Daze Before Christmas
{{short description|1994 video game}}
{{one source|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Daze Before Christmas
|image = Daze before christmas box art.jpg
|alt = The box art from the Mega Drive version features a cartoon Santa popping out from inside a Christmas present, under a Christmas tree.
|caption = Mega Drive box art
|developer = Funcom
|publisher = Sunsoft
|producer = Sam Patel
Henning Rokling
|designer = Jack Kristoffersen
Gaute Godager
Bjorn Rostoen
Tommy Sydsaeter
|programmer = Carl-Henrik Skårstedt (MD)
Olav Mørkrid (SNES)
|artist = Joachim Barrum
Tore Blystad
Ole-Petter Rosenlund
|composer = Kim M. Jensen
Geir Tjelta
|released = 1994
|genre = Platform
|modes = Single-player, multiplayer
|platforms = Mega Drive, Super NES
}}
Daze Before Christmas is a platform video game developed by Norwegian company Funcom for the Mega Drive and published by Sunsoft in 1994 in Australia. It was ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and released in Europe and Australia. A North American release was planned but got cancelled.
Gameplay
Image:Daze before christmas screenshot.PNG
The player controls Santa Claus as he races to save Christmas from an evil mouse who has stolen the kids' presents, and cursed them with a spell. Santa faces foes such as giant rats, evil toys and living snowmen using his magic powers to turn them all into Christmas presents. He can also collect a power-up that makes him shoot flames which melt ice. Santa's magic can also be used to open the Christmas presents scattered around the levels. These presents may contain enemies, power-ups, bells, elves, or bombs. Santa's energy level is represented by Santa hats, which represent how many hits he can take before losing a life. He can collect more hats to replenish lost energy.
One of the game's distinguishing features is Santa's ability to turn into his evil twin, "Anti-Claus". By drinking a cup of tea, Santa transforms into a blue-suited, devilish looking version of himself. As Anti-Claus, Santa is invincible, but unable to use his magic or open presents. His primary method of attack is swinging his sack of toys at enemies.
In a break between platform levels, at several points in the game, Santa flies in his sleigh and uses the presents he collects to drop them down chimneys in several locations around the world.
Development
The lead Mega Drive programmer of the game, Carl-Henrik Skårstedt has stated that the game took about a year to develop, but he did not start until the game was six months into development. He also said that he integrated source code from the Funcom-developed video game based on the film We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story into Daze Before Christmas. The game was ported to the Super NES by Olav Mørkrid and the process took about six months.{{Cite web|url=http://www.snescentral.com/article.php?id=0121|title = SNES Central: Daze Before Christmas}}{{Cite web|last=arcadeattack|date=2018-12-21|title=Olav Mørkrid (Daze Before Christmas)|url=https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/olav-morkrid-daze-before-christmas/|access-date=2021-05-03|website=Arcade Attack|language=en-GB}}
The level select cheat code for the Super NES version is said to refer to "Badla", the nickname of Geir Tjelta, a musician who worked on the game. The Mega Drive version's level select cheat code is said to refer to the Swedish word "Barra", which refers to a Christmas tree dropping its needles.
Release
The Mega Drive version of the game was only released in Australia along with Ecco Jr. and Fatal Fury 2.{{cn|date=December 2024}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| Hyper = 58/100 (SMD){{cite magazine|last=Armstrong|first=Stretch|date=January 1995|title=Daze Before Christmas|magazine=Hyper|issue=14|page=77}}
| rev1 = Mega Zone
| rev1Score = 52/100 (SMD){{cite magazine|last=Hall|first=Matthew|date=December 1994|title=Daze Before Christmas|magazine=Mega Zone|issue=46|page=45}}
| MF = 46% (SNES){{cite magazine|date=January 1995|title=Daze Before Christmas|magazine=Mega Fun|issue=95|page=106}}
}}
Reviewing the Mega Drive version for the magazine Mega Zone, Matthew Hall gave the game 52/100, saying that while he found the game "cute and cuddly" with "colourful and well-rounded" graphics, the backgrounds were repetitive and the music was droning. He concluded that the simplistic nature of the game play limited it to appealing to younger players. Reviewing the same version, Hyper gave it 58/100, calling it "undoubtedly the easiest game in the history of gaming" and opined that while it had "undeniable charm", it was too simplistic for anybody but "very young kids" to enjoy.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071123103753/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=304 ClassicGaming.com game of the week]
- {{MobyGames|/daze-before-christmas}}
{{Funcom}}
Category:Christmas video games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games