Each year, I attempt to tie in the Holiday Gift Guide to a seasonal tradition of some sort. For 2010, I decided to base the guide around all of Santa's reindeer. Everyone knows the song, the TV show is beloved by many, and even little toddlers can probably tell you who Rudolph is. So, grab you kerchief and put on that cap, and check out the Co-Optimus Holiday Buyer's Guide for the Wii and DS. Don't forget you can click on the game pictures to buy from Amazon and support Co-Optimus!
Dasher
For a reindeer with a name like Dasher, you'd expect him to be a speed demon. Also, since he's at the front of the group, he's probably a leader of some sort. He might even be one of the older reindeer in the lot. So, this Dasher fellow likes to zip from place to place at high speed, and has been around a while? Reminds me of a certain blue hedgehog who knows a thing or two about velocity.
Dancer
The name Dancer implies a reindeer with grace and coordination. Think about classic dancing couples like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; the two partners work together in perfect rhythm, each aware of their own role while at the same time trusting the other completely. That's the very definition of co-op! This brings to mind a game featuring another well-matched pair with some fancy moves of their own.
Prancer
"Prance" isn't exactly a word you hear an awful lot these days. According to dictionary.com, it refers to the springing movements of a horse (or a reindeer, I guess). My first thought for a game to tie in to this was Barbie Horse Adventures. Alas, that one isn't in the database. Luckily for us, another game with a horse is. Bullseye, Woody, and Buzz teamed up earlier this year for a surprisingly good co-op movie tie in.
Vixen
The primary meaning of vixen is "a female fox". Over time, it has come to refer to a mean-spirited woman of the human species. But we'll use the original meaning when looking for a co-op game fit for a vixen. One of the greatest songs by guitar legend Jimi Hendrix refers to a "Foxey Lady"; could there be a more appropriate song? And what music game supports the download of this classic tune? The best one available, of course.
Comet
This reindeer's name, as any young stargazer can tell you, refers to a certain type of celestial object. These heavenly bodies travel across the stars in eccentric orbits. The game tie in is obvious. Though the co-op was limited, Mario's high speed journey through different galaxies and the superbly imaginative locations found throughout the game's levels made it the closest a 3D platformer can get to heaven.
Cupid
Named after the Roman god of love, this reindeer is probably so named for a pleasant, kindly disposition. We typically think of Cupid as being a chubby, pink baby with wings, shooting arrows, nowadays. So we are looking for a game that is an easy, laid back experience, something you could enjoy with pretty much anyone. The perfect game for Cupid even has a cute pink flying character in it, too. A fine match!
Donner
I had to do some real digging for this reindeer. Donner is also known as Donder or Dunder. This latter name is perhaps most illuminating, sounding very much like what it means: it refers to thunder in German. It's much easier to find a game for a mighty, thundering reindeer than one who eats other reindeer (yeah, the Donner party; I went there). Donner would love to summon lightning with the spell Kazammle in Dragon Quest IX for the DS.
Blitzen
Unlike his partner Donner, Blitzen was easy to find the ideal video game gift for. The name brings to mind a classic sports series that was most popular in the 1990s. I'm referring to the over-the-top arcade adaptation of football, NFL Blitz. While there hasn't been a good NFL Blitz title for many years, another, probably more popular arcade sports series has recently been revived. Blitzen will be on fire with the desire to play this one.
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
He may not have been very popular with the other reindeer, but Rudolph is the greatest reindeer of all according to us humans. Who among us doesn't love the story of a bizarre outcast, one who didn't fit in with his peers, and who went on to save the day for everyone? One could argue that Nintendo's Wii is very much like Rudolph. Seen as a misfit console, with gimmicky controls and poor graphics, it went on to sell more units than either the Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3. And now, the most famous console of all is available in a shiny red color that would rival Rudolph's lightbulb nose. It's the perfect gift for anyone to liven up a foggy winter evening.