The IGN AU Christmas Survival Guide: What It Covers and How to Use It
IGN AU's Christmas survival guide is a list of 12 games for getting through the holiday season. Here is what it offers and how to use it now.
In this article
IGN AU's Christmas Survival Guide is a list of 12 games meant to help you get through the silly season. Its framing matters for how you read it: it treats Christmas as a challenge to survive, not only a time of peace and goodwill [1].
That tone shapes the picks. The opening describes Christmas as "a gauntlet that must be run" and presents the list as recommendations for the "toughest of yuletide predicaments" [1]. Rather than a list of cozy holiday games, you get a set of escapes for the moments when family time wears you down.
The guide's first example shows the idea. It imagines you stuck on a long flight with no entertainment and suggests bringing a handy handheld and a game that takes you somewhere else for the whole trip [1]. The rest of this article explains which picks the guide makes, when it was published, and how Australian gamers can use it this holiday season. It also helps to read GameSage Weekly IGN Guides Mania.
Key takeaways
- It frames Christmas as a challenge, so the picks are escapes rather than festive games [1].
- Use the list as a source of ideas, not a shopping list.
Which games does the guide pick, and why?
The IGN AU Christmas Survival Guide is built around 12 game picks, each meant to help you get through a tough part of the holidays. [1] Think of it as a list for the moments when the season wears you down, not a general roundup of festive games.
The picks are framed as tough, fun escapes for gamers who want something to play between family obligations. The guide's clearest example is a long flight to visit relatives overseas. Its top suggestion is to bring a handheld, a pillow or two and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, then tune out for the whole trip. [1] If that doesn't suit you, the guide's backup is any of the Phoenix Wright games. [1]
That example shows how the list works. Holiday stress often comes from situations you can't leave, like a crowded flight or a long family dinner. A portable game gives you a way to step away for an hour without leaving the room.
Because the picks are chosen for situations rather than festive themes, you can match each one to a moment you already dread. The full list of titles is in the article itself, so read it there. Pick the few games that fit the situations you expect this holiday, rather than trying to work through all 12.
When was the guide published, and does the date matter?
IGN's page also shows a later update, listed as June 14, 2012 [1].
That gap matters when you choose a game. Platforms, prices and availability can shift over that many years. A title that was easy to buy when the guide was written may now be on a console you no longer own, or hard to find at all.
So use the list as a starting point rather than a shopping list. Scan the picks for anything that suits your holiday, then look up that game's current details before you commit. If a game sounds right but its platform is gone, keep the idea and search by the game's name, since a handheld title may have a later version or re-release on newer hardware.
How can Australian gamers use it this holiday season?
Treat the IGN AU list as a menu of ideas, not a checklist. The guide offers 12 game picks [1], and you don't need to play all of them over the break.
Pick by the time you have, not by hype. A long trip calls for a different game than a quiet week at home. For a long flight, the guide suggests The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass on the DS, with Phoenix Wright as a backup [1]. A longer game suits a long trip, while a shorter break suits something you can put down and pick up later.
Choose one or two games that fit your holiday time, then stop there. Trying to work through the whole list will only add stress to the season.
Before you buy, look up each game's current platforms and release status on its official store page. The guide was first published in December 2007 and updated on June 14, 2012 [1], so the platforms it mentions may have changed.
Then check the price in Australian dollars (AUD) on the store. Older lists may not show current prices, so use any price in them only as a rough guide.
Where should you go next for holiday game ideas?
Start with the IGN AU guide itself, because it offers 12 picks for getting through the holidays [1]. The full list is where you'll find the games worth a closer look, so you can plan around the time you have.
Before you buy or download anything, check the current details for each game that catches your eye. Older lists can be out of date, so confirm the platforms and release status first. For a wider look at holiday picks, the GameSage Weekly holiday guides article gives an overview, and the holiday buying guides article covers using older lists for shopping. To go further, see GameSage Weekly Holiday Guides.