Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen Review: A Rainy Day Made Whimsical

Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen is the second console and PC game based on this beloved series, and it addresses a number of criticisms that Bluey: The Videogame received without compromising the quality or feeling of the game. Similar to the first game, Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen is the gold standard of game design for younger players, and it avoids many features that can make children's video games annoying or bland.

I want to be clear from the start that I'm reviewing this game with its intended audience in mind, which is the younger age group that's likely to watch Bluey. While the show can be watched by viewers of any age, it's aimed at children, even if it has important lessons for parents in its episodes as well. Overall, Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen feels like an interactive episode, but it also balances its design in ways that will challenge younger players without being unforgiving in terms of difficulty.

Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen Sets Up the Story Without Drawing it Out

This isn't my usual preference for games, but it makes sense that Bluey doesn't spend too much time setting up the narrative. You get fully animated cutscenes between each level that show how the Heeler family decides what the next map will be like, as the maps are drawn by Chilli, who plays the role of World Creator after Bandit decides to play the villain and steal the Gold Pen. It's a quick setup for the story, but I like that it's kept simple. The opening fits what you'd see in an episode of Bluey, and it tells you everything you need to know to get starting without taking too long.

In terms of design, this is an important detail when you have a game with children as the primary audience. Kids have a tendency to stop paying attention if you throw too much story content at them in-game, so Bluey makes sure that you get to the gameplay quickly. The narrative stays simple throughout the game, so you know your goal from the start and there's no unnecessary complexity added, which is great for childhood development, where you begin understanding that stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

The Gameplay is Clever and Challenging Without Being Too Difficult

While I didn't find the game challenging myself, I went through the puzzles and maps with the question of whether kids would find this difficult and if the solution was clear enough to not be challenging to the point of frustration for a child at the front of my mind. Compared to the games I played as a child, which included a lot of Spongebob, the puzzles in Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen are interesting and require you to use the gameplay mechanics you have available in ways that make you think.

Because this is a game for kids, I found that the detail of each map having more than the exact number of the items you need to collect to progress— usually Goose Food— a nice way to give you the option to explore the area and removes the pressure of having to complete every puzzle, which could be difficult depending on the player. The design choices make Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen an incredibly forgiving game that obviously wants players to enjoy the time they spend in it.

Bingo, who is known as Bingoose in the drawn world, acts as a navigator for you without being annoying about it, offering a gentle guiding option for you to follow when you're uncertain about where to go next. When you're near a spot where you can pick up a collectible or an important location, such as a Fast Travel Point, Bingoose flies towards that spot and will honk, letting you know that you should probably go check out what she's indicating is important.

As for the tasks you're asked to complete in Bluey's Quest for the Golden Pen, you're looking at a collecting game. Each map has multiple items that you can find around the area. One is going to be the item that lets you progress. The others are going to be used for side quests, and those side quests tend to give you one of the items used to progress. It's quite straightforward, but it also makes roaming around the maps rewarding, and the art style is so cute that seeing all the details of each location is fun.

Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen Is a Great Choice for Kids

I imagine that this review could be used by parents who aren't sure about the gaming industry and how appropriate various games might be for their children, even if the game is based on a show like Bluey. Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen aligns perfectly with the show, so you can trust that the content in the game is suitable for your child if you find the show suitable for them. It's also a game that a parent or sibling could help a child through when they get stuck without it feeling like a chore.

I thought that I'd be bored playing the game even though I'll admit that both the show and game are super cute, but it was paced in a way that you can keep moving forward without lingering too long and getting bored. Alternatively, you might like to stay on each map longer to find every collectible. Once you have the required number of the main item for each level, Chilli will offer to send you to the end of that level so you can move on.

There are also parts of the game that reward you for reading the dialog, which I think is great because there are a lot of moments in daily life where taking the time to read what's in front of you makes your life much easier. If you learn the lesson early that reading instructions is important, then you'll probably be thankful for it later. I imagine that this is also part of the reason as to why cutscenes are voices, but not all the dialog is. It makes you read instead.

Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen is an adorable game that's perfect for young gamers who might not have a lot of gaming experience yet. While you get to explore the imaginary crayon worlds that the Heelers create, you practice reading, problem-solving, and attention to detail skills that are all important to have in life. This game doesn't face the issues of Bluey: The Videogame as it keeps the price in the same range and increases the gameplay length. I would recommend Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen to any fan of Bluey without hesitation, and I'd love to see younger players have more options for games like this one.

Released December 11, 2025

ESRB Everyone / No Descriptors

Number of Players Single-player

Pros & Cons

• Plenty of maps to explore
• Embodies the spirit of the show
• Forgiving gameplay
• Clever puzzles that aren't too difficult

• Still on the short side if you aren't collecting everything
• Dialog isn't fully voiced, which was a bit disappointing