The Ten Best Snow Levels in Video Games

As the Christmas season comes into full swing, we thought it would be fun to get into the festive spirit with a look at the top ten snow levels in video games. These are sections of games where you can practically feel the frostbite coming on, with snow, ice and winter themes dominating the level’s look and feel. Get a fire going and grab a cup of hot chocolate for this chilling countdown.

10. Stranded Ship – Shovel Knight (2014)

Polar Knight’s Stranded Ship serves as the icy location in the retro masterpiece Shovel Knight. Dangerous spikes can be blunted by dropping soft snow on them and the mesmerising rainbow bridges help you glide across the aurora night sky. Polar Knight provides an exciting fight as you try to shovel bounce your way past his snowballs and land that finishing blow.

09. Snowy Mountain – Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001)

Probably the most uncreatively titled level on this list, Snowy Mountain is still one of the most tantalizing levels in The Precursor Legacy. A visually-striking location, Snowy Mountain provides explorative platforming excellence in the depth and breadth of its objectives. Infiltrating an artic Lurker fort is just as engaging as discovering a hidden ice cave and of course riding a flut flut over a perilous crevasse is bound to give you thrills and chills.

08. Chill Penguin – Mega Man X (1994)

A popular starting place for Mega Man X’s eight Mavericks, Chill Penguin’s stage is dripping in 16-bit frosty glory. Navigating the snowy mountain base is fraught with danger and excitement as you avoid tumbling snowballs and cause mayhem in a mech suit. The boss fight itself provides a wintry fun time as the robotic flightless bird throws ice sculptures at you and even blankets the arena in a blizzard.

07. Narshe – Final Fantasy VI (1994)

Narshe serves as the setting for Final Fantasy VI’s opening and immediately sets the somber tone of the game. Tucked away in the mountains and adopting an artic-steampunk aesthetic, Narshe feels cold, unwelcoming and brimming with mystery. The town holds significance in the game’s story as it hides away a frozen Esper, one which three soldiers in Magitek Armor have been sent to unearth in this desolate location.

06. Snowman’s Land – Super Mario 64 (1996)

Contrary to popular belief, Cool, Cool Mountain is not the best snow-themed level in Super Mario 64. That honor instead goes to Snowman’s Land with its more explorative level design and creative star challenges. Best of all, this level just screams winter wonderland by featuring penguins, an igloo, and of course the giant snowman which towers over the rest of the stage.

05. Heart of Ice – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)

Few other snow levels actually make you feel as cold as Uncharted 2’s Heart of Ice. This chilling chapter takes Nathan Drake into a massive ice cavern where he clambers over the frozen ruins trying to uncover the mystery of the Cintamani Stone. The level then appears to take a turn towards the supernatural as Yetis burst from the ice and threaten to claw Drake to pieces in an adrenaline-fueled showdown.

04. Mount Wario – Mario Kart 8 (2014)

Mount Wario is Nintendo’s attempt to emulate the sensation of skiing down a large mountain in their iconic cart racing series. And boy does it deliver. Mount Wario remains exhilarating from start to finish with an everchanging race track that takes you down the mountain’s slippery summit, through a snowy forest, and ending with a stomach-flipping jump that launches you to the finish line.

03. Thamur’s Corpse – God of War (2018)

The God of War series has always been renowned for its gigantic scale, and Thamur’s Corpse in the latest instalment keeps that tradition alive and well. The corpse of the giant stonemason lies frozen across an arctic landscape where Kratos and Atreus head to in order to retrieve the tip of his chisel. Unfortunately, that chisel is submerged by a massive block of ice with seemingly no way to break through. Fortunately, Thamur’s building-sized hammer remains in its striking position and you probably guess what idea father and son come up with next.

02. Phendrana Drifts – Metroid Prime (2002)

Appearing as both magical and menacing, the wintry Phendrana Drifts remains one of the most unforgettable locations in the Metroid series. Phendrana Drifts is blanketed in snow and has this ancient aura to it that makes it a fascinating area to explore and immerse yourself in. The twinkling piano flourishes that score the area adds to its otherworldly charm, but the brutal monsters that roam the cold drifts keep Samus alerted to the dangers of this remote, hostile level.

01. Snowpeak Ruins – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)

Snowpeak Ruins is not like other Zelda dungeons. It’s not an ancient temple, giant robotic beast, or the inside of a terminally ill tree. Instead, it’s someone’s home where something very chilling is going on.

Reaching the dungeon is a lot of fun, as Yeto races Link down a snowy mountain towards the isolated, frosty mansion. Once there however, the mood shifts towards mystery as you find Yeto’s wife, Yeta, suffering from some strange illness. As you explore the mansion trying to find a cure for the sickness, you discover that the building is in dire need of some renovations and pest control as icy enemies have brought the cold in with them. The mansion is simultaneously an enchanting and haunting setting and navigating it only seems to bring up more questions than answers. I won’t spoil the dungeon’s boss fight but it perfectly captures the feelings of cold and warmth that Snowpeak Ruins exudes in one of gaming’s greatest ever snow levels.