The Grinch (video game)

The Grinch is a 2000 platform video game loosely based on the film How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Developed by Artificial Mind & Movement and published by Konami, the game was released in North America one week prior to the film's theatrical release—November 10, 2000. George Lowe does uncredited work as the narrator of the game. The Game Boy Color version was released that same month, which was ported for a release in Japan on November 22, 2000.^[3]

The Grinch
North American cover art for PlayStation
Developer(s)	Artificial Mind & Movement (PS & DC) Konami Computer Entertainment Nagoya (GBC) Konami (PC)
Publisher(s)	Konami
Platform(s)	PlayStation, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, Microsoft Windows
Release	PlayStation NA: November 10, 2000[1] EU: December 8, 2000 Dreamcast NA: November 22, 2000[1] EU: December 15, 2000 Game Boy Color EU: November 24, 2000 NA/JP: November 2000 Windows NA: December 4, 2000 EU: December 15, 2000
Genre(s)	Platformer[2] Stealth (GBC)
Mode(s)	Single-player

Gameplay

As the Grinch, the player can jump, ground pound, and use his smelly breath to guide his way through various obstacles in the game. As the game progresses different gadgets are unlocked which are used to complete different tasks. Various characters from the book and film appear as well, usually as an obstacle for the Grinch to bypass.

Plot

The Grinch stares down at Whoville through his telescope from Mount Crumpit, planning to take the Whos' presents using his gadgets. He goes into his cave, and looks through his blueprints deciding which gadget to make first. However, the Grinch accidentally falls off his mountain of boxes and his blueprints fly away down to Whoville and various parts of Wholand. The Grinch visits Whoville, the Whoforest, Whoville Municipal Dump, and Wholake, destroying Christmas presents, playing pranks on the Whos and recovering pieces of his blueprints in the process so he can steal Christmas.

Reception

The Dreamcast, PC, and PlayStation versions received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.^[4][5][6] John Gaudiosi of NextGen's review for the latter console version had positive comments on controls and graphics, but called the gameplay dull and not challenging and recommended the game only for Grinch fans.^[7] Star Dingo of GamePro's website-only review said, "While a scant few of The Grinch's tasks are fun, the rest are either boring, frustrating, or both."^[8][a]

The Game Boy Color version was a runner-up for the "Action Game of 2000" award in Editors' Choice at IGN's Best of 2000 Awards for Game Boy Color.^[9]

The game sold almost 20,000 units and generated $660,000 in revenue.^[10]

Aggregate scores

Aggregator	Score
	Dreamcast	GBC	PC	PS
GameRankings	50%[11]	67%[12]	50%[13]	56%[14]
Metacritic	51/100[4]	N/A	55/100[5]	55/100[6]

Review scores

Publication	Score
	Dreamcast	GBC	PC	PS
AllGame	N/A	N/A	[15]	N/A
CNET Gamecenter	N/A	N/A	5/10[16]	7/10[17]
Electronic Gaming Monthly	N/A	N/A	N/A	2.67/10[18][b]
Game Informer	N/A	N/A	N/A	5/10[19]
GameFan	N/A	N/A	N/A	69%[20]
GameSpot	6.3/10[21]	N/A	N/A	4.8/10[2]
GameSpy	4/10[22]	N/A	N/A	N/A
GameZone	N/A	N/A	N/A	8/10[23]
IGN	N/A	9/10[24]	5.5/10[25]	5/10[26]
Next Generation	N/A	N/A	N/A	[7]
Nintendo Power	N/A	6.7/10[27]	N/A	N/A
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine	N/A	N/A	N/A	[28]
PC Zone	N/A	N/A	65%[29]	N/A
The Cincinnati Enquirer	N/A	N/A	[30]	[30]

Reception

See also

• Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, another Grinch video game

Notes

1. GamePro gave the PlayStation version three 2.5/5 scores for graphics, control, and fun factor, and 4/5 for sound.
2. In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the PlayStation version, two critics gave it each a score of 3/10, and the other gave it 2/10.