The lesser-known games of Christmas 2011

Skyrim. Modern Warfare 3. Skyward Sword. Battlefield 3. Arkham City. Sonic Generations. Gears of War 3. I could go on and on.

These are the smash hits of 2011’s holiday season. Every year, the holiday season gets bigger and more ridiculous for videogames, with many publishers deliberately holding off on releases to put them out at the optimal time of every business year – the holiday season. Not only is this year no exception, it is easily one of the bigger seasons gaming’s had in a while.

Since September, there has been an absolutely massive flow of hit videogames coming out, doing critical damage to the wallets of anyone who owns a modern console or capable PC. Unfortunately, though, this means that many games will be falling under people’s radars. Good games, GREAT games even, that are not being given a shot because they’re going up against major established franchises.

It is time to right that wrong, and present you with just some of the lesser known games of the 2011 holiday season.

Jurassic Park: The Game (Xbox 360, PSN, PC)

The Jurassic Park films are cherished by many, but their videogame treatments have not always fared so well. This all changes with Jurassic Park: The Game.

Developed by Telltale Games, the brilliant minds behind the Sam & Max series as well as the recent (and exceptional) Back to the Future game, Jurassic Park puts you right into the first film and a bit after it, tying up loose ends while delivering a wholly original story. Playing like a mix of Heavy Rain and your more traditional point-and-click adventure game, Telltale focuses on the characters and story of Jurassic Park while finding a unique way to deliver all the action fans expect.

This game was originally set to be released episodically, like Telltale’s other titles, earlier this spring, but the unfortunate delay allowed them to release all the episodes at once – no wait required! If you’re a fan of the first film, this game is an absolute treat.

The writing and characterisation is exceptional, and while it’s not as heavy on action as some may like, there’s enough thrills mixed in with the wonderful story to keep all kinds of fans happy.

Cave Story 3D (3DS)

Cave Story is a lovely tale of success, given that it started off as a 2004 Japanese indie game developed by Pixel – a single person, not a studio!

While a smash only on the indie circuit for years, the game received a fair amount of mainstream attention last year when it was released for WiiWare, and later DSiWare. Now it’s being given another shot at success with a 3DS release this month.

This remake of the story-driven action/platformer features a complete visual overhaul with 3D graphics (still played on a 2D plane), as well as a remixed soundtrack, new areas, and tightened mechanics. This very well may be the definitive version of Cave Story.

To those who have yet to play it, this game is a must-own.

The Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection (PS3)

HD collections are often pushed to the side of major releases because, well, they already had their chance in the spotlight. But this one is special.

The Ico and Shadow of the Colossus collection takes two of the greatest games of all time and somehow makes them even more beautiful. While both of these games fall under the category of “used to be underrated but got featured on so many ‘underrated games’ lists that now everybody knows them so they can’t be underrated,” these games still deserve more attention than they get. Ico is an adventure featuring a young boy guiding a young lady through a massive, empty castle in one of the most atmospheric and artful games ever conceived.

Shadow of the Colossus is its spiritual successor, where you play a young man who must tackle 16 massive colossi to save the love of his life. Both games were beautiful and spectacular when they were first released on the PS2, but the HD polish keeps them up with the times.

If you like feeling more emotions than just “ROAR I AM AWESOME” while playing videogames, this disc belongs in your collection.

Kirby: Mass Attack (DS)

The DS may be well past its last legs, but a sparse few hits are still making the rounds on Nintendo’s original dual-screened baby.

While Wii owners are getting the more traditional Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, this adventure starring the lovable pink puff keeps up the DS’s tradition of Kirby games with unique mechanics fully utilising the touch screen. This time around, players can control a small army of up to ten Kirbys to navigate dangerous terrain and take down massive enemies. As with any Kirby game, this title is charming, clever, and boatloads of fun.

Not to mention incredibly adorable. The title also features a wealth of minigames that are so well developed they could be fully-fledged games in their own right.

Kirby games rarely disappoint, and this precious little fella helps see the DS off in style.

