A year after the film, Jack Skellington once again feels Halloween has become dull and repetitive. He talks with Dr. Finkelstein improving the next Halloween with new scares and discoveries. The doctor gives Jack the "Soul Robber", a green, whip-like weapon. He then leaves to look for new frights; remembering his lesson from before, Jack searches solely in his world. Equally bored Lock, Shock, and Barrel revive Oogie Boogie, who brainwashes Dr. Finkelstein into creating minions for him. Oogie also kidnaps five of the seven Holiday World leaders. Oogie plans to become the "Seven-Holidays King" once he takes control of Christmas Town. But on December 23, Sally manages to send a magical paper airplane to find Jack to warn him of what has happened. Jack returns to Halloween Town on Christmas Eve, just to find Oogie's shadow. After defeating the shadow, he is given the Halloween Holiday Door and finds everyone was deceived by Oogie into boobytrapping the town. Jack learns Sally is imprisoned in a crypt, fighting through Oogie's minions to the graveyard. Once in the crypt, he finds Sally when a giant spider clings her to the ceiling and attacks Jack. Jack defeats the spider, saves Sally and receives the Valentine's Holiday Door. When Jack and Sally walk out of the crypt, she gives Jack an idea to use his Pumpkin King powers to defeat Oogie's monsters. Sally then says she's worried about Dr. Finklestein and Jack goes to find him. Inside the doctor's lab, Jack finds the brainwashed doctor, who attacks him. Jack returns the doctor to normal by switching his brain back. Jack then goes to the Mayor's courtyard to save the Vampire Brothers. Each vampire gives Jack a key to the mayor's house. Jack finds the mayor and stops Lock, Shock, and Barrel; however, they drop him into a huge maze filled with booby traps. Jack escapes the maze and asks the mayor to release the holiday leaders. Jack soon realizes Oogie wants to kill Santa, and travels to Christmas Town. Jack rescues Santa from a train-contraption, but Oogie, having become enraged by Jack constantly foiling his plans, leaves in Santa's sleigh full of Christmas presents. Luckily, Sally brings Jack's sleigh to help, and Jack and Santa chase after Oogie. Oogie falls out of the sleigh into a world of garbage after being frightened by one of Jack's jack-in-the-boxes that was dropped in the sleigh by an elf. There, he absorbs the waste and insects in the environment in a fit of rage and becomes a giant version of himself to beat Jack. Jack faces Oogie one-on-one. Oogie spills out his bugs, becoming nothing more than an empty husk, ending his threat for good. Afterward, Jack apologizes to Santa for almost ruining Christmas again, but having a change of heart about the skeleton, Santa thanks him for saving his life. Afterwards, Jack realizes that his home and loved ones are something more important than new discoveries. Like the film, the game ends with Jack and Sally embracing on top of Spiral Hill.
Gameplay
Gameplay in the game is similar to the Devil May Cry series, but easier for younger and less experienced players. Both titles were developed by Capcom. Jack can transform into Santa Jack and the Pumpkin King later in the game. Santa Jack can lay down three types of presents to thwart his enemies, while the Pumpkin King form can set them aflame or lay down a bomb. The game consists of 24 chapters. Players must fight numerous enemies, perform platforming tasks, and occasionally solve puzzles to progress through the story. The player's performance in each mission is given a letter grade of A, B, C or D, with an additional top grade of S. Grades are based on the time taken to complete the mission, the longest combo performed, the damage done to Jack, and the number of enemies surprised. The doors of the various holiday worlds are obtained when a certain level is completed, though they are simply plot items and do not grant the player access to other holiday-themed towns. Later chapters, however, allow the player to enter Christmas Town. Each of Jack's costumes have different abilities. Santa Jack can throw out presents to stun enemies or freeze enemies in ice, and the Pumpkin King can burn enemies and open doors by burning them. There are several unlockable costumes, though they do not grant any additional abilities.
Reception
Reception to the game was mostly mixed. GameRankings gave the game a score of 66.46% for Xbox and 64.95% for PlayStation 2, while Metacritic gave it a score of 65 out of 100 for both console versions. IGN reviewed the game, saying, "Unpolished gameplay and poor pacing won't ever make for an outstanding product regardless of however endearing the source material may be" and gave the game a 6/10 rating overall. Gametrailers.com criticized the game for its camera and story, which they believed copied too much from the movie instead of coming up with something truly original. However, The Times gave it all five stars and said, "This adventure looks great, its landscape dominated by crooked buildings and brooding grey skies; navigating Jack is simple and the characters are all well realised. A perfect children’s game."
