One of my favorite things to do in video games is celebrate holidays. Lately, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been my go-to game for holiday celebration, but there are so many other games that allow the player to enjoy the holiday season. With one of my favorite holidays being Halloween and my favorite time of the year being fall, this is such an exciting topic for me to get into.
Spooky Season In Games
Game like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley let the player celebrate their favorite holidays with their neighbors. However, other games get into the holiday spirit, too. Many online MMOs celebrate Halloween, or their version of such, bringing players together for a common celebration.
In Destiny, players can celebrate The Festival of the Lost. Each year has been a little different, but each time it brings players back who haven’t played in a while. Holiday events like this always bring about nostalgia and encourage players to revisit their favorite games.
For me, I rather enjoy Pokémon Go’s Halloween events. They usually release some new Pokémon to be shiny and offer extra candy for each catch. Plus, it is a great way to encounter Pokémon that wouldn’t normally show up in your area. It has ended up being one of the things I look forward to every October.
Regardless of your game and event of choice, there is no denying that these celebrations attract more players. It was an embarrassing amount of time since I had been on my Animal Crossing island until Fall began again. I just can’t resist that game when it goes through its seasonal changes. Some of my trees are starting to brown and I adore it.
Limited Time Items
Whether it’s Animal Crossing DIY recipes, or rare Pokémon encounters, Halloween events always offer items that can only be acquired during that event. I am such a sucker for collecting these items in my favorite games and usually spend quite a bit of time trying to make sure I secure the ones I want. Of course this usually means that I spread myself pretty thin between my favorites, but that’s really the magic in all of these events. Being able to look at these clothing or event items and remember where they came from makes it all worth it. Plus, playing your favorite games is never something to feel bad about.
I enjoy flaunting the items later too, as I imagine most of us do. Wearing special event clothing or using your event items later shows your support of that event and the game itself. It also gives you a since of pride and accomplishment that can only come from doing these kinds of events. We all have our favorite Halloween swag to show off right? What items are you after this Halloween?
Preparing For Halloween
One of my favorite things to do in Animal Crossing is decorating my whole island for the holidays. Halloween is certainly no exception. I just enjoy the heck out of decorating each villager’s yard, gifting them jack-o’-lanterns and passing out candy when the time comes. Animal Crossing is just one example of this though, as there are many other games that let you prepare for the holiday.
Stardew Valley may not be in real time, but Fall comes around every year and with it, comes the Stardew Valley Fair. If you want to win the Grange Display contest, you’ll need to prepare beforehand. Planning ahead and saving your best items for the display is the perfect way to celebrate Fall. Later in the Fall you can attend Spirit’s Eve and acquire the Golden Pumpkin. At first this item seems rare but each year you can get it and eventually feel comfortable using one to make a nice witch’s hat.
Many other games celebrate Halloween and give the player plenty of time to prepare for the celebrations. I just adore getting into the holiday spirit and participating in all of the events. I’ve been through numerous years in Stardew Valley and still attend the holiday events because they are just so magical. I cannot resist them, and look forward to them each time I play.
Memories of Halloweens Past
As I’m writing this piece I’m remembering enjoying so many Halloween events with my roommate in our favorite games. We’d leave the house trying to find shiny Pokémon or sink endless hours in Destiny’s Lost Festival. These memories and so many more are ones I’ll cherish forever, and they were all made possible thanks to these in-game events. I think we can all agree that there is at least one of these events that we, as gamers, attend every year.
Even outside of the in=game events, Fall just brings about so much nostalgia for me. Each year I revisit 7 Days to Die or Don’t Starve as they are perfect seasonal treats. Not to mention the memories attached to those games shared with my closest friends. Even if the game itself doesn’t celebrate the season, using that game to enjoy the holiday is just as much fun and memorable.
What are some of your favorite Halloween memories in gaming? Everyone is different but we all come together when events like this go on and that is what I adore about these kinds of celebrations. Whatever event you are participating in this year, I hope it fulfills your spooky needs this season. Even if an event isn’t capturing your attention, the time of year might be and I hope you spend it with those you love.
