Thank you Outright Games for sending us a review code!

Bluey is probably one of the most popular children’s shows out now, and it’s not hard to see why. A positive family show with great messages and content that appeals to adults as well as kids without being explicit is always refreshing today. It was inevitable that a console game would be released, and Outright Games just released Bluey: The Videogame. While it’s an excellent title with no objectionable content, there are some caveats that might have you wait for a sale on the game.

Bluey: The Videogame stars the anthropomorphic Heeler family going on an adventure after Bluey and Bingo come across a piece of an old map during a holiday. Excited to see what they could find, the family decides to spend their free day looking for treasure. Across four episodes, players will participate in a variety of fun minigames while trying to find more pieces of the map. One to four players can take control of each member of the family (Bluey, Bingo, Chili the mother, and Bandit the father) and explore different areas of the world. The act of doing so is simplistic yet accessible, and the 2D characters exploring a 3D world feels like the recently released Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove. The fun is in exploration, and younger children will have a blast.

From the house to the backyard and the park, each location is littered with collectibles and stickers that players can collect with their sticker book. By discovering these items, you can unlock different hats which you can wear while playing the game. It’s a simple gameplay loop that encourages younger players to discover every nook and cranny, though you can just skip this and go through the main story if you choose. As mentioned earlier, each episode is accompanied by a minigame that utilizes the current setting. This means that each of the four minigames have different levels based on where you play them, which further encourages players to check out every location even after the main game wraps up.

I would say that Bluey: The Videogame is one of the closest show-to-game adaptations we’ll get, for better or worse. I say this because the aesthetic oozes with the show’s charm. The mix of 2D and 3D works surprisingly well here, and players can spend a bit of time looking at how the Heeler house and other places are adapted in video game form. The original voice cast is present here too, with most of the game referencing important season one episodes and elements (such as Chattermax, the Furby-like toy and Keepy Uppy, a game where the family needs to keep a balloon up in the air). I appreciate how much effort went into making an original story, and it feels like I’m watching the show with how well the animation style is portrayed. There is a strange oddity of Bandit’s mouth being animated very poorly, which is jarring since it’s present in a lot of cutscenes.

However, at times I also feel like I’m watching the show rather than playing a game, mainly due to its biggest flaw: The length of the main story. Clocking in at around an hour, each of the four episodes lasts roughly fifteen or so minutes each. That’s basically the length of two actual show episodes apiece. It’s not a terrible thing, but the length is an issue for those expecting something longer. I would recommend this to younger fans of the show since I believe the simple controls can be enjoyed by that age demographic (and who wouldn't get bored of playing the same four episodes over and over again). Thankfully, getting all the collectibles in the game world will take a little longer (and the PlayStation versions have trophies which encourage 100% completion). I still would wait for a sale for everyone but the most dedicated Bluey fans. In addition, this game is meant to be played with more than one person; a lot of this experience relies on families playing together, and I admit it’s great for those audiences, but if you’re playing by yourself, the experience can get dull.

I would also like to preface my score for stability and controls as it seems the PlayStation 5 version of Bluey: The Videogame ran perfectly, though I can’t say much about the others. I’ve seen the game running on Switch at some subpar framerates, but my PlayStation 5 copy of the title ran flawlessly. I would recommend getting this version if you had any options.

There isn’t any objectionable content in this game, though there is a minigame called “The Floor is Lava” which has players bounce on the ground if they land on it as if it’s hot lava. The act is nonviolent, and players do not fail or get hurt and is more akin to jumping in a bouncy house. I do want to mention that this game exudes positive family messaging; one segment near the end of the game pauses the main story so the family can clean up a lake, with the family noting that it’s important to take care of the environment. Additionally, the Heeler family is seen spending time together and Bandit gives Bluey an important message about creating memories with her family rather than being disappointed about the treasure at the journey’s end. Much like the main show, the game does an excellent job at teaching kids some great morals, something you don’t see much these days.

If you can stomach the short length of the main story (or have younger kids that struggle with games that are hard to control), Bluey: The Videogame is a treat for fans of the show. Hopefully the reception of this game will allow the developers to make a sequel that expands the world of the show past the first season.