With the incredibly forgettable Bluey: The Videogame and the enjoyable Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen under the franchise’s belt, Australia’s most popular media export is in a stalemate around whether it can buck the stereotype of video games adapted from children’s media being little more than simple money grabs that offer little for kids (and the adults who may ultimately be left playing alongside them). For all intents and purposes, it should be a no-brainer: genuinely warm, fun storytelling that has captivated youth for years now, plus the parenting approach (by Chilli and Bandit) and Aussie references/comedy that can easily draw in adults. Today we get to discover which way the scales turn, with the recently released Bluey’s Happy Snaps. From the developers at Gameloft Brisbane, a team that lives in the city the show is set in, they can bring Bluey’s world to life through a camera lens, right? Read on for my review of Bluey’s Happy Snaps!
Like the show it is adapted from, Bluey’s Happy Snaps keeps things refreshingly small and approachable, while letting the small character moments give older gamers something to enjoy. While rummaging around the house, Bluey and Bingo stumble across Dad’s old instant camera. Once Bandit gets it working again, the sisters decide to bring it along on the family’s outings around Brisbane, filling a fresh scrapbook at every stop. That is more or less the whole setup. There are no villains to topple or grand quests to complete, and some may find the story a little thin as a result. However, I would argue that is exactly the point, as Bluey has always been at its best when turning an ordinary afternoon into an adventure. The writing really earns its keep in its callbacks, with familiar games, faces, and running gags from across the series woven throughout, while the cutscenes between outings could easily fill a season. Not every recreated moment lands, with one or two wrapping up a little abruptly, but fans young and old will find plenty to smile about.
Visually, Bluey’s Happy Snaps is hands down the best-looking Bluey video game to date. Gameloft Brisbane has taken the series’ soft, painterly style and given it genuine depth, so rather than shuffling across a flat backdrop, it truly feels like you are wandering through different slices of the Bluey world in 3D. The camera raises the bar here, as you can turn around and take in familiar spaces from angles the show rarely lets us see. The attention to detail is just as impressive, with wildlife, props and little nods to specific episodes tucked into almost every corner, all running at a smooth 60fps. That said, the presentation isn’t without its quirks. During cutscenes, characters tend to gaze forward rather than at whoever they are speaking with. Additionally, character expressions, especially when the camera is set in a scene, can snap from expressive to neutral a little too abruptly. None of these is deal-breakers, and younger players are unlikely to notice or mind, but they do stand out against an otherwise polished package.
As someone who finds themselves in Brisbane multiple times a week, I was genuinely impressed by how well Bluey’s Happy Snaps captures the real-world landmarks it depicts. Across its seven locations, from the Park and the Lookout to South Bank and even fictional places like the Hammerbarn hardware store, each place is instantly recognisable, even when filtered through the show’s creative interpretation of the city. You can tell this was not just “another project” for Gameloft Brisbane, and the team has done its home city proud. My main gripe is scale: some environments feel smaller than they could be. South Bank is the clearest example, with the playable area largely confined to the beach precinct. This is a bit of a shame, especially given the Digital Deluxe Edition’s interactive art book shows concept work stretching all the way to QPAC and the Queensland Museum, leaving me wondering what a fuller version of the area might have looked like.
On the audio side of Bluey’s Happy Snaps, bringing back the original voice cast was the only sensible move, and thankfully, that is exactly what Gameloft Brisbane has done. David McCormack (Bandit) and Melanie Zanetti (Chilli) lead the charge alongside the voices behind Bluey, Bingo and a wide range of familiar faces, and everyone gives it their all as you would expect. Bandit and Chilli even read out every menu option and objective, a lovely touch that lets those not yet confident with reading play on their own. The main limitation is that, whether due to a bug or a cast member’s availability, some characters (such as Brandy) go entirely unvoiced, which clashes quite noticeably with the fully voiced dialogue around them. The sound design also fares well, with authentic Australian animal calls bringing each location to life. At the same time, the music, opening with the iconic theme, is pleasant and relaxing, though few tracks stuck with me after I put the controller down.
