The Grinch
Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is one of the many classic stories for the Christmas season. In the year 2000, Universal Pictures released a live-action version of the story (starring Jim Carrey) and it was this movie that inspired a game for the Dreamcast. In this 3D platformer, the player takes the role of the Grinch in an attempt to undo the Holiday preparations of the citizens of the nearby town of Whoville. To do so, you must complete missions within four different areas in and around Whoville. As the Grinch, you will play pranks on the townsfolk, steal or destroy presents, and assemble contraptions that will make your job easier. These contraptions include a Rotten Egg Launhcer and the Grinch Copter, among others. To assemble these, you must find blueprints within each area you explore. The Grinch starts off a bit slow but things do get better once you move outside of the town itself. It appears the first area was made intentionally easy to allow for younger players and for anyone to learn how to play with relative ease. The graphics look good but they are not spectacular and they do appear to fall short for what the Dreamcast can do. The animated scenes are smooth and the narrator does a great job moving things along. Where the game excels is in the music department, which certainly adds to the ambiance and brings the Holiday cheer forward. The Grinch takes advantage of the Dreamcast controller, making good use of the buttons not only for game actions but for camera control as well. With its 24 missions, mini-games, and snowy landscapes, The Grinch is a wonderful title to play during the Christmas season.