The Grinch has had something of a reputation problem over the years. Once upon a time, he was the green fellow who wanted nothing more than to steal Christmas and get away from all those irritatingly cheerful Whos. Now, however, his heart has grown three sizes, he has apparently discovered the joy of festive decorations, and he is determined to prove that he really has changed. That is where The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas comes in, offering a colourful Christmas adventure that swaps the Grinch’s traditional villainy for platforming, gadgets, collectables, and a surprisingly generous helping of festive fun.
Developed by Casual Brothers and published by Outright Games, this family-friendly follow-up takes everything you might expect from a Grinch game and turns the festive dial up considerably. You play as the Grinch as he travels through wonderfully colourful locations, collecting decorations, solving simple environmental puzzles, and generally doing his best to make Christmas wonderful for everyone else. It is cheerful, accessible, and clearly designed with younger players and families in mind, but there is enough charm here to make it an enjoyable little adventure for grown-ups too.
The Grinch Has Had A Change Of Heart
The idea of playing a reformed Grinch is a rather lovely one. Rather than trying to steal Christmas, he is now determined to make it better, and what better way to demonstrate his newfound festive spirit than by creating the most spectacular Christmas tree Who-ville has ever seen?
Of course, things are never quite that simple. Christmas decorations need collecting, the environment is full of obstacles, and there are plenty of creatures getting in the way. The Grinch must travel through several snowy locations, find hidden ornaments, and help restore the festive spirit, one glittering decoration at a time.
It is a straightforward story, but that is very much part of the appeal. Younger players can easily understand what they are doing and why, while fans of the character will appreciate seeing the Grinch in a completely different role. There is something rather amusing about watching a character once famous for ruining Christmas now putting so much effort into saving it.
Welcome To Who-ville
The world itself is easily one of the game’s strongest features. Everything is colourful, exaggerated and wonderfully Seussian, with snowy landscapes, unusual architecture and plenty of festive decorations that make each location feel like a living Christmas storybook.
You will travel through the Grinch’s Cave, Mt. Crumpit, Who-wood and Who-ville itself, with each area offering its own set of platforming challenges and environmental obstacles. The variety keeps the adventure moving nicely, and there is always something visually interesting happening in the background.
Who-ville is particularly charming. Jumping between hovering platforms, exploring cosy homes and hunting for decorations make the place feel like a proper festive playground. It is not the biggest game world you will ever explore, but it doesn’t need to be. Everything is designed to make each area colourful, readable and fun to explore.
Jumbo-Jumping Into Action
At its heart, The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas is a platformer, and it understands that platforming doesn’t need to be complicated to be enjoyable. The Grinch can jump, swing, smash and bounce his way through the environments, with plenty of opportunities to explore above and below the obvious route.
The Jumbo-Jump is particularly useful, allowing the Grinch to make impressively large leaps across gaps and between platforms. Once you get comfortable with the controls, there is a satisfying rhythm to moving through the levels, and the generous checkpoints mean mistakes rarely become frustrating.
The game also makes a conscious effort to keep its platforming accessible. Younger players aren’t expected to have lightning-fast reactions or years of experience with the genre, and the difficulty curve is generally very forgiving. Veterans may find some of the challenges rather easy, but that is clearly a deliberate choice rather than a shortcoming in the design.
A Grinch With Gadgets
The gadgets are where things become a little more interesting. Rather than relying entirely on jumping and running, the Grinch gradually gains access to tools that let him interact with the environment in different ways.
The Snowball Maker is a particularly fun addition, letting you freeze troublesome enemies and turn certain encounters in your favour. Then there are the Rocket Skates, which add bursts of speed and make certain sections feel considerably more energetic. The Jetpack is another welcome addition, opening up new routes and letting the Grinch reach areas that would otherwise be completely out of reach.
There are other useful tools too, including the Candy Cane Lasso and Santa Suit Glider. Discovering what each gadget can do gives the adventure a pleasant sense of progression. None of them are particularly difficult to understand, which again makes sense given the game’s intended audience. They are simply fun toys that give the player another reason to experiment with the world around them.
Max Is More Than Just A Sidekick
Of course, the Grinch doesn’t have to do all of this alone. Max is along for the ride, and the little dog plays a much bigger role than simply following his green best friend.
