A Reindeer Game Worth Joining

I get it. When you see a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer video game, it’s become standard operating procedure to dismiss it as shovelware junk. I still recall the Wii game from 2010, and… yeah. I get it. But don’t write off GameMill’s game– especially if you’re a fan of the 1964 original movie. It’s flawed, but certainly playable and… dare I say it?– fun in spots.

There’s attention paid to the source material. The game looks like the film it’s based on, from the characters to the settings. At times, during in-engine cutscenes, it could actually be mistaken for the film. Voice talent in the game generally sound very close to their 1964 counterparts, and the music is filled with recognizable themes. It’s like a playable version of the film, but there are certainly liberties taken to expand that into a 3D platformer.

Indeed, this Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer game is a platformer. Rudolph walks, runs, jumps, glides, and can crash into things. He feels a little bit like he was influenced by Insomniac’s Spyro the Dragon. The play control isn’t as tight as that game, but is still quite serviceable. Rudolph will need those skills and talents to find collectibles and complete missions scattered throughout scenes in the North Pole that are lifted from the movie. While things start out pretty easy, it doesn’t take long before the game poses some challenge in terms of finding certain items or making it across certain gaps. Apparently reindeer can’t swim, so don’t let your fuzzy friend find the water.

There are a couple of things that hold the game back for me. The first thing is that the camera is pretty awful. It can fidget around in close quarters, which can be quite frustrating– or nauseating. This hearkens back to early 3D platformers, but not in a good way. It’s not an “all the time” kind of problem, but when it happens, you’ll shake your head. The other issue I have is the lack of voice acting throughout the game. Voice acting is reserved for story sequences, while shorter grunts or lines accompany text in game. There’s ample space to store voice, so I don’t understand the decision here (outside of, perhaps, cutting costs).

In spite of my complaints, though, I think there’s a definite audience for this game who– like I did– will overlook the flaws and enjoy it for what it is. It’s hard not to be drawn into the game. Running around as Rudolph, asking Clarice to hang out with you (and that reaction afterwards!), and exploring the Island of Misfit Toys hits just right. Even though the music loops, I still found myself happily humming along.

This Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer game does seem– at least to me– to be a love letter to the stop-motion film, and to its fans. Kids of all ages may find something to like with this, and it’s a fun table-setter for the holiday season.