How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a classic story. Originally released as a book in 1957, the story was adapted into an animated film in 1966, once again in live action by Ron Howard in 2000, and more recently as yet another animated feature by Illumination in 2018. The Grinch character himself has also appeared in multiple Dr. Seuss stories, including the 1977 Halloween special Halloween Is Grinch Night. In today's world, it is honestly hard to imagine the Christmas season without the character. He is beloved by many, and in 2023, developer Casual Brothers and publisher Outright Games decided to bring his story to the world of video games.
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is a side-scrolling platforming adventure, with a hint of stealth, that retells the original storybook version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. That being said, the book itself is a large chunk of this game, with the levels themselves playing out between readings of this classic tale. It is a unique structure and actually a great way to experience the story even without playing the game itself, but the rest of this game is not going to be for everyone.
To be completely honest, The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is a shallow game on its own. It is a very basic platformer; there are some awkward physics at play, and the levels themselves are not all that memorable. It is very reminiscent of what gamers came to expect from licensed games back during the '80s and '90s (and even early 2000s), except it has been developed in modern day. There is a certain novelty to playing the game, and those who enjoy unlocking achievements will find an easy set to earn; however, those expecting a great platformer will be sorely disappointed. On the other hand, the game itself is clearly aimed at kids, and there is a two-player co-op mode built in. While adults playing this game solo may not feel it is worth it, adults playing it with their kids and their families might just find themselves having the time of their life. It is clearly aimed at those who love the Grinch (it is a Grinch game, after all), and those who don't mind turning their brains off for a couple of hours as they work their way to completion.
The Story and the Virtual Story Book:
Of course anyone who is familiar with the Grinch will already know this tale, but for those who are not, there is no better way to explain it than by the opening pages:
Every Who Down in Whoville Liked Christmas a lot.
But the Grinch,Who lived just north of Whoville, Did NOT!
The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
Whatever the reason, His heart or his shoes,
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos,
Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown,
At the warm lighted windows below in their town.
For he knew every Who down in Whoville beneath,
Was busy now, hanging a mistletoe wreath.
This iconic intro is what introduced the world to the Grinch and set the stage for what was to come: a Grinch who hatches a plan to "steal" Christmas and put an end to his own yearly annoyance.
As mentioned previously, the entirety of this story is read throughout the game, with some additional dialogue playing out during the levels themselves. Just like the original, all dialogue in the game rhymes, with almost every action being narrated. Of course, there are no surprises along the way with this one; it is a pure one-to-one retelling. For those who only care about the full original story, the game even contains an option to read and listen to the book in full. While it may not compare to pulling out the real book and reading it to your kids or family, it can be a great alternative and possibly reason enough to purchase the game. It is a fun little bonus, and it was a pleasant surprise to discover within the game's extras.
Platforming Gameplay:
Following the story, the levels within The Grinch: Christmas Adventures are split into two sections. The first section of the game is none other than its pure platforming gameplay, which calls back to classic 2D collect-a-thons.
Every stage is filled with presents to "steal," puzzle pieces to collect, and enemies to avoid or knock out. Presents act as a currency to unlock bonuses later in the game, while puzzle pieces are used to unlock the Grinch's different abilities. When first starting the game, the Grinch can only jump, climb up ledges, and step on the heads of enemies, but eventually, he can double-jump, use a jetpack, and use his candy cane grappling hook to swing from specially marked areas. Because of these upgrades, early stages do have inaccessible areas that will require a return visit to access them, but for the most part, the game is very linear without any real challenges.
Despite the Grinch having low health to start with, checkpoints are very forgiving, enemies can be easily avoided, and puzzles are limited to "push this button to open this door." In co-op mode, Player 2 can use Max to push buttons and access areas the Grinch cannot; however, playing solo, Max can be swapped to by a simple press of a button. The game attempts to use the co-op puzzle-solving mechanics made popular by other family-friendly titles, but it is very underused here in comparison. This is a small annoyance that must be dealt with in nearly every stage, but when playing with someone, it is hardly even noticeable. This is one of the cases where adults playing with their kids would simply enjoy these parts, as their children navigate to the switch to help. It is clearly designed to not be overly complicated, but at the same time, to allow a sense of accomplishment—no matter how small.
