Bluey’s Happy Snaps review for Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch
Posted on October 12, 2026 by Kevin Smith in Reviews, Switch, Switch 2
System: Switch 2 (reviewed) / Switch
Release date: October 15, 2026
Developer: Gameloft Brisbane
Publisher: Gameloft
Since its debut in 2018, the Australian animated series Bluey has become a worldwide sensation with kids and families. The show’s heartwarming plotlines and relatable characters have made it a hit, and as its popularity has grown, so has its reach into other types of media. Bluey made its console debut with Bluey: The Video Game in 2023, and after several mobile releases, the franchise now returns to consoles with the photography-themed Bluey’s Happy Snaps.
Bluey’s Happy Snaps opens with Bluey and her sister Bingo becoming instantly fascinated with an old Polaroid camera they discover in the family’s attic. Mom and Dad, always eager to support their children’s creative spirits, suggest they bring the camera with them on their various escapades and record everything they see in photo scrapbooks. A photo-snapping adventure is a thrilling prospect for the young ones, so it’s not long before the family takes off to a variety of Australian locales to accomplish the task.
The first thing that stands out about Bluey’s Happy Snaps is its immaculate and authentic presentation. The game uses flat shading on 3D models to make both the characters and environments look exactly like an interactive episode of the show. Kids will delight in being able to first explore the family’s home in vivid detail before heading off to many beautifully recreated locations from the show. Similar care has been provided to the voice work, with the show’s cast reprising their roles. Most of the game’s dialogue is voiced, which really helps to sell the liveliness of Bluey’s surroundings. Aside from opening with the series’ iconic theme song, the rest of the music is pleasant and relaxing but rather forgettable.
The music and sound design feed into the game’s clear design sensibility of avoiding stress and friction as much as possible. Bluey: The Video Game was a weak, rushed effort that felt designed as a cash-in on the franchise’s burgeoning popularity. Bluey’s Happy Snaps is the complete opposite. It is refreshing to see such time and care put into the presentation of a licensed children’s game.
Bluey’s Happy Snaps will take players to many familiar locations from the show, including the lookout, a play place, the beach, and more. Each area comes with its own scrapbook containing stickers to collect. Players collect them by exploring each level and taking pictures of animals, landmarks, friends, and events. All stickers come with audio and visual clues attached to ensure players never get stuck wondering what to look for next. These clues are also great at ensuring gamers who can’t read yet aren’t left out.
Photo-taking is simple – it’s just point and shoot. Pressing ‘A’ opens a first-person perspective with a camera lens in the middle, then pressing ‘A’ again takes the photo. There are no zooming functions to worry about or need to adjust the focus. Considering the target audience, this simplicity is probably for the best.
Each level also contains three activities, usually involving an imaginary game that’s been featured on the show. Completing these unlocks not only a sticker, but also a coloring page. Complete all three and the game presents instructions on how to play these imaginary games in real life. Plenty of kids’ games encourage taking breaks to do something else, but this might be the first that actively provides suggestions for what those things could actually be. There are also hidden photos in each level for which there are no clues, encouraging players to take snapshots of the weird and unique things they find even if they aren’t on the list.
Every photo and accomplishment unlocks another sticker or decorative element to customize the scrapbooks with. There’s a great sense of forward progress, even if there’s very little challenge. Occasionally, a photo would be hidden in a tricky spot, like a bird’s nest high on a wall that couldn’t be seen outside of first-person perspective, but most are in obvious view. Each level is also packed with detailed elements beyond the photo-taking. It’s delightful to grab a chalk stick and draw all over the sidewalks or throw balls out of a ball pit. A second player can take control of the non-photo-taking character and explore the world themselves. With limited interactivity and no way to take photos, though, this will only appeal to very young gamers. In-between levels while the family travels, there are photo-taking mini games where players must snap as many photos of certain birds or animals as possible. These stages recall Pokemon Snap in the best way, with targets coming in and out of frame in fun ways for a limited time. Collecting lots of photos of the target creature unlocks even more stickers to play with.
Happy Snaps contains an adequate amount of content for a children’s title. Experienced gamers will breeze through the game’s stages in a matter of hours with little to no pushback. The game’s clear target audience, younger or newer gamers, will absolutely have a great time exploring, interacting with the densely packed levels, customizing scrapbooks, and taking all sorts of silly pictures. Even so, it would’ve been nice if there was some reason to revisit each level. A rating system that scored photos based on framing and composition or some types of additional challenge objectives would’ve provided reasons for players to jump back into each locale. As it is, once players have collected every sticker, there’s very little reason to head back in and take all the photos again. Sticker objectives and activities start to feel repetitive as the game wears on, with each level containing very similar clues. There are only so many times one can take a picture of their mediocre chalk drawing before it’s lost its charm.
Whether Bluey’s Happy Snaps is worth recommending comes down to the intended player. If it’s being purchased as a gift for a younger or less experienced gamer who is a fan of the series, it’s a no-brainer. The immaculately faithful presentation and simple-yet-engaging gameplay will keep kids entertained for hours. Older, more experienced kids or adults who have fallen in love with the franchise themselves won’t find much to do after the initial wow factor wears off. While it’s a fun and faithful adaptation of the show, it would’ve been nice to see a little more depth and complexity to keep prospective players coming back for more.
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