Attack of the Mutant Artificial Trees facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Attack of the Mutant Artificial Trees |
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| Developer(s) | Blockdot |
| Publisher(s) | Kewlbox |
| Platform(s) | Browser |
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| Genre(s) | Action, |
Attack of the Mutant Artificial Trees is a free online video game developed as part of a marketing campaign by the National Christmas Tree Association in 2004. The game was meant to support the natural Christmas tree industry and received criticism from artificial tree producers. It has been described as similar to Whac-A-Mole.
Game
Players are called upon to pelt mutant artificial Christmas trees with snowballs, while avoiding the elves interspersed between the garishly colored mutant trees. Mutant trees emerge from boxes that are marked "100% Fake" or "Made in China". The trees, as the game says, have "mutated and are sucking the spirit out of Christmas". The game features an "Xmas Spirit Meter" light which dims for every mutant tree missed or elf hit by mistake. Between rounds the game provides "facts" about Christmas trees, or, depending on your point of view, "didactic little warnings about the evils of fake trees".
Development
The game was developed by a Dallas-based Internet marketing firm, Kewlbox; Kewlbox is a launching platform for games created by Blockdot. The National Christmas Tree Association, a trade group representing the Christmas tree farming industry, commissioned Attack to press their message that natural trees are the way to celebrate Christmas. The game was released for free download or online play in November 2004.
