Author Topic: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!  (Read 5111 times)

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Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Hi there,

Edit: Pasting the campaign link here. Thanks to UncleBob for allowing:
Mission in Snowdriftland - Kickstarter Campaign


First of all, this is not meant as and advertise thread, but as a place to talk and inform about the Nintendo advent calendar game "Mission in Snowdriftland", which was published 15 years ago. I hope there are many users who still know about this and are still active. In case there is something not in line with the rules, I ask the mods to contact me.

So does anyone remember the Nintendo advent calender platformer game called Mission in Snowdriftland, which came out 15 years ago?



It was a marketing game presented by Nintendo in retro pixel art style and meant as a tribute to classic platformers like Super Mario. You played a little snowman called Chubby and could open a door of the calendar each day at Christmas time to play one level. At the end of each level you unlocked exclusive goodies like wallpapers, desktop icons, ringtones, etc.



As I am the designer of the game I am curious to know if there are people who still know about it or even played the game back then?

I thought beside a healthy discussion about the old times it might be interesting for many users who already played the original one and are still active on the forums to know that we're planning to bring it back this winter. Yes, 15 years after its first appearance, it's been a looong time :D Unfortunately it won't be on a Nintendo console for now, but on PC/Steam.

Here is a screenshot of the first level:


And is it ok if I post a link to the official website? I don't want to break any rules, so I better ask before.

However I really would like to hear your thoughts about the original game, in case you played it or even if you didn't :)
« Last Edit: October 07, 2021, 04:28:13 PM by tonsofbits_boci »
The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam

Offline pokepal148

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2021, 07:07:20 PM »
I saw a video about this game once but it came and went well before I'd heard of it

Offline UncleBob

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2021, 03:18:47 AM »
Have at it.  Post away!
Just some random guy on the internet who has a different opinion of games than you.

Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2021, 03:37:13 AM »
I saw a video about this game once but it came and went well before I'd heard of it
I assume you watched the video of Nick Robinson about the history of the game :) The original game was available for only 1-2 months. Then we put it online in 2010 again as a promotion for our WiiWare title chick chick BOOM. But this was also only available for a season.

So hopefully the "vanishing" curse on our game will end this winter  :rolleyes:
The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam

Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2021, 03:38:24 AM »
Have at it.  Post away!
What do you mean?
The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam

Offline UncleBob

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2021, 02:38:00 AM »
Have at it.  Post away!
What do you mean?

I'm giving you permission to post links to your site, advertise your game, etc., etc.

This is a fun piece of Nintendo-adjacent history and is more than welcome to be shared here.
Just some random guy on the internet who has a different opinion of games than you.

Offline Stratos

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2021, 09:06:17 PM »
Your images are not loading for me.
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Offline Kairon

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2021, 01:39:21 PM »
Your images are not loading for me.

I'm not sure what changed to break the image links but this looks to be the game's official website:

http://www.mission-in-snowdriftland.com/

Looks like they're prepping for a Kickstarter AND have a FREE 3-level demo on steam!

So I assume that the IP remained in the developer's hands despite Nintendo publishing the game to some extent? That's always nice to hear that creators retain their IP.

I also wonder how/if the advent calendar mechanic is coming back, given that this is no longer a sort of stick marketing ploy but now its own full game.
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Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2021, 08:42:22 AM »
Thanx @UncleBob!

Sorry for the late reply, but we hade very busy times over the last days.

Aaaaaaaand our Kickstarter campaign just launched yesterday. Check it out if you want to see more details and new graphics about the planned remaster. And if you want to support us, you can claim a Chubby plushie and many other exclusive goodies :)



Here is the link to the Kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tons-of-bits/mission-in-snowdriftland-pixelart-platformer


@Kairon:
It will be built like an advent calendar, just like the original one. But we can't lock levels by date, since players won't accept or understand it. However you are free to play one level by day if you want to treat it as an advent calendar :)
The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam

Offline Khushrenada

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2021, 10:36:24 AM »
I'm one of those who does not remember or ever heard of this game.

However, after reviewing it, I'd like to make a suggestion for the main character. I've reviewed his travel plans and would recommend the following alternative path:



I think it would help save a lot of time, trouble and expense if he took the shortcut I've proposed.  ;)
Whoever said, "Cheaters never win" must've never met Khushrenada.

Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2021, 03:39:33 PM »
Haha, this is actually a good point... BUT as this is an advent calendar mechanism, Chubby the snowboy, can't leave the path of chronology. He is a victim of the system  :-\
The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam

Offline Order.RSS

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2021, 05:07:34 PM »
Chubby the snowboy, can't leave the path of chronology. He is a victim of the system  :-\

Time is rigged I tell ya. A plot to line the pockets of Big Clock.

Offline UncleBob

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2021, 05:57:02 PM »
Is there any chance in heck that this gets a Switch port?
Just some random guy on the internet who has a different opinion of games than you.

Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2021, 05:55:34 PM »
Is there any chance in heck that this gets a Switch port?
We want to focus on the Steam version for this winter. After release we will see if any port makes sense. But definitely it would look good on the Switch :)
The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam

Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2021, 11:46:02 AM »
The crowdfunding campaign is funded! The comeback of Mission in Snowdriftland is official now :)

However the campaign will still run until end of October, if you want to support us and unlock new content like minibosses.

The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam

Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #15 on: October 07, 2021, 04:24:16 PM »
Update:
The minibosses stretch goal has been funded!

Here is the next stretch goal:
« Last Edit: October 07, 2021, 04:36:11 PM by tonsofbits_boci »
The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam

Offline tonsofbits_boci

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Re: The Nintendo Advent Calendar platformer is coming back after 15 years!
« Reply #16 on: December 03, 2021, 07:49:04 AM »
Mission in Snowdriftland is officially available on Steam! :)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1515200/Mission_in_Snowdriftland/
The Nintendo advent calendar platformer game from 2006 returned on Steam!

Mission in Snowdriftland - Steam