At its heart, Bluey’s Happy Snaps is a seek-and-find adventure with a camera in your hand. Each location has its own scrapbook of greyed-out stickers, each one indicating something to find (an animal, a landmark, a friend, a moment happening right there and then). Snap the correct subject and its sticker fills in. You get fifteen in an area to unlock the next. Taking a photo is as simple as just lifting the camera and pressing the shutter button. There are no settings to adjust. Those of us who remember Pokémon Snap from way back will have expected a points system to reward better composition, but that’s not it. The whole thing is about fun. You spot something on your list (or one of the little secrets hidden in every area), and you snap it. There aren’t really any deeper mechanics for more experienced players to get their teeth into. For the young audience it’s pitched at, though, removing the pressure of having to get the “perfect” shot is the right move in my book. Every success is rewarded with stickers, decorations, colouring pages and outfits for Bluey and Bingo. For us old folk, it’s just a bit of fun, though it’s easy to get quite lazy, and the thought of “nanna getting all my spare photos” left me rather sad for nanna at the end. Do it for nanna, take care with your photos!
Thankfully, each outing in Bluey’s Happy Snaps offers more than just box-ticking. Every location has three starred photo opportunities that ask you to play first and snap later, whether that is setting the table for a dinner party of toys or joining in on a round of Taxi. Beyond these, the levels are packed with things to muck around with, from kites and bubbles to trampolines and chalk, and it is easy to forget about the scrapbook entirely. Travelling between locations brings I Spy segments and short on-rails sequences where you photograph wildlife from a moving vehicle, again, more about the number you find than any form of photo composition. The scrapbook also doubles as a creative space for decorating pages and colouring in, though it is a little fiddly with a controller. Rounding things out is Play for Real Life, which offers instructions for recreating in-game activities at home, a thoughtful nudge to put the controller down and keep the fun going away from the screen.
In my review of Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen, one of my main wishes was for a way for a parent or sibling to play alongside a young gamer, so I was pleased to see Bluey’s Happy Snaps include local co-op this time around. A second player can jump in as Bingo, explore, interact with the world, and strike poses for photos. However, only one player can take photos at a time, which can make the second player feel more like a sidekick than a partner. Difficulty-wise, there is no real way to fail, making this a fantastic first game for younger players. However, the occasional photo that refuses to register could test little ones’ patience. Experienced players will likely see everything within a handful of hours, and beyond tracking down missed stickers, there is little reason to return. The Digital Deluxe Edition’s Here Come the Grannies mode helps a little, letting you cause chaos as Rita and Janet. However, this edition’s value lies more in the interactive artbook, an approach I would love to see more games dabble with for their respective audiences.
So which way do the scales tip? Undoubtedly in Bluey’s favour. Gameloft Brisbane have clearly put their heart into this, producing a game that feels made with real love rather than as a quick cash-in. Bluey’s Happy Snaps has the best visuals the series has seen in a video game to date, plus a lovely, low-pressure photography loop that kids will love. The team is proud of the accurate depiction of Brisbane’s landmarks, and the returning cast are spot on in bringing the Heeler family to life. There are, of course, some flaws (some locations are a bit too small, a few characters are unvoiced, the second player has a very limited role, and there’s not much incentive to go back once you’ve got your scrapbooks full). Still, as a window into the Bluey world, it perfectly captures the warmth, humour, and heart that made the show such a phenomenon. Alongside Quest for the Gold Pen, it’s further evidence that a children’s tie-in can be so much more than just a cash-in. The scoreboard now stands at two to one.
Final Score for Bluey’s Happy Snaps
This review was conducted on a PlayStation 5 copy of Bluey’s Happy Snaps, with a digital code provided by Australian distributor Bandai Namco Entertainment Australia to facilitate this review.
Bluey’s Happy Snaps is now available on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
