Developed by Halfbrick Studios Pty Ltd and published by PM Studios, Inc., Bluey’s Quest for The Gold Pen is the latest game based on the iconic Australian cartoon series that has captivated the young for years. In the past, we have seen many Bluey games released in various genres, but they never fully captured the charm of the show. But thankfully, Bluey’s Quest for The Gold Pen is the first proper game that gives fans a chance to play as their favourite character in a decent enough adventure. This is our review of the Xbox Series X version of Bluey’s Quest for The Gold Pen, where we glide through colorful levels, collect goose food, and try to reclaim the stolen Gold Pen from the evil Dad.
The game features an original story written by the show creator Joe Brumm, complete with cutscenes that look like something straight from the show itself. The game sees Bluey taking on a quest to take back The Gold Pen from the villain Dad, who plays as King Goldie Horns. Other familiar faces include Bingo as Bluey’s sidekick, playing as Bingoose, while Mama is the designer of the levels that we play. The story spans over nine unique levels, which feature an open-world design with sandbox gameplay mechanics. Bluey must find a specific number of goose food before unlocking the next level and doing the same thing there.
Each level is a beautifully designed collect-a-thon with a hand-drawn visual style that stays true to the fact that the family is role-playing in the game as Mama continues to draw the levels, and the remaining characters play inside it. After every level, we are presented with a narrative cutscene where the characters banter with each other in a Bluey’s show episode, and then we move on to the next level. The game features a simple UI with easy-to-understand mechanics, but the visuals really immerse you in the game, thanks to its colorful palette and fun-to-explore levels. Each level offers a different theme, like a forest, a mine, a beach, or a mountain.
The gameplay revolves around solving different puzzles to collect goose food. Each level also features several NPCs who will give Bluey side quests to complete in exchange for goose food. The puzzles are not that hard to solve and revolve around simple mechanics like moving around platforms or using hidden or weak platforms to cross a path before they fall or disappear. Bluey has a magic wand, while Bingoose has the magic ability to lay silver eggs. The wand is your primary weapon; however, every level also gives you a unique tool for use, which is exclusive to that level. There is no combat in the game, so the wand is mostly used for breaking objects or moving them around.
These range from movement tools like gliders or jetpacks to vehicles like a boat or a bike to move around. Every item has a cool feature attached to it, like the boat comes with a boost, and the bike can bunny-hop. Based on what items and vehicles are available to you in a level, the puzzles are designed according to that. Every level has a goose food requirement for progression, but the actual level of collectibles is fairly high for each level, with plenty of side activities to complete, like finding hidden gnomes, collecting bugs, or exploring magical portals. None of the gameplay mechanics are too complicated to understand, as my four-year-old son also enjoyed playing the game with me.
The game features original voice acting of actors from the show, and a PR email notified me right before publishing this review that the developers are aiming to bring fully voiced dialogue to the game outside of cutscenes as well, which is going to be amazing. As of now, only the cutscenes feature dialogue. There is also officially licensed music for the game featuring the soundtrack from the show, playing in the background. My favourite aspects as a 34-year-old man were the simplistic approach to the game’s narrative and the visual art style. The game does not make anything complicated and is excellent for short play sessions or long play sessions, thanks to its sandbox-like gameplay.
Technically, Bluey’s Quest for The Gold Pen seems to run just fine on the Xbox Series X. It is locked at 30 FPS, which is disappointing because, unlike mobile devices, the consoles are fully capable of delivering higher visual quality and frames. I did not encounter any sort of glitches or bugs during my playthrough, but I did notice a dark circle on the right side of the screen in some locations where the movement joystick appears for the mobile version. The game is the same as that of its mobile port and does not seem to utilize the much more powerful consoles to their full extent. The controls are basic, as you would expect from a mobile port, but the aiming could have been linked to the right joystick, because pressing A and then revolving the left joystick is not a very effective way of aiming on the console.
Final Verdict:
Bluey’s Quest for The Gold Pen is easily the strongest game the franchise has received so far and a genuinely enjoyable experience for younger players. While hardcore gamers may find its gameplay too simplistic, the game perfectly captures the charm, humor, and accessibility that make Bluey so beloved. Reviewing it alongside my four-year-old son made its appeal immediately clear, as he quickly became hooked and even started his own playthrough on iPad. Although older children may outgrow its straightforward design fairly quickly, younger audiences and parents looking for a family-friendly experience will find plenty to enjoy here.
Final Score: 8.0/10
Disclaimer: A Xbox Series X review code for Bluey’s Quest for The Gold Pen was provided by FortySeven on behalf of PM Studios, Inc. Read our Review Policy for additional details.
