Unfortunately an unpopular title, but it's one that delivers while using an unlikely license.
You play as Snoopy, from the classic Peanuts comic strip, as he sleeps atop his dog house, dreaming about going up against the Red Baron in World War One. Odd premise? Not really; they wrote a song about this rivalry you know? A Christmas song no less.
There's a variety of settings you'll find yourself in with a decent selection of enemies and bosses to go up against. The bosses and bad guys are very well designed, each providing unique challenges.
As you progress through the missions you'll find there's lots to accomplish and unlock. There will be new weapons you can purchase, along with health, gun, and "stunt meter" upgrades.
You'll also have secondary mission objectives to complete and bonus items to find. If you're a completest, there's plenty to keep you busy during a second play-through.
And each mission is actually fun! This game steers clear of sacrificing game-play for licensed characters. It's one of those rare game with cartoon icons (slightly outdated as they may be), that would be just as fun if it used unknown characters. The rarities continue in the game-play as this is one that can be enjoyed by a wide range of audiences young and old.
It's fair to say that although the combat lacks in intensity, it's not always a breeze either. So some really young players may get frustrated quickly.
The graphics are both fitting and easy on the eyes, and the sound design is also well accomplished, including the voice acting.
The controls are well managed, and will let you handle your bi-plane just as you would like to. The camera is even really good, and rarely causes issues.
Playing through the game may not take you very long. It can probably be done in about 5 hours if you just want to plow through the story missions. But after the main game, you can head for some straight-up dog-fighting action against the AI and/or another live player, using characters you've unlocked throughout the game (if you were good enough to unlock them).
Very little with the game could be considered disappointing. And even that which could be is a mild upset at most. For example, if you spend your money on upgrades to quickly, you could find yourself a couple hundred bucks short for a weapon you didn't know you needed for the next mission until it's too late. But a quick play through or two of the last boss level will usually get you back on track.
Most everything is done very well here. The developers managed to package a great game, and worked hard not to make it just another licensed title with sub-par game-play. A wonderful mix of lightheartedness and fun action.