GoldenEye: Reloaded (Xbox 360, PS3)

The Nintendo 64 was defined by GoldenEye, a game that defined first person shooters on consoles and is still to this day played in college dorm rooms worldwide. The game was adapted a second time on the Wii last year, dodging the legal roadblock of outright remaking Rare’s N64 masterpiece (lots of rights all over the place would have made that a mess). And now we have a remake of the second adaptation.

There may be many degrees of separation from the original at this point, but this solid title is still worth your attention. Daniel Craig’s charm as Bond may be strong as ever in the vastly different single player campaign, but the multiplayer mode that GoldenEye defined over a decade ago is what really makes this title worth picking up. Split-screen multiplayer is thankfully a focus for the nostalgic, and online multiplayer lets you relive the good old days with opponents worldwide.

It may play like Call of Duty, but old-fashioned fun modes like Golden Gun and paintball keep the action light-hearted.

We may never get the N64 version in high definition and online like everyone always wanted, but if this is as close as we can get I can’t say I’m disappointed.

Aliens: Infestation (DS)

Someone got their Metroid in my Aliens!

Like Jurassic Park: The Game, the Aliens franchise has had a pretty rough time with videogame adaptations. Aliens: Infestation remedies that to death with this moody 2D side-scrolling shooter from Sega. Taking place after Aliens, Infestation puts players in the role of a marine leading a small crew to explore the remains of the USS Sulaco. Xenomorphs are everywhere, and they are TERRIFYING.

The 2D isn’t just a look – it’s a warning that this game will be old-school hard. And boy is it ever. You can recruit up to 19 additional unique marines to join your squad, but every single one of them can die – permanently – if you’re not careful. Taking cues from Contra and Metroid but loading up on Aliens atmosphere, this is one of the few Aliens games to do the franchise right, as well as stand alone as its own game for non-fans of the series.

The DS was praised through its life cycle for bringing back retro gaming, and this game is the last great example of that.

House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut (PS3)

House of the Dead: Overkill is one of my absolute favourite Wii games, but not too many people played it.

The game featured excessive violence, a hilarious (and deliberate) B-movie storyline, and literally broke a world record for profanity in videogames. This is a game that truly earns its 18/M rating, as there are moments in the game that were so filthy they shocked even my own desensitized brain. And as far as rail shooters go, it is among the very best. PS3 owners will now get a chance to dust off their Move controllers, if they ever owned one in the first place, and give this game a go this holiday season, in full, glorious HD.

Containing two equally vulgar new chapters as well as all of the content of the Wii version, Extended Cut delivers even more than the Wii version. The Move is finally justified.

Rayman Origins (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii)

After years of mini-game fests featuring demented Rabbids, the Rayman series has finally gone back to its platforming roots in the most gorgeous way possible with Rayman Origins.

Series creator Michel Ancel is back on board, further delaying the production of Beyond Good & Evil 2 to bring us one of the most visually stunning and thoroughly enjoyable platformers in years. This generation has seen a platforming renaissance thanks to digital distribution, but Origins is a true rarity in modern times – a 2D platformer on a DISC at full retail price. Whoa. But considering the amount of content available and the sheer bliss provided by the gameplay, this game is easily worth DOUBLE the price.

The game controls like a dream, providing levels that are detailed enough to explore and find hidden collectibles, but sharply designed enough to speed-run through each individual level. Oh, and it has up to four-player co-op. Brilliant.

If you’ve ever loved a platformer, regardless of whether or not you’re familiar with the Rayman franchise, this is one title that deserves all your attention.

Happy holidays, indeed.

The holiday rush of games has finally ended, and now it’s time to get all caught up. With the smoke cleared, take these games into consideration as you prepare your holiday wish list, as you may not be getting these titles recommended to you on Amazon. The beautiful thing is, there are many many more excellent but lesser known titles that have hit consoles, handhelds and PC this holiday season that I didn’t cover. Do a little exploring, and make sure you spread the word on the games you think deserve the attention of others. There have been a massive amount of triple A titles this season, but you’ve got to help the little guy as well.

But seriously. Support Rayman Origins. That game came out the same day as Saint’s Row: The Third and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. It needs our help.