Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Don't miss these
Everdell box laid out outside, with a dog looking up at the foreground
Board Games I highly recommend these great family board games, and I think they are essential purchases
Baldur's Gate 3
RPGs Baldur's Gate 3 Karlach actor says cast members are still underrated by video game developers, who see them "as outsources for a lot of the time": "There's a weird disconnect"
Kingdom Hearts PS2 screenshot
RPGs Kingdom Hearts writer says the series "freed me from the despair I felt at the time" as video games pushed for photorealism
Where winds meet character codes
Action RPGs The best and weirdest Where Winds Meet character creation codes
Stranger Things season 5
Sci-Fi Shows "Unforgivable" Stranger Things season 5 NES blooper has retro game fans fuming, albeit mostly jokingly
Halo
Halo Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto redesigned Master Chief 9 times before perfecting the Xbox mascot: "It took forever, but I wasn't going to stop"
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 screenshot of Verso, a man with black hair with white streaks running through his fringe
JRPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 star Charlie Cox is right to credit motion capture actor for Gustave, says Red Dead actor, since "it takes a village" just to "depict 1 character!"
The 50 Most Iconic Video Game Characters
Games The 50 most iconic video game characters of all time
Fortnite Hidden Gags
Fortnite Fortnite Hidden Gags locations and how to complete them all
Thomas the Tank Engine in Morrowind
The Elder Scrolls Modder who first put Thomas the Tank Engine into Skyrim flips the bird at the lawyers, does it again in Morrowind: "I fundamentally do not view toy company CEOs or media CEOs as people"
Thomas Jane in The Punisher
Action Movies Actor behind 2004's The Punisher flop says he was "miscast" as Frank Castle: "I'm not that guy"
Photo by Rosalie Newcombe of the Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo standing in front of a Nintendo Switch 2.
Games I've been recommending nerdy presents for over a decade, and I think these are the best gifts for gamers in 2025
Final Fantasy 7 Remake screenshot showing Aerith staring ahead, a concerned expression on the young woman's face
Final Fantasy Aerith does not want to see your fanfic – Final Fantasy 7 Remake actor reminds fans "the meaning of the word inappropriate," asks them to stop tagging her in "smut"
Donkey Kong Bananza DK and Pauline ready to sing in front of snake crowd
Super Mario I'm convinced Nintendo might be gearing up for a Mario Kart World DLC announcement as it prepares to spotlight a Donkey Kong Bananza character it's been refusing to publicly acknowledge since launch
Green Ranger, one of the Fortnite Characters in Chapter 6 Season 4
Fortnite Fortnite Characters locations in Season 4 of Chapter 6
Trending
  • Fallout Season 2
  • New Games for 2025
  • Gift Guides
  1. Games
  2. Action

Game characters who should never, ever play Santa Claus

Features
By Maxwell McGee published 17 December 2014

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The new Santa Claus

The new Santa Claus

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, which means all you good little girls and boys will soon be receiving a visit from old Saint Nick. Of course, I know what some of you little monsters are thinking: "Santa is so lame. He's fat. He's old. He wears a stupid outfit. He's fat. He needs an upgrade." Santa would be a lot cooler if he was replaced with one of your favorite video game characters, am I right?

No, I am not right, and neither are you. Video game characters exist in worlds of violence and fantasy, and don't know the first thing about Christmas spirit. Don't believe me? Let's take a look at some notable examples of video game characters you would NOT want to find breaking into your house with a bag full of 'goodies' in the middle of the night.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Albert Wesker (Resident Evil 5)

Albert Wesker (Resident Evil 5)

I know some of you would love to find David Bowie-esque Albert Wesker waiting under your tree come Christmas morning, but hear me out. Underneath that leathery voice and those piercing, reptilian eyes is an ego that's grown three sizes too large. Chances are, if you see Big Al teleporting down your chimney it means someone is either going to die, get put under mind control, or is actually an Umbrella CEO in disguise - none of which are very Christmas-y.

Gift of choice: Uroboros. Albert Wesker doesn't need anyone else; he has uroboros. And he is all too willing to share it with anyone (and everyone) on the planet, thus ensuring complete global saturation. Hope you kids like zombies.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Kratos (God of War)

Kratos (God of War)

"ARRREES!!!" You know what that is? That's the sound of Kratos wishing you a merry Christmas. It's also how he says "Ho! Ho! Ho!" and "Good morning" and a whole bunch of other everyday idioms. Kratos may appear to be in the holiday spirit - what with that red-and-white ensemble he's always running around in - but don't let that fool you. His heart is a lump of coal, and every single man, woman, child, and especially ARRREES!!! is on his naughty list.

Gift of choice: Murder. Let's face it, Kratos only has one setting: murderdeathkill. It's how he gets through life. Try and think of a problem that Kratos has encountered in which stabbing didn't fix everything. Okay, there was that one box-sliding puzzle, but that's about it.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Samus (Metroid: Other M)

Samus (Metroid: Other M)

At first blush, Samus seems like a good pick for the part of Santa Claus. She has a spaceship that can zip her all across the planet. She can transform into that little morph ball and roll her way down the chimney. And she's a pretty nice and well-adjusted lady when she's not battling space pirates. Just slap a fake beard and a red coat of paint on her and you're good to go. There's just one tiny hiccup when it comes to the actual giving of the presents...

