Reindeer (and Other Christmas) Games
by Mike Durrett

The Reindeer Game
Created by a Norwegian college student, this high speed challenge translates into English with clarity.

Sven, I mean, Santa is nutty again, lobbing Christmas packages helter-skelter at children from his sky high lazy ass perch. To make the experience more reckless, he's got the clutch in on Cupid and the pedal to the Blitzen.

Rudolph the Fourth-Gear Reindeer zooms the sleigh through the night air, dodging the dastardly aliens who impersonate, I kid you not, levitating candy canes, snowmen, pine cones and holly berries.

My perception is the aliens are of the outer space variety, although the orbital gingerbread cookie does resemble border-tug tyke Elian Gonzalez. I halfway expected to see Janet Reno float by; that is, if I had a clue how to score (the game, not Janet).

There you have a pinpoint accurate synopsis. Not bad, considering the only Norwegian I ever spoke was when I sat on a Viking hat.

To start a session, wait for the game to load completely, then poke your space bar or "X" key. It took me half an hour to sort out this secret, but I, of course, welcomed the educational experience. I learned that no directions from faraway lands mean nothing in English either.

You may also play the game in the original language version. It's called "Reinsdyr Spillet," which I believe is Norwegian for "Why?"