Review: Bluey’s Happy Snaps (Nintendo Switch 2)

Bluey is a worldwide phenomenon. By now, we’re all familiar with this family of cartoon dogs and their fun and humorous antics. Even if you haven’t actually watched the show itself, you’ve likely come across the merch, posters, or TV ads. There’s even a feature-length movie in the works. Maybe you’ve even tried one of the video games.

Bluey’s Happy Snaps marks the third such outing. It’s not a sequel, though. In fact, it comes from a completely different developer and publisher than the first two titles. Bluey’s Happy Snaps was developed and published by Gameloft, an independent studio based in Bluey’s home town of Brisbane, Australia. This is a team who doesn’t just know Bluey; they get her. And it shows.

The premise is simple; Bluey and her sister Bingo stumble upon their dad’s old Polaroid camera while playing around the house. This sets up an excuse for the family to journey across town, camera in tow. Along the way, they discover the world around them and capture it all on film.

It reminds me of another photography game, TOEM (I recently reviewed its sequel, TOEM 2). Although TOEM and Bluey’s Happy Snaps sport unique styles, both rely on a cosy photo-taking gameplay mechanic as their main premise. Using Bluey’s camera is easy, too; simply press the A button to lift the camera, then hit the button again to take the shot. 

As Bluey’s story unfolds, she’s given a scrapbook for her growing collection of photos. There’s a new scrapbook for each area of the game’s world—think of them as levels. There are seven of these to explore, giving you plenty of variety and loads to do. New areas are unlocked by finding 15 of the 20 blank spots within the current book. Each spot depicts a greyed-out version of the object you’re seeking, such as a toy, character, or animal. You can also reveal a clue if you’re stuck, though some aren’t overly helpful. For example, the clue to help find a wallaby is simply “Spot a wallaby”. Um, thanks for the tip!

There’s more to do than find those 20 photos, though. Each scrapbook also has three special pictures to collect. These equate to in-game activities with other NPCs. Interacting with certain characters unlocks a short sequence of events that results in a fun photo opportunity. Collecting all three special pics lands you a wearable item. There are even four optional, hidden pictures to seek out—no clues here! It gives an extra layer of challenge for those seeking it. It could be literally anything within the level, and I enjoyed trying to seek them all out.

Speaking of wearable items, these unlockable costumes are another way to enhance Bluey, Bingo, and the rest of the family. You can don a silly hat, giant sunglasses, or a feather boa. It’s these little moments that add up to an engaging experience.

There’s also an interactive coloring book. This is perfect for kids—who doesn’t love coloring books? These are unlocked by those special pics, providing a large picture to paint. Select from a wide range of colors, pick the area of the picture, and press a button to color it. You can let your creativity shine here, whether you want Bluey to look traditional or make her pink, purple, and green. The choice is yours. 

Another neat addition is an “I Spy” minigame that occurs while traveling from place to place. During these short trips, Bluey is tasked with snapping as many pics of a specific animal as possible. These could be fruitbats, pink cockatoos, or crows. There’s a time limit, with some tricky birds flying past quite quickly, creating an interactive way to enjoy those in-between parts of the game.

Graphically, Bluey’s Happy Snaps shines. It’s designed to emulate an episode of the show, and it absolutely does. The angles, colors, and voices couldn’t be more accurate. The music is also a delight. It uses tunes familiar to fans, providing that classic style that’s both relaxing and sentimental. I’m happy to say that it all runs and plays smoothly, too. 

To cap things off, Bluey’s Happy Snaps features a co-op component. Here, one player controls Bluey while the other controls Bingo. Bingo can do everything Bluey can, though the camera is always controlled by player one. You can swap characters, though, meaning player one can use Bingo. This co-op makes it perfect for families, another Bluey staple. A younger child can take control with a parent’s help. Two siblings can play together. It works well, and I loved trying to photobomb my niece’s photos. I would prefer the second player to also have a camera, but I’m not even sure how that would work. As it is, running around as Bingo and interacting with the environment is super fun. 

Seeing my hometown of Brisbane displayed in such a wonderful way is so heartwarming. From New Farm Park to our river transportation known as CityCats, residents will find familiarity around every corner. But, while it’s recognizable to me, it’s the fact that the rest of the world gets to experience this humble city on a wide scale that makes it so amazing. Bluey has already helped put Brisbane on the map on TV; now it’s happening on consoles and PCs. She’d better be involved with the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.

The sentimental feeling Bluey imbues isn’t solely reliant on location, though. It’s also about sharing this world through the eyes of two children. Everything has an innocent quality, whether it’s sliding into a ball pit at the indoor playground or chasing lizards at Mt Coot-tha. Bluey might be aimed at kids, but I challenge any parent to admit they don’t also enjoy it. It’s funny, relatable, and heartwarming in equal doses. And Bluey’s Happy Snaps captures that energy in spades. Well done, team.