Gift of choice: Nothing. Don't get me wrong, Samus would love to give little Timmy a present. But here's the thing: her commanding officer, Matt, hasn't authorized the use of Samus' present cannon just yet. Apparently it poses too great a risk to the general public, or somesuch nonsense. Better luck next year.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Professor Oak (Pokemon)

Professor Oak (Pokemon)

The Pokemon prof. wouldn't be the worst Santa. He kinda looks the part, which is a good start, and he has lots of experience working with children. His knowledge of Pokemon is absolute, making him a great storyteller when roasting chestnuts on an open fire. At some point, however, he will try to send your son or daughter off on a Pokemon adventure. All he asks in return is for someone to tell him the name of his grandson.

Gift of choice: An empty house. The professor never leaves home without a few Pokedexes plus a Charmander or two, just in case he should run into a young person who hasn't dedicated his or her life to catching wild animals. Those Pokedexes aren't going to complete themselves after all.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Naked Snake (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

Naked Snake (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

Naked Snake's whole job - nay, his entire life - is built upon sneaking into places he's not supposed to be. Whether it's the Russian wilderness, the jungles of Costa Rica, or straight into our hearts, this legendary soldier is custom-made for infiltration, so you'd better believe he can worm his way down a chimney. Just make sure the kids are tucked in tight - otherwise they could end up in a sleeper hold, or with a tranq dart to the neck.

Gift of choice: Dead animals. Wake up, little Billy, wake up! Look at what Santa left you: a reticulated python carcass. It's right next to that hunk of raw markhor and the kenyan mangrove crab. They smell of dead animal (go figure), but I hear they taste pretty good.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Dante (Devil May Cry)

Dante (Devil May Cry)

Dante is one of the most destructive and obnoxious guests you could have the displeasure of hosting during the holidays. He starts by kicking in the door (because chimneys are for nerds) and spies the milk and cookies left on the table. Instead of eating them like a normal person, Dante first shoots out the legs of the table and kicks the whole thing towards the ceiling. Then he stabs each cookie out of the air with the tip of his sword, before catching the glass of milk at the last second without looking. He then leaves a demon corpse under the tree with a bow on it.

Gift of choice: Property damage. Here's the thing: Dante knows his whole life is one big video game. Why do you think he's able to get away with all the crazy stuff he does? He's like Neo at the end of The Matrix: he knows the rules - sees the code - and knows how to break them.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Kuma (Tekken)

Kuma (Tekken)

Kuma is a bear. You do not want to have a bear in your home attempting to hand out presents. Bears are wild animals, and pose an obvious safety hazard to both children and adults - not to mention the potential property damage. Have you seen those videos online of bears breaking into campground dumpsters? They're crazy. If a bear smells food inside your pantry (or small child) they will pop the top and refuse to stop. Plus, bears don't look anything like Santa Claus.

Gift of choice: A mess. How big of a mess, you ask? Imagine if your household cat was actually a ferocious mountain lion. Now imagine if that mountain lion was a bear. Think of all the damage those long claws and sharp teeth could cause. Not to mention all the fur it would shed.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
The King (Sneak King)

The King (Sneak King)

December 25, 2006

I can feel The King's presence - he smells my hunger. My family doesn't believe he's real, but I know it to be true. I've seen him dancing across my periphery; seen his dead, soulless eyes peering out from the shadows atop a twisted grin. He won't stop until all manner of fast food horror has been visited upon this house; my family drowned in a sea of dry hamburger patties and soggy fries. I can't stop it. The hunger inside me is growing worse. The King will be here soon.

Gift of choice: Delicious Burger King food products. The King bestows upon his subjects only the finest beef patties from your local Burger King eatery. If something should go wrong with Christmas dinner, never fear. The King will be there - burgers in tow - regardless of how many doors you lock.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Stick to the original

Stick to the original

Now do you understand, children? At the end of the day, the original Santa Claus is still the best Santa Claus. He's round, he's jolly, and he won't try and steal your stuff or abduct your kids. Let him do his job, and let the video game characters do their jobs.

And for even more holiday fun, be sure to check out The 12 best games to play at Christmas and Secret Santa gifts for Kratos, Mario, and more.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
CATEGORIES
PlayStation Xbox Platforms
PRODUCTS
DmC: Devil May Cry Resident Evil 5 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Metroid: Other M God of War: Ascension
Maxwell McGee
Maxwell McGee
Maxwell grew up on a sleepy creekbank deep in the South. His love for video games has taken him all the way to the West Coast and beyond.
Read more
The 50 Most Iconic Video Game Characters
The 50 most iconic video game characters of all time
 
 
The Outer Worlds
Fallout co-creator Tim Cain explains the biggest RPG sins, including annoying NPCs, bad exposition, and those terrible escort missions: "'This escort quest will be fun.' They'd be wrong."
 
