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League of Legends: Snowdown Showdown 2012 Skins’ Review – StrategyZero
Dec 172012
 
Snowdown Showdown 2012 Skins Splash Arts
Snowdown Showdown 2012 Skins

Snowdown Showdown is back and, as usual, a quartet of champions gets filled with the season’s spirit. Their outfits aim to represent the feel of the holiday but can a candy man, an evil Santa, a snow grenadier and a helper girl accomplish this mission? Prepare your sledge and slide right into this review to discover it.

Snow Day Ziggs
Snow Day Ziggs Splash Art Snow Day Ziggs Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Ziggs ready for a snow war.
Model: New model for Ziggs and his bombs.
Particles: New snow particles for his abilities, auto-attack, joke, taunt and death.
Animations: New animation for critical hits and recall.
Sounds: New snow sounds for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: The idea of this piece seems to be Ziggs jumping in front of the moon to throw his Mega Inferno Bomb. Unfortunately, that means that the background is a simple and diffuse sky with a few trees nearby. At least, Ziggs portrayal is quite good: the body is fully visible so as to appreciate the great use of colours, lights and attention to detail. Not only is the depiction clear and well defined but it also goes to the point of displaying wrinkles and seams on the clothes. Still, the fur looks unconvincing, too flat and diffuse; maybe even fuzzy. In the end, it’s a piece that serves as a great portrayal but not the best splash art.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Snow Day Ziggs is a skin that chooses the perfect concept for the yordle bomber and executes it near flawlessly. The clothes are nothing new but reasonable designed. However, the snow bombs are simply great: they have faces, carrot noses or other elements to clearly resemble snow-man heads. Moreover, the snow particles and sounds greatly help round the theme; despite leftover sounds like a lit fuse, metal clashing or explosions being present. Even the recall has Ziggs making a snow-man with his bombs so that the concept is implemented with a pleasing cohesiveness. On the whole, Snow Day Ziggs could’ve been better but the concept is so well chosen and delivered that it overcomes any minor deficiencies it may have.

Dark Candy Fiddlesticks
Dark Candy Fiddlesticks Splash Art Dark Candy Fiddlesticks Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Fiddlesticks as a evil candy man.
Model: New model for Fiddlesticks and his sickle.
Particles: New ice particles for his abilities and auto-attack.
Animations: New animations for walking during Crowstorm, recall and critical hits.
Sounds: New sounds for Drain, Dark Wind, Crowstorm, auto-attack, recall and dance.
Splash Art: The background is a rather complete outdoor view made of ample amounts of snow that cover ground and trees; to the point that the clouds look like snow too. The trees look a bit sketchy, the sky a tad blurry and the scenery, while vast, is rather empty. Only Fiddlesticks breaks the monotony of the snow and he does so with good looks. The candy body is shiny and echoes the lustrous aspect of his clothes; though the fur looks waxy. The sickle is well designed and shaded, with uncountable facets and dents, but seems plane. On the whole, a nice depiction of Fiddlesticks backed by a sketchy and empty background.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Dark Candy Fiddlesticks is a skin with an irregular quality as it can be both greatly satisfying and disappointing at the same time. On the one hand, the model is superb, not only does it capture the aesthetic shown by the splash art but it also perfectly fits Fiddlesticks’ character; the long coat is a great choice. On the other hand, the ice magic seem unconnected to the concept and weak; even the recall, though nice, shares the theme. Specifically, the ice doesn’t feel connected to his persona: he’s a candy man wielding ice magic and an ice sickle; which isn’t a convincing link. On top of that, the particles are too tame and, in the case of Drain and Crowstorm, transparent so that they look rather insipid; only the auto-attack feels right. In conclusion, Dark Candy Fiddlesticks is a very nice skin that suffers from problems with its concept and its execution but provides so much that it manages to compensate for its flaws.

