Warning: Spoilers for Bayonetta 2 lay ahead

Nintendo has made many great games over the years & many fit in the holiday spirit.  Published by Nintendo and developed by PlatinumGames, Bayonetta 2 is the title that I feel fits the Christmas feel the most of any Nintendo game. Christmas is part of the story of Bayonetta 2 and it is on Christmas Eve that we see our story begin.

We play as Bayonetta who begins the game shopping for Christmas, in her own way of course. Things do not go as expected and you are soon playing another great action game.  While Christmas is not the main focus of the game admittedly, it does come up numerous times throughout our experience. We have Rodin as Santa in the beginning, and Enzo just wanting to be there for his kids. But more than that, the themes of Christmas are tie into Bayonetta as well.

Subversive but Wholesome

Not all of the themes of Christmas are as apparent as you may think. There is of course a spiritual component that is mercilessly mocked here, because what else weld you expect from Bayonetta? I certainly knew what was coming in this irreverent game/ But more importantly,  you can see that the idea of family and togetherness, which is just as important, is also a key part of our journey. Jeanne’s predicament happens on Christmas, and Bayo must make a spiritual journey of sorts to enter hell and get her back. Christmas is also mentioned quite frequently at various points, and while you may miss some, they are there to be found

Bayonetta 2’s story is also one of being willing to sacrifice everything to help the ones we love. That is a key component of many Christmas stories throughout the years, and is done well here. I need to point out Balder’s Sacrifice towards the end is also worth mentioning, as we see him sacrifice his own life, knowing he will be used for evil,  but saving the world from a monster in the process. This game also manages to redeem him as well, since Balder’s evil actions that we witness in the first game are thus explained away and we see him now as a heroic figure. He even reconciles with the adult Bayonetta who now sees her father as the  good man he really was.

Unconventional But True

This ties into our themes of family and togetherness as well. Bayo is able to fight alongside both her mother and father at various points in the game, and we see the bond between them without words needing to be spoken, Balder says at the very beginning how proud he is of Bayonetta, in his dying moments, and lets himself die so the evil possessing him will not be set free. We also get to see that Luka and Rodin have become close friends, Bayo manages to get Enzo back safely, bringing the plot back to Christmas.

Bayonetta 2 is an unconventional take on Christmas, but that is why we love it so. You cannot help but appreciate both the subversive tone of the game that is mixed well with a rather wholesome message. I rather enjoyed the nice blend of this story with the intense action as well. I must say though, that while Bayonetta 2 is a different take on Christmas, I would not have it any other way. In addition, while I realize that Animal Crossing has Christmas elements as well, they are not of the same nature. Animal Crossing was celebrating the season more, like it does with every season, but I saw deeper themes in Bayonetta 2.

Always some Enjoyment

Bayonetta 2 has a connection to Christmas that I hope I have made clear here. It is a game that you all can enjoy this time of year and revel it is beauty. You can get it on Wii U, or a superior version available on the Switch, and I do hope you all give it a play sometime. There is always enjoyment that we can get from Bayonetta 2, and its status as the best Nintendo Christmas game should not be doubted by us. I hope you all play again sometime, with this in mind. It is the best for Nintendo Holiday Cheer.