One of the best things about being a father is watching kids TV with your children. Some of it was genuinely great, and it’s a medium you’re only likely to watch once; snuggled up on the sofa, seeing how happy certain shows make your kids, relaxing in that happy place together. Unfortunately, Bluey was one such show that came out after my two daughters were older. However, that didn’t stop us watching it. It is such a heartwarming show. Playing Bluey’s Quest for the Golden Pen faithfully recreates that joy.
The thing about Bluey is that it appeals to adults just as much as it does for kids. Relating to a father’s journey through parenthood as he does all he can for his kids was something I did constantly when watching it. There are some genuinely beautiful and moving episodes that can’t help but make you tear up. Regardless of my feelings towards the show, Bluey and the Golden Pen is clearly made for a younger audience. Saying that, there’s still an olive branch extended to those older gamers who just love a collect-a-thon.
Bluey and Bingo are drawing with their parents as they create a story where the girls must locate a golden pen from the villain of the story played by their father Bandit. Transported into their drawings, the two sisters traverse different levels where they must find food to feed Bingoose (adorable!). She’ll then layer a silver egg which offers something of worth to the golden protector in each level, allowing them to move onto the next one. It’s a simple premise filled with all the fun of the show.
At it’s core, Bluey’s Quest for the Golden Pen is an isometric adventure game. Like big hitters such as Zelda, exploration is key. Some worlds are surprisingly big, with plenty to do. There are often world-based mechanics that do reappear. You might have to use a jetpack to glide or fly up high into the air; ride a mountain bike; fire your own pen to move obstacles; and more. Some challenges require you to collect stars within a time limit; answer a question to receive a prize; find hidden friends; collect a certain amount of items in exchange for food; and solve riddles.
Some of these challenges repeat themselves across the various levels, but there’s definitely enough variety to keep younger audiences entertained. Each level is colourful and varied. Snowy mountains, beaches, and deserts are only a handful of environments. Where Bingo and Bingoose look like they’ve been drawn by children, the worlds are drawn by their mother Chilli. Bold colours and clear designs make each world fun to explore. It’s not a difficult game by any means and the challenges are easy enough, yet it’s such a chilled game to play.
While the point of Bluey’s Quest for the Golden Pen is to collect enough food for Bingoose to lay a silver egg, there are other collectables to find. There are also insects like ants, caterpillars, and butterflies hiding around the map, giving players another challenge as they play through. It’s something that can be mainlined pretty quickly, but most of the fun will come from parents playing with their children and exploring each map, finding new things to do along the way. Ice skating and boat rides are a few other neat additions to the relatively strong mechanics as well.
Bluey’s Quest for the Golden Pen doesn’t break any boundaries. It’s limited in difficulty for older players, but when the target audience is much younger, it’s going to be a perfect introduction to brand new gamers playing on console for the first time. It’s story is pretty run-of-the-mill for Bluey fans, but it still has that charm and humour that makes it appealing to everyone. While it’s already been available to gamers on iOS and Android devices, it works great on console and opens up the adventure to many more fans.