I am a huge fan of The Smurfs. Throughout most of my childhood, I enjoyed The Smurfs cartoons, and I am glad that Microids has taken to reviving the IP in game form over the past few years. The Smurfs 2: Prisoner of the Green Stone is a fun twist on the Smurfs IP, pulling the classic characters into a run-and-gun third-person shooter.

In The Smurfs 2, Handy Smurf has created a revolutionary device called the Smurfomix, meant to produce delicious cakes. However, the Smurfomix is missing a key ingredient, which Handy Smurf discovers in Gargamel’s house. The ingredient is known as The Green Stone, a magical object that secretly houses an evil being called Stolas. Handy Smurf accidentally releases Stolas and must team up with 3 other Smurfs (and Gargamel) to fix his mistake.

You can play The Smurfs 2 alone, or in co-op multiplayer, adding an extra layer of fun to the gameplay. Each playable Smurf has a unique ability that you can use in combat. Aside from that, each Smurf can run, jump, glide (eventually), dash, and stomp. All the Smurfs use the Smurfomix to shoot enemies, and as you progress, you’ll earn crystals that will let you level up the Smurfomix itself, as well as the various ammo types.

The environments are beautiful, but things get repetitive aside from the environmental puzzles that are introduced in each level. Each area involves moving from one battle arena to the next, with platforming and puzzle sections in between. In each level, there is also a challenge portal that will let you do a timed combat challenge to get currency, costumes, and more.

While this does get repetitive, it is a nice upgrade from the first game. With the story being faithfully crafted by the minds behind the series and films, The Smurfs 2: Prisoner of the Green Stone feels like a fun romp through the world of The Smurfs. The variety of ammo types and puzzles helps break up the monotony, but it isn’t spectacular.

While the options menu is a little bare, I should mention that there are 3 difficulty settings, as well as volume sliders and various control options. I was pleased by the option to turn off gyroscope motion control. However, I didn’t notice it until about an hour in, when the reticle was shaking weirdly while aiming. The controls are smooth and easy to get used to, even if you aren’t familiar with this genre of shooter.

If you like The Smurfs, you’re a fan of games like Ratchet and Clank, or third-person mascot shooters, then The Smurfs 2: The Prisoner of the Green Stone is perfect for you. It isn’t the best action game in the genre right now, but it is a lot of fun regardless. On the other hand, if you don’t have a nostalgic connection to The Smurfs, pick it up on sale. It is a solid option if you’re looking for a game to play with kids or family members.

A Nintendo Switch Review Copy of The Smurfs 2: Prisoner of the Green Stone was provided by Microids for this review.

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The Smurfs 2: Prisoner of the Green Stone

$29.99 USD

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Vast improvement over the first game
• Fun run-and-gun combat
• Colorful environments
• Fun storyline

Cons

• Camera gets a little wild
• Levels are slightly repetitive
• Simplistic levels.