Call me an old fashioned chicken, but I like my eggs free-range. And after watching that over-exaggerated PETA video about KFC's chickens' well being, I've never eaten there since. Keeping them crammed up, wing to wing, getting pumped full of food before they're eventually killed (not really kids, they were just boiled alive) - ah yes. So today Chicken Little meets the end of my boot; will I kick this adorable chicken into a Zinger Tower of doom, or will I be letting him lay free-range for scrambled eggs every morning?

The thing is with the game of Chicken Little is that it's not really free-range; it's more of a caged type of linear. However, metaphorically speaking, the cage does open up for special occasions, allowing you to explore some of the more popular places of the film, such as the main town for example. But for the most part, you're here to do one thing and one thing only - and that's play through a little adventure, as a little chicken.

Don't be fooled by this game's cutesy front cover. Chicken Little is a game for the men amongst us. Can I get a manly roar? You see, this game is very difficult. So difficult in fact, that my sister started crying on one level, arguing with the gaming god "Why did you make this game so hard?" But for me, if I ignored the chicken there in the middle of the screen, I almost have a graphically sound platforming game with some retro difficulties chucked in, which had me in my element.

Chicken Little is a very diverse game and plays through many famous scenes of the smash hit movie. One large level has you searching for the baseball outfit that your bully-friends hid from you - on this level you're platforming around, having a great time. Another level might have you running away from a certain bully and on this level you will be running towards the screen, jumping over things that get in your way. That one really is difficult; I must have spent thirty minutes there. A round of Dodge Ball just ices the varied tasting cake that is Chicken Little.

What can Chicken Little do? Well, he uses his yoyo for most things. He can swing between platforms with his yoyo, he can climb poles with it, attack enemies with it and bust open boxes too, to mention a just few things. For a lot of the game you will need to master the jump button; there are a lot of tricky jumps that you often have to combine with tactics, such as the attack button, because upon landing there might be a little robot chicken that knocks you off the platform. Hey! If you're going to throw your controller in a fit of rage, don't aim it at me!

I think that this game is beautifully crafted; it has a lot of superb platforming elements, it's nice and varied and it offers a good film to game translation with all the familiar faces and places. The only trouble is, the audience it's offered for might get easily frustrated with what's on offer. I'm a big lad and I can channel my rage - not many games leave me red faced and I enjoyed what Chicken Little had to offer. Jumping around beating up chicken robots to finding my outfit, playing baseball and running away from bullies, all glued together with generous scenes from the film, well, it was a nice change. My sisters had a more frustrated outlook on the game though, as they couldn't do it. Sometimes it wasn't too clear as to what was supposed to be done, other times they'd wander around unsure of where to go, and most of all, they'd keep on falling down and having to start again. While they did enjoy watching me play a lot, the classic when is a door not a door joke could be redone especially for Chicken Little.

Visually the game is stays very true to the film. Chicken Little is well animated, with his comical run and his large array of funky dance moves, which you can laugh at during the load screens. Environments also look nice and detailed; some parts of the scenery are outstanding, especially as Chicken Little uses his yoyo to shimmy down a pole and you see mountains and trees in the background. The in-game music compliments the different levels very well, with some familiar tunes from the film - however, if you spend too long on one level, the music loops and loops, and eventually becomes a little repetitive. Sound effects are present and do a good job, even if they aren't that memorable. When the graphics and sound come together, it makes for a nice attractive Little package.

Chicken Little is a fun little game for anybody who doesn't get easily frustrated and any kid who wants a challenge. I suppose if you're sick of buying your child a game that's far too easy and is over in seconds, well, this is the game for you. Just be prepared to pick up the chicken pieces when little Timmy throws a tantrum!

Reviewed by Dexter Pearson for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).