Your Favorite Snow/Ice Stages [Archive]

Ascending Wordsmith

12-23-2002, 03:24 PM

Being it's the holiday season and many parts of the country are getting their share of frozen precipation, I thought this would be a good time to share our favorite stages in games that feature snow and/or ice. As usual, snow and ice can effect gameplay (things can get really slick), or it just provides gamers with the perfect wintry atmosphere. More often than not, snow and ice stages have some of the best music too!

Here's a few of my favorite stage designs that featured the 'frozen stuff'.

http://www.planetdreamcast.com/sonic/sonic/songames/gen_sonic3/icec2b.gif
Sega has always been good with frozen stages, particularly those in Sonic series. Sonic 3's Ice Cap Zone has always been a favorite of mine. The snowboarding segment is pretty sweet.

http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/Contra/Images/Area5.gif
Contra's snow stage is great. No slipping, but the dark skies, frosted trees, and the icy waters are great. Anyone remember those damn tanks with the spikes ontop?

What about yours? What games have you played that have memorable snow and/or ice stage designs?

Raedon

12-23-2002, 03:31 PM

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/screenshots_library/dir_44/vortal_pic_22040.jpg
Banjo Kazooie

sniperCCJVQ

12-23-2002, 03:47 PM

Anyone remember the X-mas edition of the PC game Jazz Jackrabbit ? that was really cool.

samuraiX

12-23-2002, 03:49 PM

ice climber =]

http://www.iwn.fi/~timod/emu_iceclimber.gif

Charlesaway

12-23-2002, 04:35 PM

What was it, world 6 or 7 of super mario 3? I really dig the first couple of levels on there, then they get kind of hard... but still cool. And with the sliding and everything :)

digitalpress

12-23-2002, 04:45 PM

Some more fun snow scenes:

Ice Trek:
http://www.digitpress.com/dpsightz/intellivision/icetrek.gif

Antarctic Adventure
http://www.digitpress.com/dpsightz/colecovision/antarcticadventure.gif

WiseSalesman

12-23-2002, 04:54 PM

One of the ninja gaidens had an excellent snow stage.

Also, I loved the snow levels in Mario 64.

ubersaurus

12-23-2002, 05:32 PM

The multiplayer Sidewinder level in Halo is alot of fun for me and my buds...Hell in a G style LOL
My absolute fav is either the Ice Land from mario 3 or ice cap zone from Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

Goodwill Hunter

12-23-2002, 06:06 PM

3 of my favorite games have an Ice/Winter theme, and I'm amazed they haven't been mentioned yet.

1. PENGO! Penguins pushing ice cubes of doom into evil marshmallows!

2. Christmas NIghts on the Saturn, everyone remember to play it tomorrow and Wednesday for Xmas goodies!

3. 2600 Indy 500 - Ice Racing! First time I fell in love with ther power slide. My brother and I used to play this for hours! Getting it is one of my best Christmas memories and it's one of my favorite 2600 2-player games!

Still waiting for Sega to put out Christmas Virtua Cop Kids featuring Ralphie and his trusty Red-Ryder BB Gun!

You'll shoot yer eye out!
Rich

CrazyImpmon

12-23-2002, 06:14 PM

I liked he section in Starfox Adventure. Also not snow related but cool: there's report of Santa Rappy on Japanese game and possibly USA version as well.

kainemaxwell

12-23-2002, 07:01 PM

Sonic 3's Ice Cap Zone is really one my favs- I enjoy th emusic too. Antartic Adventure I play occasionally on my 191-in1 cart (even though the cheesy music drvies me nuts). Ninja Gaiden 1 had a snow stage, but NG2 had Stage 2-2 where you had to fight the ice and winds too.

hamburgler

12-23-2002, 07:28 PM

my favorite: the snow level in metroid prime

oesiii

12-23-2002, 08:18 PM

this is far from classic but since someone already mentioned my fav, Indy 500 Ice Racing, I've been having fun playing thought the PC/xbox game Railsport Challenge and it's icy stages.

http://xboxmedia.ign.com/media/news/image/rallisport/rallisport_in1.jpg

Six Switch

12-23-2002, 10:28 PM

I would have to say Sonic 3's Ice Cap Zone or Sidewinder from Halo.They look great are are fun to play. :D 8-) :)

punkoffgirl

12-23-2002, 10:37 PM

I said this before and I'll say it again: Ducktales, on the NES! :)
I love everything about that game, and Uncle Scrooge pogoing around in the snow and sliding on the ice are just two more reasons :D

WiseSalesman

12-23-2002, 11:00 PM

^ wins....that's one of the best NES games ever.

