By Fletcher Wilkinson 
It’s only been a about a year since we have received not only one but two Bluey games on Xbox but already she’s back, and the latest video game adaptation of the Australian kid’s TV sensation might just be the best yet.
Developed by Gameloft Brisbane in collaboration with Ludo Studio (The Team behind the TV Show), the game brings Bluey and Bingo into a new adventure built around exploration, photography and play. It is a gentle experience which is ultimately aimed at a younger audience and families and the fun comes from seeing what is around the corner rather than beating a difficult challenge.
I find a lot of kid friendly games on the Xbox Store are very basic and pretty dull but surprisingly Gameloft has taken a new approach and I was pleasantly surprised after completing the game. So is Bluey’s Happy Snaps worth buying or playing on Xbox Game Pass right now? Well let’s find out…
Upon booting up the game for the very first time, Bluey and Bingo begin their adventure after discovering an old camera belonging to their dad, Bandit. From there, players will go off and explore familiar locations from the TV show including the Heeler Family Home, The Park, The Coast and even the Creek.
This everyday setting is an incredible fit for Bluey and as a Dad whose son watches Bluey on a regular cadence, it was great seeing the level of authenticity to the source material. As many of you might be well aware, areas like parks, creeks and patches of grass can be full of things to discover through a child’s eyes and the games colourful presentation and expressive characters really help these locations feel welcoming and recognisable.
There is never any rush to move from one objective to the next and I appreciate that Gameloft Brisbane have taken a route where younger audiences can take their time wandering, investigating and noticing what is happening around them. That relaxed pace fits Bluey to a T and where many kid games try to ping up high scores and push you into some sort of competition, it is a breathe of fresh air.
As I mentioned, the game is primarily centred around the camera and it gives players a reason to pay attention to their surroundings. You can photograph pretty much everything from wildlife, family members pulling silly poses and other moments that do occur within the Bluey TV show. The pictures are then placed into a scrapbook that Bandit hands to you and this will be your source of progression to enter new areas.
There are prompts and discoveries that add a light sense of progression throughout your playthrough, whilst stickers, frames and decorations actually let you personalise your collection. The scrapbook really is just such a natural fit for this photography mechanic and it gives kids something to work towards and makes it feel like their own. Over the years, I have found that my children love their own sense of identity and it is clear the developers are well aware of this too.
You will notice that there are also unique photo opportunities which play out when completing some very simple tasks given by fan favourite characters and they are a true showcase of the understanding of the Bluey TV show which may leave some of you other parents smiling as you remember that familiar scene.
It is worth noting, that Blueys Happy Snaps is not all about photography as the title suggests and instead you will discover various activities plotted around the different areas which are again, inspired by the TV show. This may include Bluey playing Keepy Uppy or even chasing down some garden knomes.
The activities are also very versatile and are designed to be accessible to all audiences and there is a relatively low difficulty to each of them. They may feel very limited to all of us with years of gaming prowess but realistically, you are not heading into a Bluey game expecting difficulty of the souls like variety.
One of the game’s elements that I really loved and found out when speaking to the team at Gamescom, is the encouragement to try activities away from the console. You will notice prompts will come onto the screen when completing objectives or taking pictures and these will pop up and show things like bird watching in the garden or making up a game with your favourite toys.
That connection is just brilliantly Bluey and as you know, this is a series that loves imaginative play. As a parent myself, it is a hard task in 2026 to avoid technology so having a game emphasis the playful nature of using your imagination is utterly brilliant and it just brings that encouragement that some younger children may need. I don’t expect that every prompt will resonate with each child but even if one or two bring out some curiosity beyond the screen, then it is welcome.
If you have been wondering whether two player co-op was available, I have some good news. Bluey’s Happy Snaps does indeed include two-player local co-op and it can be adjusted to the age of the audience playing at one time. Ultimately, one player will be leading the exploration and the other will take pictures and its a simple way to include both players without feeling like you are tagging on for the sake of it.
There are control options too, so if a younger member of the family wants to hold the controller but they have no understanding of buttons, you can essentially make it a sort of dud control scheme so they can feel like they are playing without interrupting the current play session. All of us growing up would know how that feels when a younger sibling tries to play a game and messes up some progress by pressing random buttons, so I appreciate the developers adding in a feature like this so it gets everybody involved no matter their age.
Overall, Bluey’s Happy Snaps is a very gentle, playful adventure that truly understands what makes its source material so special and loved by many across the globe. It’s photography and scrapbook will give many young players a reason to explore, whilst the activities and local co-op make it a natural choice to play with family members.
It won’t offer much for players that are seeking a difficult or complex game but ultimately, that isn’t the aim and never was. For young fans of Bluey wanting to experience this world or families looking to enjoy a game together, I actually couldn’t recommend a game higher than this in 2026. It really is a charming game that sets out and accomplishes all the tasks you expect and it is an essential game for children out there.
If you have Xbox Game Pass, it is included Day One and I would recommend playing it that way as the pricing currently is quite steep to buy it outright.
Bluey’s Happy Snaps Review – A Charming Family Adventure
+ What works
- Captures the charm and playful spirit of Bluey.
- Photography and scrapbook encourage exploration and creativity.
- Accessible activities suit younger players.
- Local co-op makes it fun to play together.
− What holds it back
- Simple objectives and low difficulty may not hold older players’ interest.
- Pricing is quite high if you want to purchase it
- Available on
- Xbox Series X|S · Xbox One · Xbox PC · Windows PC · Cloud Gaming
- Developer
- Gameloft
- Publisher
- Gameloft
- Release date
- 15/10/2026
- Age rating
- PEGI 3
- Price
- £34.99 / Available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate & PC
Olivia Davies
Matt Cabral