Bad Santa Veigar
Bad Santa Veigar Splash Art Bad Santa Veigar Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Veigar as a little, evil Santa Claus.
Model: New model for Veigar and his staff.
Particles: New Christmas based particles for his abilities.
Animations: New recall animation and cane-jump when walking.
Sounds: New Christmas sounds for his abilities and recall.
Splash Art: The background is just a depiction of snow and rocks being subject to the attention of Veigar’s delicate sledge. It could be said that a little fortress or towers were built there but not much is really shown. Besides, the rest of the scenery is so diffuse that one can only imagine more empty snow. Veigar sits on a cruelly and fittingly designed sledge that is an absorbing sight. The Master of Evil shares the same quality yet most of his portrayal is occluded by the sledge, the perspective or the extremely long beard. Regardless, it’s possible to get a general idea of his look. Moreover, the shading and outline of both Veigar and the sledge is superb. Still, as a portrayal is could be better and if we add the unsatisfactory background we end with a piece that attracts attention but isn’t as useful as it could.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Bad Santa Veigar is quite literal about its restricted concept: it’s Veigar adapted into Santa Claus. Therefore, the skin dresses the yordle with the requisite costume and adds some expected Christmas elements to his cosmic powers. The model is correct and the biscuit, ornament, Christmas trees and present particles added to his abilities look quite nice; but the underlying classic concept is still noticeable. In addition to this, the recall is a fantastic touch that greatly helps deliver the theme along the new sounds. In the end, the skin works better than it seems but the fact remains: there’s still a cosmic mage under all the Santa paraphernalia.

Slay Belle Katarina
Slay Belle Katarina Splash Art Slay Belle Katarina Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Katarina dressed as a sexy Santa helper.
Model: New model for Katarina and her blades.
Particles: New particles for her abilities.
Animations: New animations for Sinister Steel and recall.
Sounds: New sounds for her recall.
Splash Art: The background is actually undefined, some hints can be caught from the Christmas tree and walls, it could be a hallway or a manor’s entrance. Regardless, it’s more speculation than an actual display; much like the identity or even relevance of the startled and falling man. Katarina’s depiction has a pleasing cartoon style and interesting composition. She seems to have ripped a box open from the inside so as to make a surprise appearance; though she could just be on an anti-present rampage. Her portrayal is very nice: the stance is dynamic but it hides her body and boots. Besides, the shading is great yet her hair looks a bit waxy, her dress too wrinkled and her right blade quite plain. Overall, is a fine depiction of Katarina that serves its purpose, to a point, yet has some issues.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Slay Belle Katarina is a fine skin with a simple but attractive concept: Katarina as an enticing Santa helper. The clothes are nice and the antlers acceptable but the outfit is hardly impressive. Conversely, the new blades have a fascinating design that greatly helps make the skin unique. The particles seem mostly like a re-colour of the classic ones, yet there are new light effects so they stand as a good addition. All things considered, Slay Belle Katarina doesn’t bedazzle with its style but it’s still an appealing skin for the Sinister Blade.

Conclusion

Snowdown Showdown 2012 offers some expected and unusual concepts that are greatly realized so any of the skins becomes a good option for the season. While the quality levels are close there are significant differences among the skins. Besides, despite the similar quality some are able to stand out: Snow Day Ziggs and Dark Candy Fiddlesticks are the recommended skins. The former offers a fitting concept that stays appealing beyond Christmas; as well as a great delivery. The latter has issues in both concept and implementation but is a very satisfying skin with a lot of additions.

That’s not to say that Bad Santa Veigar and Slay Belle Katarina aren’t good alternatives. Nevertheless, the first suffers from a restricted concept, really appealing only near Christmas, along an implementation that isn’t as polished as it could be. In Katarina’s case the theme is nothing surprising while the execution isn’t astounding either; still it manages to be quite a good skin.

  6 Responses to “League of Legends: Snowdown Showdown 2012 Skins’ Review”

  1. does anybody knows when katarina slay belle will be available again?

  2. Ah I love Snowday Ziggs but every year I pass it up XD

    • It’s a great skin and perhaps the best that Ziggs has available. If you play Ziggs regularly it could be a good option. The 2012 Snowdown bundle is probably the best bundle of Snowdown skins so if you like the skins the 20% discount would be of help.

  3. This is like a best site ever
    I can’t believe someone work this hard to make people know what to buy .
    Zero I have a question which skin should I buy for kha zix I don’t have the RP problems so which one do u think is better ?
    Thanks for this awesome site good job again

    • Not at all, we are glad that you find the site useful. Our main intention is for people to make the best purchases they can and to help them find what they look for in a skin.

      For Kha’Zix we’d recommend Guardian of the Sands. It’s a skin with a nice concept and attractive features that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. If you prefer sci-fi then Mecha is also good but it doesn’t really add much over Guardian of the Sands.

      If caught on sale the price difference between both skins is lessened. Still, there isn’t much that Mecha does that Guardian doesn’t. Unless you particularly like the robot style of Mecha then Guardian of the Sands is the best option, currently.

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