E Nice

12-23-2002, 11:32 PM

DOA 2 - The snowy Easter Island stage
Toshinden URA - Replicant's stage, where you fight among icebergs in the Bering Streights with the Aurura Borealis in the night sky.

spoon

12-24-2002, 06:05 AM

Yo Noid, Yo Noid, and More Yo Noid!(Go ahead, laugh at me)

Turtles 3,Duck Tales,Christmas Nights, and Penquin and Seal(Antartic Adv.) are also a few om my other favorites. I am dying to get to the Snow Level on Metroid Prime!

Dobie

12-24-2002, 09:26 AM

This is kind of an odd one, but I really like the snow stage in Beetle Adventure Racing for the N64. I especially like the ski jump where you can pull all sorts of cool crap like 360s and such.

Ascending Wordsmith

12-24-2002, 07:27 PM

@ Spoon- I like Yo! Noid too. I don't know how his game got such a bad rap, I think it's a great platformer IMO. The rooftop skating rink is fun stage, I slid to my death quite a few times.

http://www.seanbaby.com/nes/basedoncrap/noid02.gif

ROBOTRON

12-24-2002, 07:47 PM

Samurai Shodown 2.....Jubei has a nice Ice stage with bamboo and Nakaruru has a nice ice stage w/animals.

gamingguy

12-24-2002, 08:44 PM

Skiing in Final Fantasy 7. Cool mini-game. I wish game developers would make more full-scale games like that. Simple. Fun. Like the pre-84 classics.

Goodwill Hunter

12-24-2002, 08:50 PM

Here's an obscure one...anyone remember the frozen pond level in Mr. Bones on the Saturn? You had to get across a cracking, frozen pond without falling through the ice. Frustrating as hell...couldn't get much traction with bony feet and I was forever falling through the ice. Had to use a cheat code to get past it so I could finish the game.

Rich

spoon

12-24-2002, 09:00 PM

@PCK I knew I wasnt alone, and thanks for the Pic!
Yeah, Yo! noid was/still is awesome!
Great levels,great graphics, and great play control. All done by Capcom, what more could I ask?

I also liked Hi-jackig the go cart thing from the Shy guys on the Snow Level in Super Mario Bros. 2. Then later on in the level I would play basketball using one of the Ice skating guys!

12-26-2002, 09:53 AM

original Mario Bros- great game all around, but more challenging when the floors are icy!
Crossbow- the Ice Cave screen may be the most challenging in the game
Evolution: Dino Dudes(Jaguar)- I like the design & "look" of the snow levels
Enduro- driving on the ice & your tires don't even move!
Soul Reaver 2- toward the end of the game in the mountains on the way to Janos Audron's retreat

shoes23

12-17-2005, 03:31 AM

I said this before and I'll say it again: Ducktales, on the NES! :)
I love everything about that game, and Uncle Scrooge pogoing around in the snow and sliding on the ice are just two more reasons :D

Great choice, and still one of my favorite NES games (even though it seems a bit on the easy side now).

I'll add the aspen/alpine level from uber-intense and unforgiving game Stuntman. The chase scenes on the snowmobiles is still one of the greatest cinamatic moments I've played on a console to date.

Jumpman Jr.

12-17-2005, 09:31 AM

The entire Ice world in Super Mario Bros. 3 is really fun, but that whole game is really fun...
Other than that, the origional Mario Bros. ice stages always make me laugh when Mario slips on the ground.

VG_Maniac

12-17-2005, 02:02 PM

I love the snow stages of Gorilla Glacier in Donkey Kong Country - Snow Barrel Blast and Ice Age Alley.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/Hero_of_Hyrule/Donkey_Snow.gif

Other snow levels I love -

Cool, Cool Mountain - Super Mario 64
Chill Penguin's Stage - Mega Man X
Hoth Stages - Super Empire Strikes Back
Ice Country - Secret of Mana
Pehndrana Drifts - Metroid Prime
Freeze Man's Stage - Mega Man 7

Lord Contaminous

12-17-2005, 02:09 PM

Ice Dungeon in Zelda: Link to the Past (SNES)

Cold Man (R&F)

Blizzard Buffalo (Megaman X3)

Bloodreign

12-17-2005, 03:41 PM

Woo old topic there, but here's my take.

