December is here, which means this year’s Polar Express stream is coming ’round the mountain. For the record, this will be the 9th year of Polar Express shenanigans for me since I posted the original game review in 2012, I don’t think I’ve missed a year? That makes it one of my longest-held holiday traditions that I still observe, which is pretty wild to think about. It’s just a dumb game that’s honestly not very fun to play through, but skipping it doesn’t even seem like an option at this point.
The past couple of years I haven’t done anything really special with the stream, which I think is totally fine, not every year has to be something out of the ordinary. Most of the time I don’t think about the stream until it’s almost Christmas, which doesn’t leave me much time to prepare for anything else. I’ve actually managed to think about it ahead of time this year, though! So I’d like to try and do something fun with it this year.
I currently don’t have any ideas, but while I’m thinking on it I figured I’d reach out to you guys to see if anybody’s imagination is sparked. I’m just looking for suggestions on how to spice up the Polar Express stream this year. Be it a guest, an extra activity, or something I can actually do during the stream to make the playthrough more interesting/challenging/stupid… whatever! Any ideas. Consider it a public brainstorming session.
Thanks in advance for thinking about it, even if you don’t come up with anything! I appreciate the thought.
I’ve heard much of the famous Polar Express streams, but have never seen one because I just recently downloaded Twitch and the VODs obviously aren’t on YouTube with the copyright. I’m very much looking forward to it! In terms of challenges or ideas, maybe some kind of mini Brutalfoods-esque thing with some kind of holiday treat? Something easy enough that it could be made or even just taste tested from the stream room? Only other idea I had was maybe like a live reaction to something? Sort of MST3K-esque? Everything is esque. Maybe to some old Christmas commercials or a… Read more »
Ooo what about those Pilsbury place and bake cookies? If I remember correctly, they even make gingerbread men too.
I used to looovvvee those. Haven’t had them in a while though. That would be super easy to make quick.
Maybe you could play the GameBoy Advance version? It’s the same game more or less just 2D.
Here’s wild idea and I’m sorry that it’s bad. What if you have somebody else play the game and you sit by their side and guide them through the experience, like a Christmas Ghost.
I’d love to see a friend on the stream with you again, like when you had Josh come on a few years ago. Probably be too difficult to coordinate but it could be fun to have rotating guests to join you for different parts of the game.
I feel like you’ve done this before, but putting together a gingerbread house would be fun to watch; and it’s something you could do without needing to leave the stream room. Tree setup/decoration would be interesting too! You could also try and introduce a ‘live brutalfoods’ setup that I’ve heard you mention wanting to do in the past, and bake something simple. Another option would be to find fair use old Christmas shorts to watch on stream (something like those uncanny stopmotions we were all subjected too, although obviously not those exactly). Just spitballing though, I can’t wait to join… Read more »
Hmm obviously being dressed up as santa or an elf (on the shelf)…
Speaking in jolly puns and rhyming.
Sing/dance every 30 minutes with bells.
Or reading short christmas storys~
Maybe narrating the game as a (christmas) storyteller.
Dressing MJ up (just kidding xD)
Much love, have funz~
I just had an idea! Maybe you take some Oreo cookies (it can be any Oreo flavor you like) and decorate them with frosting, special sugar decorations (ex. santa hats), and make holiday themed designs, like Santa, Rudolf, an elf, a special MJ Oreo, etc. OR if you want a challenge, you could make Polar Express themed Oreo cookies!
Maybe you could incorporate a Christmas candy taste test during the stream? We would get to see real time reactions, and you have plenty of time to stock up on all sorts of candy before the stream. Get some foreign candy, some generic brands, and nostalgic/tradtional candies from your childhood.
How do you feel about model train sets? Seems like they even have The Polar Express themed ones.
Alternatively, you could try getting your hands on one of the many bizarre third-party GameCube controllers that are out there and see what challenge it imposes on playing the game (assuming that you’d still be playing the GameCube version).
What if you came up with a list of words that you can’t say during the stream, and then each time you say a “taboo” word, you have to do something (like donate a dollar to a charity)? Like “Santa”, “snow”, etc…
Or just adding someone else to the mix could be fun. Based on your review video, it seems like a game more entertaining to make fun of with someone than to play seriously.
Hmmm…. a guest or making confectionery afterwards would be fun, but what if you played the game while wearing your special blindfold? That way you can’t see the game but we can feel the calm gaze of your eyes staring into the void? Or you could make a Christmas Tree either real or in unity, which would cement the holiday spirit. Make some apple cider from scratch, etc. just kinda spitballing now though
If the game isn’t fun to play through and you only stream it out of obligation, maybe it’s time for a new tradition!
I think that’s a fair point, but I think it’s worth trying to spice up a tradition to keep it around!
Have you ever played the PlayStation 2 game Raw Danger? It is a disaster survival game that takes place during Christmas. It’s a little buggy but has a ton of character choices and decisions that can give you different dialogue endings. I think it is right up your alley from what I’ve seen you recently play. My wife and I love your videos and hope you are doing well during the pandemic.
-✌️, Aaron
Sometimes people do those things where you use one controller to play multiple games at once. Maybe like…polar express + something else like this?
I’m sure whatever you do will be grand.
Have Chad guest star and have your cats communicate via the streams.