Good grief.
The minute I heard that familiar theme song, I was teleported back to my childhood. Snoopy is an iconic character that even my son, who has never seen the cartoons, recognizes. So when I got a chance to introduce him to the world of The Peanuts through this game, I was excited to see how he would react to a character that holds so many of my childhood smiles.
Snoopy’s Grand Adventure is a simple platformer where the iconic dog and his bird pal Woodstock are tasked with following a trail of jelly beans to find the Peanuts gang, who happen to be playing hide and seek. Probably the most perfect and ridiculous premise for a platformer ever created. Still, the story and why I was doing these arbitrary things are hardly the focus of this game.
MSRP: $49.99 (XB1,PS4) $39.99 (Wii U,360) $29.99 (3DS)
Platforms: XB1, PS4, Wii U, 3DS, 360
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
This is a title aimed at kids, and while the price tag is a bit steep, the game accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. Controlling Snoopy is simple and intuitive. He can jump, double jump, and glide across areas by holding the jump button. Snoopy also gains other abilities by unlocking new costumes. Enemies are passive, and even when taking a hit, the heart I lost was gliding above them for me to retrieve. The game is incredibly easy by design.
The two player mode is where the parents-mode comes into play. Taking control of Woodstock with a second controller is simple. He is mainly used to help Snoopy by lowering platforms to gain access to new areas. It is a great way for parents to play the game with their kids without committing too much effort. Trust me, trying to take on Snoopy doesn’t go over well with my son, Woodstock is meant as a compliment, not the true way to play the game.
There are plenty of collectibles scattered throughout the world, again none of them overly difficult for seasoned players. The boss battles are really where things can ramp up, but thankfully these are also not too tough. Most involve running away as opposed to learning patterns. It is nice to see a game that takes into account the nature of younger players. My kid loves repetition, and there is certainly plenty of that here. The levels looks good enough that he enjoys exploring them over and over again.
If there was something that really boggles my mind, is that the performance on the Xbox One version is not great. The frame rate bogs down almost constantly, and I cannot fathom why. The game looks great, but certainly isn’t pushing any technical limits.
Snoopy’s Grand Adventure is a great game for parents to check out with their kids. The price tag is a bit on the high side, and the performance is mind-boggling, but the design is perfect for kids age 4-7. My boy had a great time, and even related to Snoopy and Woodstock without having prior knowledge of them. I definitely recommend checking it out if you are looking for something to enjoy with younger kids. Hardcore platform fans will find little challenge here.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.