Super Ghouls N Ghosts, that ice stage was one of the best looking for a first gen SNES title, with the falling snowflakes, and snow beats, like the wolves, or the ice breathed Woo, not to mention a boss that can freeze you solid, throws his icy arms at you, and generally make you run around in boxers while in a snowy stage.

Edit: Ohh forgot to mention about the avalanches in that same stage that force you to either double jump straight up, or grab on to a ladder.

DigitalSpace

12-17-2005, 04:05 PM

-World 4 in Super Mario Bros. 2
-World 6 in Super Mario Bros 3 (specificially level 6-10 with all the frozen blocks :rocker:)
-Gorilla Glacier in Donkey Kong Country
-The snow stages on K3 in Donkey Kong Country 3 (and the snow stage in the first world, which I can't remember the name of at the moment)
-Both snow stages in Super Mario 64 (can't remember the names here either)
-The mountain stage in Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

Yago

12-17-2005, 10:10 PM

I guess sport games would not really count like Blades of Steel (NES) or Winter Olympics (Commodore 64). Crash Racing on the PSX had an ice stage that I liked. James Pond 2 Robocod has an ice stage, best platform game ever made, IMHO. Ms Pacman Maze Madness on the DC had an awesome snow/ice stage.

XxMe2NiKxX

12-17-2005, 11:36 PM

Planet Freon of Ristar was an awesome level.

ghostangelofcky

12-18-2005, 12:15 AM

Metroid Prime

http://www.hsgamers.com/gamecube/screenshots/metroidprime1.jpg

Damaramu

12-18-2005, 12:20 AM

This stage in Tekken 5 was cool.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v163/Damaramu/capture_0075.jpg

MegaDrive20XX

12-18-2005, 01:37 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v129/Akumajo22/Hyper_Sonic.jpg

Another vote for Ice Cap Zone Sonic 3!

SnappleMan

12-18-2005, 03:15 AM

I'd have to say the snow stages from DKC, Frost Walrus stage from MMX4, and I don't know if it counts, but 12,000BC in Chrono Trigger (the Dark Ages).

All of those did a really good job of making me feel cold.

Zadoc

12-18-2005, 04:57 AM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Sonic3_IceCap.png

Ice Cap Zone: Sonic 3

Bloodreign

12-18-2005, 04:59 AM

To the guy two posts above mine:

I'll be damned. ;)

Another cool old school game that has virtually every level on ice, and is played from a top down view is Kickle Cubicle, a damned fine puzzler that I have yet to get too far into. I need to play it with a focused mind, otherwise I'll never beat it, those puzzles get tricky quickly.

Snapple

12-18-2005, 05:07 AM

Bloodreign

12-18-2005, 05:19 AM

This thread is OOOOOOOOOOLD.

Zelda has had some very cool ice stages. I remember Link to the Past and Minish Cap both had prominent ice dungeons, and I'm pretty sure both of the N64 games had some of that stuff, too.

World 4 from Mario 2 will always have a place in my heart. When I got my NES, the two games I got for it were Mario/Duck Hunt and Mario 2, so Mario 2 is one of the first games I ever played. That being the case, I think World 4 was the first time I ever slipped on ice in a video game, too. And it kind of impressed me and challenged me. Especially with those little Flurries mocking you.

Not to mention Fryguy, trying to grab those mushroom blocks to hit him while slipping and sliding around cost me a lot of lives back in the day, after awhile I just skipped level 4 by warping, beating the game by going through just 11 levels, although I've been ballsy enough to just go straight through the game usually racking up around 120 lives in the process (the game starts referring to them by A0-9, B0-9, etc), most I've pulled off was about 147 lives. Of course I haven't touched SMB2 in about two years and I'm sure my skills on the game are pretty much crappy now.