In co-op, one player controls the Grinch while the other takes control of Max, creating opportunities for the two characters to work together. The Grinch can handle heavier obstacles and use certain gadgets, while Max can squeeze through smaller spaces, sniff out hidden items and reach places that his considerably larger companion cannot.
This is exactly the sort of co-op design that works well for families. You don’t need to memorise a complicated control scheme or understand a dozen different systems before you can have fun together. Instead, you can simply sit down with another player and start exploring.
There is something especially enjoyable about the idea of a parent and child playing through the adventure together, with one controlling the Grinch and the other taking charge of Max. It is simple, accessible co-op, and sometimes simple is exactly what you want from a family game.
Searching For Christmas
Exploration is rewarded with plenty of collectibles, most notably the decorations needed to make the Grinch’s Christmas tree shine. Ornaments, lights and other festive goodies are scattered throughout the environments, encouraging you to look beyond the obvious route.
This is where the game can become surprisingly satisfying. You might spot something glittering on a distant platform and immediately start looking for a way to reach it, or notice a suspicious-looking corner that clearly seems to be hiding something. It gives completionists a reason to poke around every area rather than simply following the main objective.
The collectables also fit naturally into the story. You aren’t collecting random objects simply because the game says you should. You are gathering decorations to make Christmas better, which gives even the simplest collectable hunt a little extra purpose.
A Little Sneaking, A Little Smashing
The Grinch’s adventure isn’t entirely about platform-to-platform jumps. There are also light stealth elements and encounters with various creatures, including pesky mice and forest bats.
Combat is deliberately straightforward. You are not going to spend hours learning elaborate combos or studying enemy attack patterns, but there is something satisfying about overcoming obstacles before continuing on your festive journey.
Again, experienced players may wish there were a little more depth here. The game never becomes particularly demanding, and enemies are generally more of an interruption than a serious threat. For younger players, however, that gentle approach is likely to be a positive.
Christmas Has Never Looked So Colourful
Visually, The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas does a fantastic job of capturing the spirit of its source material. The bright colours, unusual shapes and expressive characters make the game look like a Seuss-inspired Christmas playground.
Snow-covered mountains contrast nicely with the warm colours of Who-ville, while the Grinch himself remains wonderfully expressive throughout. There is plenty of personality in the character animation, and the environments are packed with little details that help them feel festive without becoming visually overwhelming.
The soundtrack also knows exactly what kind of game this is. Festive music accompanies the adventure without becoming too intrusive, while the sound effects add plenty of energy to the platforming and gadget-based antics. It is cheerful, playful and perfectly suited to the Christmas setting.
Christmas For The Whole Family
Perhaps the most important thing about The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas is that it knows exactly who it is for. It isn’t trying to compete with the most demanding 3D platformers on the market, nor is it attempting to reinvent the genre. Instead, it delivers a welcoming adventure that younger players can enjoy without constantly needing an adult to rescue them from difficult sections.
That makes it a particularly good choice for families looking for something they can play together during the festive season. The co-op helps enormously here, and the accessible controls mean that even players who don’t normally spend much time with games can pick up a controller and understand what they are doing.
There is also a lovely sense of positivity running through the entire experience. The Grinch isn’t stealing presents or plotting against the Whos anymore. He is trying to make their Christmas better, and that simple idea gives the whole adventure a warm personality.
Final Verdict
The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas isn’t going to reinvent the 3D platformer, but it doesn’t need to. Instead, it delivers a colourful, cheerful and accessible adventure that understands its audience and gives families plenty of reasons to smile.
The platforming is straightforward, the puzzles are gentle and the combat rarely poses much challenge, but these are balanced by charming environments, enjoyable gadgets, a surprisingly useful Max and genuinely fun local co-op. There is also plenty to discover for players who enjoy searching every corner for decorations and collectibles.
Most importantly, it feels like a proper Christmas game. The colourful Who-ville environments, snowy mountains, festive soundtrack and wonderfully silly gadgets all combine to create an adventure that feels perfectly suited to sitting down with the family during the holidays.
Experienced platforming fans may wish for greater challenge, but that isn’t really who this game is aimed at. For younger players and families, The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas offers exactly what it promises: a friendly, colourful and wonderfully festive adventure in which even the Grinch is finally getting into the Christmas spirit. And honestly, seeing the Grinch try to make the Whos happy is probably the biggest Christmas miracle of them all.
