealth game).

The firefights were also enjoyable.

But really, what made this level was the snowmobile chase at the end. It was fast, exciting, and completely over-the-top. Basically, it was everything that made vehicle sections in Call of Duty enjoyable, all wrapped up in one solid package.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

That's an easy pick.

Ah, nostalgia. So many hours spent on that game with friends. Loved that level, almost as much as the Waterfall level... but for different reasons.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Shiver City from Paper Mario.

One of the adorable little penguins has been murdered and Mario is accused of being the killer, so you have to solve the mystery and clear his good name.
This is probably my favorite segment of the first Paper Mario game, it was such a fun diversion from the combat sections, and the penguins were a nice design.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

No love for the Uncharted 2 Tibet levels, which are all uniformly awesome? The train wreck in particular deserves a mention for the hectic firefight (perhaps the most hectic in the entire game) that takes place there.

 

[Remus]

All of SSX3. Does that count? There's light snow, medium snow, deep snow, even ice and they all react differently when boarded through. I love realistic geography physics and this game nailed it. My second pick? Witcher 3 Skellig Isles. Simply gorgeous.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Ristar followed this formula too, with a very similar intro. The snowball fight at the end is one of those many little varied touches that made Ristar a great game.

I especially loved the idle animations in that game, which were different depending on which level you were in. On Planet Freon, if you stand still long enough, Ristar will start making a little snowman. I like small touches like that.