And as for Link to the Past's ice dungeon, tons of headaches, slipping in holes, only to fall down an entire level because a beastie either hit you, or recoil from a blocked sword strike if you were too close to the edge.

hydr0x

12-18-2005, 06:03 AM

that one island in Zelda: Wind Waker

http://www.students.uni-marburg.de/~Baart/screenshots/zeldaww.png

DigitalSpace

12-18-2005, 06:06 AM

I forgot to mention the level in We Love Katamari where you build a snowman. That rocked.

Tron 2.0

12-18-2005, 07:12 AM

MegaMan Iceman stage

MegaMan 8 Frostman stage

MegaManX 4 Snowbase

Ys 1&2 Ice Park

Sonic 3 Icecap zone

Damon Plus

12-18-2005, 04:44 PM

Not really a stage, but snowing in Shenmue is just a magical experience.

SnappleMan

12-18-2005, 04:49 PM

Ho Ho, looks like there be two users who love Snapple. Pleased to meet you, good sir.

SirDrexl

12-19-2005, 04:37 AM

Hoth Stages - Super Empire Strikes Back

Hoth was the first thing that came to mind. I was thinking more about the modern Hoth levels such as Rogue Leader. Of course, that was a more fully realized version of the great one in Shadows of the Empire. Hoth is great in just about any Star Wars game.

SkiDragon

12-19-2005, 06:13 AM

Its hard to chose, but I like the Ice Country in Secret of Mana, and also the Metroid Prime one.

Lost Monkey

12-19-2005, 06:27 AM

The snow level in Bonk's Revenge has great music... and a ton of "bonus" stuff...

Ys II has a great snow stage with some cool parts - the flame wand and the hidden door... ;)

Whiskers the Wonder Cat

12-19-2005, 08:00 AM

Sonic Adventure
Tomba 2
Kirby Adventure

Amy Rose

12-19-2005, 08:22 AM

Tron 2.0

12-22-2005, 07:53 AM

Ys II has a great snow stage with some cool parts - the flame wand and the hidden door... ;)
Yeah with the slides and stuff it was cool 8-)

devilman

12-22-2005, 08:39 AM

Skiing in Final Fantasy 7. Cool mini-game. I wish game developers would make more full-scale games like that. Simple. Fun. Like the pre-84 classics.

The snowboarding in FF7 was my favourite snowboarding game pre-1080. Played it to death.

briskbc

12-22-2005, 11:04 AM

The outdoor scenes in MGS were great. The dark snowy weather really gave the game a nice atmosphere.

The Hoth level of Star Wars Battlefront is one of my favorites. I play it a couple times a week.

retroplayer

12-22-2005, 11:32 AM

My favorite snow game is Snow brothers for the nes, It,s a great two player game. Some great easy fun.

GrayFox

12-22-2005, 11:59 AM

The music from Ice Cap Zone Act 1 is my ringtone. :D

I also love the level in Spyro: Ripto's Rage where you play ice hockey. I've never been one for sports games, but that was a fun way of passing the time.

My ringtone is the Whacky Workbench Past theme now...but it was Ice Cap Zone, way hardcore.

Anyways, add another vote for Ice Cap Zone, especially Act 1 for the snowboarding introduction scene. Damn that level rocks.

itobandito

12-22-2005, 12:15 PM

Metal Gear Solid on PSX, technically the whole game is an ice stage.
http://www.sg.hu/kep/2000_09/mgs_hir0921_03.jpg

JamesAmbrose

12-22-2005, 04:24 PM

http://www.flyingomelette.com/reviews/nes/screens/ng2spider.gif

Although this shot doesn't really show much of the frozen landscape, this stage in Ninja Gaiden 2 was exciting with it's powerful wind and featured especially great music.

Edit: Well, the picture doesn't seem to be functioning properly, but if you've played the game you know what I am speaking of.

LinkOracle

12-22-2005, 10:58 PM

I love the snow stages of Gorilla Glacier in Donkey Kong Country - Snow Barrel Blast and Ice Age Alley.

I forget which DK games have it, but there was a level where they are in an ice cave, some of the most beautiful graphics I've ever seen

vgc

12-22-2005, 11:06 PM

Super Mario 2 had my favorite Ice/Snow stage. Very fun! Mike : )

ubikuberalles

12-22-2005, 11:07 PM

I like the ice stages on Chips Challenge. When I first played the game I dreaded/loathed the ice stages. But then, after a while, I got used to them and I began to look forward to those stages. Before too long they were the stages I completed the quickest.