Although the game features three worlds by default, with a fourth world added via an update, the structure of every level remains mostly the same. Jump over platforms, avoid spikes, swing across gaps, pick up items, and jump through tubes that transport you into the background to continue the stage. While the controls can feel a bit off at times, the platforming sections are not so difficult that one can easily miss a jump. It doesn't take too long to adapt to the feel of the Grinch's movements either, so what initially feels off eventually does feel "just right." The same can be said for controlling Max, although he too requires some adjustments to get used to him. Unfortunately, the main issue is regarding the camera, and it does persist throughout the entire experience. There are often platforms off-screen without any clear indicators that it is safe (or unsafe) to jump, and the game's built-in camera controls to look around are not always good enough to clearly see. It isn't too big of a problem thanks to the checkpoints, but dying because you simply couldn't see where to land is never a fun experience.
Sneaking into Houses (Stealth Gameplay):
Throughout every level, there are sections where the Grinch will enter a house (or cave) to steal presents. These sections feature a 3D world with a fixed camera and enemies to avoid. Early areas will have giant walking gingerbread men that will chase after the Grinch, with later levels featuring the Whos themselves. Whatever the case may be, the "enemies" will chase after the Grinch to give him a hug if he makes too much noise, and the only way to get away from them is to hide under tables, in dressers, or under beds. Thankfully, the enemies are not the smartest in the world, and simply ducking under something will make them completely forget the Grinch exists. They will go about their day, and the Grinch can go back to exploring the house to steal everything in sight.
While exploring these areas in 3D is fun, the stealth sections are the most underdeveloped part of the entire experience. Players can use Max to pick up all the items around while the Grinch hides, and the Grinch's hiding animations take a long time to play out. The moment they are triggered, he is safe, but waiting an extra ten seconds just so he can come out of hiding does get old after a while. Again, kids may enjoy seeing his wacky, cartoony reactions, but adults may not have the patience to wait time and time again. Realistically, one can simply run past and "kite" most enemies to get them out of the way, so hiding isn't fully necessary. However, it is important to note that most houses hide puzzle pieces, so every area should be explored to the fullest before moving on.
Snowboarding:
The final aspect of the main gameplay comes from the snowboarding mini-game. These are short stages where the Grinch must avoid objects as he makes his way to the end of the stage. Despite initially appearing as if these stages are fully 3D, they actually operate on a three-lane system, where players simply have to press left or right to move between the left, middle, or right lane on the screen. There are no checkpoints, so failing will put you back to the start, but the stages do not last long enough for this to become an issue.
The Puzzles:
In addition to the main game, puzzles must also be put together to unlock the Grinch's abilities, and they can be put together for simple fun. Puzzles begin easier and get harder (with more pieces) as the game goes on, but a faded version of the picture in the background helps players solve them. Additional puzzles can be unlocked outside of the main game (using the collected presents) and offer more fun ways for players to interact with the game. Again, this is something many adults may not care about due to its simplicity, but kids may enjoy them and return to them time and time again. The biggest issue here, however, is how slow it is to drag each piece where it needs to go; however, the PlayStation version allows one to use the touch pad as a mouse to make quick work of this.
And More:
Although the game is roughly only an hour long (I actually completed my first run-through while watching 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas and using the PS5's Remote Play), it can take up to another hour to clean up anything one might've missed for 100% completion. From there, a mirror mode is unlocked which features all of the stages in reverse, and an extra world has been added as DLC. This world also features a new speedrun mode and additional items to collect. Sadly it isn't free, but those looking for a little more can always purchase it.
All of this does expand the game's runtime, and it gives players a reason to return to it year after year. It is the type of game that could become a yearly Christmas tradition, just like watching the cartoon itself, but that does depend on how much one truly enjoyed it.
Should you play it?
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is a very interesting game. While I cannot recommend it to anyone looking for a solid platforming experience, I can recommend it to families who want to play through it together. At the very least, the full digital storybook alone is worth the price, and the hours spent playing with your kids are simply priceless. It is not a good platformer by any means, but the overall novelty can still provide some enjoyment.
VERDICT: Maybe
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
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