I just wanted to explain this joke your way: Autumn boys is the most autumnal video game. We start. You can mull the content to your heart’s content and then we’ll begin the rest of this highly relevant, very specific article. You have completed? Good. Okay.
Therefore! It’s Fall or Fall, depending on whether you’re at Blighty or ‘Murica, as of September 22. For some of you, that means crunching orange leaves on the way to school; for others, it means taking warm duvets out of storage; especially for me, that means I get to eat a ton of cake and drink hot chocolate, and no one can judge me. (Seriously, it’s weird for people to drink hot drinks in warm weather! I ordered a hot drink at a bar the day before and they laughed at me! YOUR MENU, MATE.)
It’s easy to get in the fall mood with music, movies and TV – just keep going A trick or Over The Garden Walltake the roaring fireplace, and put Neil Young’s Harvest on the speaker. Mmm, cozy. But can video games evoke that sweater-wearing weather vibe? Yes, they can. Hence this list.
The most autumn video game levels
Mario Kart Wii – Maple Treeway
This is probably the story that immediately struck a chord in many people’s minds – a kart-based prank through the falling leaves of wherever Maple Treeway is. It is not one of those courses based on a particular area, although the presence of Wigglers makes it clear that it some where in Super Mario Land, but there’s something special about this course.
Drive through piles of leaves, wind through tree trunks, and shoot out of a giant cannon – what’s better than autumn?
Sonic Adventure 2 – Pumpkin Hill
Pumpkin Hill has it all when it comes to spooky season, essentially synonymous with Autumn. Sonic Knuckles’ free-spirited enemies have to explore around this Halloween-themed level, with pumpkins, ghosts, graves, bats, and skeletons, but the most memorable thing about Pumpkin Hill is of course the rap. Let’s take a look at some of those lyrics:
Let it come to me? I will climb,
In Pumpkin Hill, I went to find my lost puzzle piece.
I know it’s here, I feel it in my feet,
The amazing power of the Emerald allows me to feel it.
I can’t see a thing but it’s around somewhere,
I have to hold my head, I’m not scared.
It sounds crazy, crazy, a graveyard theory,
A ghost tried to approach me, he became lenient.
Iconic.
Super Mario Galaxy – Golden Leaf Galaxy
You know how in Star Trek there are planets that have a Defining Trait, like “we are the planet that hates water”, or “everyone on this planet just eats worms”? Well, Super Mario Galaxy builds on that idea with galaxies like this.
In the Golden Leaf Galaxy, the Only Trait is “Autumn”, and we’re not complaining. This galaxy is full of bees, which is a common theme in Super Mario Galaxy for whatever reason and has many orange planets. Like Maple Treeway, Wigglers are considered a type of fall enemy, as are Cataquacks, Undergrunts, and Flipbugs.
Paper Mario: The King of Paper Folding – Autumn mountain
Origami King does interesting things with color, creating a world that is deeper and richer than previous Mario games. Autumn Mountain is no different, swapping the usual orange leaves for a deeper red and buttery yellow. Even collectibles at this level are more autumnal than usual, with Toads arranged into maple leaves and bugs, and a treasure of Fallen Leaves hidden under the stairs.
Fun Fact: The French name of this area is Mont Evermeila pun for magenta, vermeiland “filled with wonder”, émerveiller.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze – Autumn peak
Autumn Heights is a second world in Tropical Freeze, modeled after the cuckoo clock and undulating hills of Switzerland with the added help of rotting leaves. DK and friends will traverse mine tracks, hot air balloon platforms, and many cheese-related levels before reaching the final boss – a large, angry owl known as Skowl.
Super Mario World – Autumn Dinosaur Land
Autumn is a secret unlockable alternative palette in Super Mario World that you can get after completing the final level of the Special Zone – or in the sequel, Super Mario Advance 2but complete all 96 exits.
