Attack of the Mutant Artificial Trees is an action Flash game developed by Blockdot and published worldwide by Kwelbox in November 2004. It was developed as part of a marketing campaign by the National Christmas Tree Association in 2004.
Gameplay[]
In this game, players are called upon to pelt mutant artificial Christmas trees with snowballs, while avoiding the elves interspersed between the 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, 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. With that, the game was released for free download or online play in November 2004.