Which Characters From The Grinch Are Playable In Games?

Big Grinch energy today — I love talking about which characters from 'The Grinch' make it into games, because the roster changes so much between tie-ins, handheld ports, and mobile spin-offs. Across the board, the one constant is the Grinch himself: nearly every official game built around the franchise puts him front and center as the main playable character. Whether it’s a platformer, a stealth/collection-style tie-in, or a silly minigame app, you’re almost always slipping into the Grinch’s shoes (or slippers) to pull pranks, steal decorations, or solve holiday puzzles. That core identity is what keeps these games feeling authentic to the source material.

Beyond the Grinch, several other characters pop up as playable — though availability depends heavily on the specific game and platform. Max, the loyal dog, is the most common additional character: sometimes he’s playable directly, sometimes he functions as a companion or mount, and other times he’s a vehicle-like mechanic (think: rideable helper or power-up). Cindy Lou Who appears fairly often too, especially in multiplayer or party-style collections and mobile tie-ins where developers want a cute, non-grinchy avatar. In those titles she can be a playable Who with her own abilities or simply an unlockable skin. Smaller Whoville residents and background Whos frequently show up in minigames as playable avatars or as part of multiplayer lobbies; they’re usually more generic but still fun for variety. A handful of releases will include Martha May Whovier, Mayor Augustus Maywho, or other named Who characters as cameos, NPCs, or boss encounters rather than consistent playable choices.

If you dig deeper into platform differences, console/PC tie-ins from the early 2000s tended to focus narrowly on the Grinch with a few unlockables, while mobile apps (especially around the 2018 Illumination film) expanded the playable roster with costumes, Who characters, and event-limited skins. Party/minigame bundles and licensed kids’ collections often treat the Whos as playable roster members so friends or family can each pick a different character. There are also fan-made levels and mods in some indie spaces that let you play as alternative versions of the Grinch or Whoville characters, but those aren’t official releases.

So, to cut it down to a friendly checklist of who you’re likely to see as playable across various 'The Grinch' games: the Grinch (always), Max (often playable or a companion), Cindy Lou Who (sometimes playable/unlockable), generic Whoville residents (minigame/party titles), and occasionally Martha May, the Mayor, or Santa as special characters or bosses. If I had to pick, I always gravitate toward playing the Grinch first — there’s something deeply satisfying about being the mischievous anti-hero in a game made for holiday chaos, and Max as a sidekick just seals the deal.