As someone from a country where it basically never snows, ever, except on the tops of like 3 mountains for two months of year, snow's always been this exotic, magical thing to me. I didn't even see it in real life until I was 15. As such, I've always found snowy levels in games to have a certain fantastical charm.

What are your favourite examples of levels/worlds/stages/areas in games in the snow or ice template, and why?

Sonic 3's Ice Cap Zone by far, the music being the biggest reason but also the level design was great as well.

Phendrana Drifts, Metroid Prime....probably mostly because of the amazing music.  But the environments were pretty cool looking, too.

New Super Mario Bros. U snow levels, with the starry backgrounds, are so beautiful!

cliffside slide also my favorite song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJcuLj8s7Mg

Honestly I really loved the snow dungeon in Twilight Princess, Snow Peak I believe it was called; not only the dungeon itself but getting there was a nice experience as well.

My Mario Maker levels.

Most snow levels I played are only that because of esthetics, which doesn’t really have a big impact on gameplay itself. Most things could’ve just as well have been desert levels or whatever. So it’s hard to think of one that really resonated with me.

I guess I’d pick Snowpeak Ruins from Twilight Princess. Or that penguin snow level with the big slide from Mario 64, I forgot the name.

Not the level, but the whole game - The Thing, made as sequel to Carpenter's movie.