The iconic Grunt Birthday Party skull, known for its celebratory confetti and cheering sounds accompanying Grunt headshots, is accessible in Halo: Campaign Evolved. This collectible skull is featured in the game's bonus missions, alongside 32 other additions. While this guide avoids major spoilers, it does offer details about the final bonus mission to pinpoint the skull's location.
Locating the Grunt Birthday Party Skull
The Grunt Birthday Party skull is not found within the main campaign but in the third and final bonus mission, titled 'Heavy Burden.' Specifically, it is available in the second section of this mission, referred to as 'Two-Fisted Cyborg Justice.' Players who have already completed this mission can access the skull by loading into Rally Point Bravo, after the player character and Sergeant Johnson obtain information from the bridge.
Following the navigation markers, players will descend a lift and continue along a path. After ascending another short lift, proceed until you enter a large room adorned with numerous purple torches on the left side. This area is reached on an upper level. Descend the short stairs directly ahead. The skull will be visible on top of a tall rock sculpture situated in the center of the room.
To retrieve the skull, players must navigate to the central raised platform, which can also be seen to the left. This platform can be reached by dropping down or via a walkway. From the platform's edge, jump into the nearby torch and use a sprint jump to reach the lower level of the rock sculpture. From there, a final jump will allow players to grab the skull and unlock the Grunt Birthday Party feature.
Activating the Skull
Once acquired, the Grunt Birthday Party skull can be activated through the game's skull menu. Players can choose the 'new game' option or select any mission. Before loading into the game, toggle the Grunt Birthday Party skull on within the skull menu. The skull will remain active for all subsequent missions played.