Winter is here and after a long 2020, we could all use a relaxing break. For most of the northern hemisphere this means colder weather, and bundling up with a nice hot beverage. In celebration of the season, we will be looking at the Top 10 Winter/Snow/Ice levels in gaming.

10. Cliff-side Slide (Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze)

Starting off our list is this gorgeous level from a relatively recent Nintendo release. Donkey Kong and his allies are silhouetted as they attempt to climb to the top of an avalanche. Artistically beautiful and dramatic in its presentation, this snow level is a standout of the series.

9. Blackwood Mountain (Until Dawn)

Image: Supermassive Games via usgamer.net

While your attention may be on the story and adorably campy characters of this horror gem, the mountain in which all of the scares take place is just as unforgiving as any horror monster. This chilling environment (pun intended) ups the stakes and gets players invested for the long haul.

8. Hailfire Peaks Icy Side (Banjo Tooie)

Image: Nintendo & Rare via trueachievements.com

This entry is sort of cheating because only half the level is covered in ice and snow. But the opposing nature of the environment is part of its charm and appeal. Featuring two dragon bosses (one for each side), traversing through lava pools one minute, and an icy beach the next, has never felt so fun.

7. Narshe (Final Fantasy VI)

Image: Square Enix via finalfantasy.fandom.com

The Final Fantasy series is long running and there were a plethora of entries we could have chosen for this spot. In the end we decided to focus on Narshe, the first environment you explore in arguably the best game in the franchise, Final Fantasy VI. An icy region with a familiar yet mysterious aura all its own, this is one of the game’s many locales that will leave an impact on both new and returning players alike.

6. Frozen Eleum Loyce (Dark Souls II: Crown of the Ivory King DLC)

Image: Fromsoftware via darksouls2.wiki.fextralife.com

Winter themed environments are some of the harshest on Earth, so its not surprising to see such an unforgiving climate in one of the most unforgiving video game series of all time. Chilling winds and snowstorms provide much of the challenge of this level, especially when paired with the game’s devastatingly powerful enemies. Lore wise this area is also extremely important with its connection to the original Dark Souls game, but we plan on keeping these Top 10s mostly spoiler free so I would not dream of ruining the story for you here. You’ll just have to explore and discover it for yourself.

5. Snowpeak Ruins (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

Image: Nintendo via architectureofzelda.com

The Legend of Zelda series is known for its elemental themed dungeons, and as a result, fans of the series have seen their fair share of ice levels. But for this list, we had to go with Snowpeak Ruins. This dungeon is unique given that its more like an isolated mountain lodge, complete with a somewhat intimidating yeti couple and some gorgeous yet deadly traps and puzzles.

4. The Himalayas (Uncharted 2: Among Theives)

Image: Naughty Dog via uncharted.fandom.com

The first locale on our list based on a real world location, the Himalayan mountains in the second outing of the Uncharted series can be a considered a character all their own. From beautiful mountain villages, to treacherous cliffsides, to a deadly train wreck, the environment ensures players will remember their journey through this region of the world.

3. Chapter 7: A Star Spirit on Ice (Paper Mario)

So this is where my personal bias comes in. I grew up loving Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64, and it proved to be the game that got me into turned based RPGs. While I could argue that all of the levels in this game are memorable, it’s the penultimate chapter of the story that serves as my favorite. Featuring several frozen villages, a ghostly tomb in the mountainside, and a haunting palace at its peak, the areas explored in this part of the game are incredible. Seriously, look up the song “Crystal Palace Crawl” and tell me it could be in anything but an ice level.

2. Cool Cool Mountain (Super Mario 64)

No one said the levels on this list had to be graphically outstanding or larger than life. Sometimes it’s the more simplistic worlds that enrapture us. This is the case for the second place spot on our list. Cool Cool Mountain is the first snow level in Super Mario 64 and its iconic musical theme, snowmen, and penguins make it a classic.

1. Practically All of It (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

What can I say about this game? You all know it, you know its beautiful environments, its iconic enemies and questlines. It’s a fantastic game with the most beautiful icy/snowy setting. Regardless of which factions you support or which type of character you play, its hard to find anyone who has negative things to say about the environment.

Top 10 Snow/Ice Levels in Gaming

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