Even the pitcher's mound doesn't provide solace from Lucy's criticism.

Why do so many people love the Peanuts gang? It’s probably because unlike so many other cartoons of its time, the Peanuts stories always had a sense of poignancy to them. Charlie Brown never gets the red-haired girl. The Great Pumpkin continues to evade Linus. Snoopy loses another dogfight with the Red Baron. But through it all, the Peanuts gang, this bunch of kids with big aspirations and letdowns, seems to roll with the punches. Life goes on, and you revel in the little victories.

If you’re expecting a Shultz-like experience with It’s the Big Game Charlie Brown, you’ll be in for a surprise. This game isn’t like a Peanuts comic strip or cartoon at all, but that’s not a bad thing. It is what it is: a kids’ game in which you, as Charlie Brown, need to gather the Peanuts gang together to form a baseball team. Your friends need some convincing, however, and that’s done by successfully completing each character’s challenge. For example, Schroeder’s challenge is a Simon-like musical playback game, while Lucy dons her psychiatrist cap and quizzes you on Peanuts trivia. Each challenge has a easy, medium, and hard setting, and most kids can get through them, though they might need your help with Lucy’s trivia questions if they’re not up on their Peanuts history.

Older kids who have started adding fact-paced action titles to their gaming slate will find The Big Game’s pace far too slow, but once you get the team together and get down to playing baseball, the game picks up…a little bit. (The recommended age is 7 and up.) The basic baseball game in The Big Game is nothing like a full-featured baseball video game, but it’s certainly age appropriate. Kids will have to have some patience as they learn the timing needed to hit the baseball. The cut scenes between innings are a nice way to break up the pacing.

The bottom line. Parents might be disappointed that The Big Game isn’t brimming with the bittersweet Peanuts allegory they grew up with, but keep in mind that this is a kids’ title. And it’ll be a hit with kids who don’t mind settling into a chair and taking their time with a game.

COMPANY: Viva Media

CONTACT: www.viva-media.com

PRICE: $19.99

REQUIREMENTS: 450MHz G4 or later, Mac OS 10.1.2 or later, 128MB RAM

Multiple levels of puzzle difficulty.

Pace might be to slow for older kids. Baseball game won’t appeal to experienced video baseball gamers.