 
Silent Night, Deadly Night trailer still
It looks like we've found this year's Terrifier 3, as upcoming Christmas horror movie Silent Night, Deadly Night debuts first bloody trailer
 
 
Jacob Diaz is surrounded by DNA in MindsEye
"Everything I touch turns to poop": Actor says starring in former GTA lead's faux-open world flop made him think he'd "never work in a game again"
 
 
Best video game heroes
The 25 best heroes in games of all time
 
 
Daredevil faces away from the camera in his Marvel Rivals character reveal trailer.
Marvel Rivals Daredevil actor is actively encouraging players to be the worst versions of themselves: "The devil doesn't switch off, even when he's going negative"
 
 
Latest in Action
Samus does the Akira slide in Metroid Prime 4
Metroid Prime 4 continues an unfortunate trend of locking major features behind amiibo, with the new $30 Samus figure a requirement if you want a radio for your bike
 
 
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond screenshot showing Samus' returning Power Armor in detail. A mysterious figure is reflected in her visor
The Doom Slayer voice actor is in Metroid Prime 4, and he's down for a Samus crossover: "I wouldn't be mad at that pairing. Neither one of us say much"
 
 
Hi-Fi Rush
Controversial anti-cheat software Denuvo is being removed from Hi-Fi Rush to "provide a more stable and efficient service environment," but Krafton's anti-tamper features remain
 
 
A screenshot shows Samus Aran's glowing pink fist
Metroid Prime 4 recasts Samus as a Hades 2 and Dispatch actor replaces Mass Effect's Jennifer Hale, continuing the Nintendo Switch 2 era's trend of introducing new talent
 
 
Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is "slightly more novelistic" than GTA 5 because Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser "binged on Victorian novels" for inspiration
 
 
GTA 4
Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser says GTA games are "not as good as" Charles Dickens books, "but they are similar" in their world-building
 
 
Latest in Features
A beautiful Mediterranean coastal fortress as depicted in concept art for Total War: Medieval 3
"Medieval 3 is, in some sense, our Half-Life 3" – Total War: Medieval 3 is finally in the works, and Creative Assembly is leaning on immersion to make it worth the 19-year wait
 
 
Total Chaos screenshot of a creature springing up in the air towards the protagonist, who wields a wrench in a dark, wooded area. The Indie Spotlight logo can be seen in the top right-hand corner of the image
Nearly 10 years later, Doom 2 mod Total Chaos is reborn as a standalone horror FPS I'll be playing all winter, and it makes Silent Hill look like a rom-com
 
 
A screenshot showing the ritual of Nagash from Total War: Warhammer 3 as shown in the Total War 25th Anniversary Showcase
Everything announced at the Total War 25th Anniversary Showcase
 
 
Five Nights at Freddy's 2
Five Nights at Freddy's 2 ending explained: Who dies, what happens to the Marionette, and how does it set up another sequel?
 
 
Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka looking inside a dumpster during episode 6 of Pluribus
Pluribus' surprise cameo deliberately flips the show's most horrifying scene on its head to chilling effect
 
 
The Big Preview art of Fallout season 2 showing Kyle Maclachlan's Hank in a suit of power armor - showing the Cover Story tag
Fallout season 2 is "taking some swings", but isn't committing to any canonical ending from New Vegas: "It's what we would want to see as fans"
 
 
  1. Art from Octopath Traveler 0 showing the hero being haunted by the images of those who burned his hometown, with ghostly images of the three surrounding an image of a town on fire behind him as he walks forward
    1
    Octopath Traveler 0 review: "The strongest entry in this retro-styled JRPG series yet, I love the greater focus on tactical battles"
  2. 2
    Sleep Awake review: "An all-timer horror premise is let down by tired stealth that I feel like I'm sleepwalking through"
  3. 3
    Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review: "The series' atmosphere has never been better, while being dragged down by a boring overworld and clunky psychic powers"
  4. 4
    Routine review: "This imperfect but wonderfully atmospheric moon-based horror leaves a strong impression"
  5. 5
    Marvel Cosmic Invasion review: "Excellent '90s-tinged superhero brawling across a punchy campaign falls just short of arcade bliss"
  1. Freddy Fazbear in Five Nights at Freddy's 2
    1
    Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
  2. 2
    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
  3. 3
    Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
  4. 4
    The Running Man review: "Some fun action and Glen Powell's star power aren't enough to energize this disappointing Stephen King adaptation"
  5. 5
    Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"
  1. Noah Schnapp as Will Byers and Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
    1
    Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 review: “Can the Duffer brothers stick the landing? It’s sure looking like they will”
  2. 2
    Pluribus season 1 review: "Easily one of the year's best dramas"
  3. 3
    The Witcher season 4 review: "The Henry Cavill-less fourth season is the best yet"
  4. 4
    IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
  5. 5
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...