Track of the Week: Christmas Eve (Animal Crossing)

As the holiday season is now upon us, Nintendojo’s Track of the Week feature once again shifts focus to the songs that remind us of the winter months. Winter-themed levels have often given us tracks that evoke the sounds of the season, but no franchise has ever had holidays play as prominent a role as Animal Crossing. For this week’s track, we’ve selected Christmas Eve from Animal Crossing on the Nintendo GameCube!

When Animal Crossing first appeared in North America back in 2002, it faced a bit of an uphill battle with gamers. The title was a more nonchalant affair than the majority of console games available at the time, and it was difficult to know whether players would embrace it. Additionally, Nintendo’s translators needed to make alterations to the game’s holidays to bring them more in line with Western traditions. The changes paid off. Players embraced the game’s holidays, shirking family events to spend time with their digital neighbors. This undoubtedly played a role in the game’s success for Nintendo. Twelve years later, the franchise has flourished around the world, culminating in the Villager’s recent appearance as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. on 3DS and Wii U.

In Animal Crossing, Christmas Eve heralds the coming of Jingle the Reindeer, one of Santa’s helpers. There’s something very nice and peaceful about the track that plays on that particular day. The ringing bells remind listeners of falling snow as villagers try to collect Jingle’s entire set of Christmas furniture. The track really captures the sounds of the holiday, and the franchise in general.

What are some of your favorite winter-themed tracks? Let us know in the comments below!