However, this color swap doesn’t just change the green of the grass and trees to a lovely orange. Certain enemies will also change their appearance: The Piranha tree becomes a little pumpkin on its trunk, Bullet Bills turns into a black bird, Koopas turns into an orange version of Mario for some reason, and in Super Mario Advance 2, Goombas turns yellow and wears sunglasses.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons – Fall
Oracle of Seasons has all seasons. One of those seasons is Autumn. In fact, it’s the last seasonal soul you get, after completing the Autumn Tower (where all autumn is kept). This season allows you to pick Rock Mushrooms and Pegasus Seeds, as well as cover the holes with fallen leaves.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Akkala region
Breath of the Wild has no seasons, but the vibrant colors of the Akkala region, where Tarrey Town and the Ancient Tech Lab can be found, are reminiscent of everyone’s favorite time of year. When it rains in Akkala, you just want to take shelter in the nearby stables and drink hot cocoa until the rain stops. It’s so cute.
Banjo Kazooie – Clock Wood Press
The Wood Clock is a deciduous forest, and you know what that means: Red leaves, baby! Banjo and his backpack friend Kazooie will have to enter the Click Clock Wood over the course of four seasons to complete the area, and many of the puzzles in it revolve around how the environment changes in each season. In the fall, you’ll have the chance to meet Gnawty, the helpful beaver, visit the Treehouse, and witness the blooming of Gobi’s beautiful flower. It’s the best season. Clear.
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Golden forest
As its nickname suggests, the Golden Grove is a fiery orange wooded area in the Summerlands, where sparkling light filters through soft yellow and orange leaves. It makes for a recovery ride where you can relax between the early game and the much tougher Sparkling Sands, as well as add some cute Little Families like Napcap and Pom Pom to your party.
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver – Bellchime Trail
The Bellchime Trail, a short path between Ecruteak City and the Bell Tower where Ho-Oh once lived, is described as “bathed in the sunset” – a beautiful description of a beautiful place. It may not be big, but it’s peaceful, with no wild Pokémon encounters and lots of hidden items for you to keep discovering its golden leaves.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Fall
Since this is an autumn level that you can only visit during the actual Fall, excluding time travel games, you should make the most of it. It’s much quieter than spring and summer, with fewer fish and bugs caught, but it still offers warmth and coziness in the form of mushroom, acorn and pinecone furniture, Turkey Day and of course Halloween.
Stardew Valley – Fall
During your first year in Stardew Valley, this can be the season where you start to feel like things are going your way. Spring is usually spent learning the ropes; Summer is all about profits; but Fall is a great time to invest in your farm resisting Winter with animals and greenhouses. Corn, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins are all perfect for creating a sense of harvest, and on top of that, Stardew’s plants turn beautiful shades of purple, chestnut, and burgundy.
The games are actually set in the fall
Firewatch
OK. Firewatch is clear set in the spring of 1989. But you can’t fool us, Campo Santo. Orange is the color of autumn, and Firewatch is the color very Orange. Who cares if it’s not technically true fall if it makes us feel How does autumn feel?
Night in the forest
The environmental decay of Night in the Woods is a mirror reflection of the social and economic decay of its setting, the former mining town of Possum Springs. Deciduous trees set the stage for this tale of loss, grief, confusion, and division – of all the games on this list, NITW is the only one that really explores the dark side of Fall.
Life is strange
Fall is also the back-to-school season in many countries, and such is the case for Max Caulfield, a young woman who returns to her hometown, makes old friends, and discovers her ability to go back in time. Life is Strange draws a lot of inspiration from small-town nostalgia and the uncomfortable claustrophobia of Twin Peaks, and its Pacific Northwest setting helps the game give the game the right fall feel. .
Mmm, we’re really in the mood for a cozy fall. While we’re wearing a nice knit sweater, make yourself a cup of crushed cider, and don’t think about how close winter (and 2023) is, let us know. in the comments if you have any favorite Fall levels or games – or if there are any games you’d love to play whenever October arrives.
