Holiday Broadcasting

Holiday Broadcasting
Level ID	SNOW96
Hub	Mission Control
Channel Style	Christmas
Ambience	North Pole
Reqs to unlock	x1
Missions	Totally Scrooged Create Five Ice Sculptures Whack the Snowboarding Elves Defeat Evil Santa
Remote(s)	+
Enemies	Evil Elf Evil Santa
Collectables	(x100) (x10) (x3)
Gex's themed outfit(s)	Snowboarder

Holiday Broadcasting is the 1st level/channel in Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko. Here, Gex's disguise is winter sports gear and he can also optionally unlock Rex by thawing him out from a block of ice he is trapped in, allowing him to be played in the secret levels. Freeing Rex will also reward the player with three extra lives.

Setting and inspiration

The level takes place in the North Pole based on shows and films that are traditionally shown during Christmas or otherwise based around it (hence its name), such as those made by Rankin/Bass. The level's name is a word play on the phrase "totally screwed" and A Christmas Carol's Ebenezer Scrooge.

Missions and strategy

Create Five Ice Sculptures

Laced throughout the stage are blocks of ice that, upon getting tail whipped, will steadily become ice sculptures of Gex. There are five in total, and each area except the snowboarding track has at least one.

The first ice sculpture is located on top of one of the cottages. The second is located behind another cottage. The third sculpture is in the ice cave where the mission's remote and a frozen Rex are located. The last two are to the left and right of the central island past the cavern. Make the sculptures and the remote is yours.

Whack the Snowboarding Elves

At the very edge of the level, past the ice skating elves, is a snowboarding track. Five snowboarding elves are placed on the track and must be defeated to activate the TV at the foot of the slope. Obviously, the fastest way to finish this mission would be to destroy the elves as the player descends the slope. Once the elves are toast, head to the TV and get the remote.

Defeat Evil Santa

In the main location of the level, there are a series of steps that Gex must jump on in the back of the area. This will take you to Evil Santa, the mini-boss of the stage. There is also a Paw Coin at the top. To defeat Evil Santa, simply hit the presents back at him when he launches them at the player. Do this three times and Evil Santa will be destroyed, activating the TV on the cliff just across from where the battle took place. Head to the cliff and grab the remote and the mission is finished.

Gallery

Areas

TV Entrance in The Pole

Main Area

Cabin Inside

Ice Cavern

Center

Snowboard Track

GBC

December 30th, 1998 prototype

Mission select with placeholder name, 'SNOW TV'

Holiday Broadcasting - Unused Ski Lift

Unused Ski Lift which can be found in the December, 30th 1998 prototype.

Unused present object

Blank ice block which can be jump on and broken on impact

Unused Snowman

February 8th, 1999 prototype

Unused idle animation

Unused idle animation 2

Items

Before

After

Miscellaneous

Penguin

Toy Soldier

Source image for TV logo.

Music

N64

GBC

Trivia

• It's one of the few levels which notable changes were made to the enemies in the level across the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. The most noticeable being the mini boss, Evil Santa, with his face being visible in the latter.
• In Deep Pocket Gecko, the channel name was changed to Holiday TV.
• An adapted rendition of this level's music is used in the Blizzard Beach track of Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour. Both titles were developed by Crystal Dynamics, and featured Jim Hedges as their lead composer. Therefore, it makes sense that some of Hedges' previous works would be repurposed for this game. This rendition is notable for substituting Holiday Broadcasting's leitmotif with a "Deck the Halls" style instrumentation. It also removes the "Frosty the Snowman" instrumental section of the original. The Pre-History Channel track from Enter the Gecko was also reused in this game.

Walt Disney World Quest- Magical Racing Tour - -OST- - "Blizzard Beach"