Pupperazzi, the Cute, Casual Game About Becoming a Dog Photographer, Is on Nintendo Switch

When I first saw a trailer for Pupperazzi at the start of last year, I knew I'd have to get my hands on the adorable new game about taking cute pics of dogs.

Unfortunately, at the time, it only came out on Xbox consoles and PC, and I had to put those dreams on pause—until now. That's because today, April 6, it finally dropped on the Nintendo Switch (a console it feels tailor-made for).

The team behind the game was also kind enough to send me a review key to check it out ahead of today's big release, and it's everything I hoped it would be. Keep reading for my full review.

Becoming a Pupperazzo

In Pupperazzi, you take control of a bizarre camera creature with long arms and legs whose sole purpose seems to be snapping adorable photos of sweet pups. As a camera, you explore different locales from a first-person perspective, taking dog photos based on various objectives and interacting with the world through the photos you take—and by posting the best ones to the game's social media network, dogNET. Depending on how "good" your photos are and the different parameters they meet, each photo you post will gain you new followers (at least until you've posted so many for that day that it becomes spam).

(Pupperazzi via Kitfox Games)

Once you meet that threshold, you'll want to exit the level and decide where to head next. As your following grows, so do your options. Soon, you'll be able to visit locations at different times of day, in addition to traveling to various areas. At first, you'll only have a beach with a lighthouse unlocked, but over time you'll also be able to visit a boardwalk, a bustling city and a national park—as well as an unexpected final level I don't plan to spoil. Of course, all of it is in service taking pictures of cute dogs—and there's no lack of them in this game.

(Pupperazzi via Kitfox Games)

 

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Framing Your Photos

You can't take a step in Pupperazzi without several sweet dogs in frame, and the magic is all about perfectly framing the screen in order to capture their images. You enter and exit camera mode with the left trigger and take photos with the right, allowing you to easily toggle back and forth between exploring and photography. At first, the photos you can take are pretty basic, with the main options being portrait or landscape mode, but as you play and collect the game's main currency, bones, you can purchase all sorts of photo effects.

(Pupperazzi via Kitfox Games)

There are various filters and color schemes available, in addition to different lenses, the ability to turn flash on and off and so much more. These options really enhance the types of photos you can take, incentivizing you to investigate new areas and put your platforming skills to the test in order to access hard-to-reach bones.

Most areas can also be accessed at four different times of day, with each one offering the appearance of different pups, doing different activities and offering all kinds of fun new objectives to complete. There are 22 different dog breeds that appear in the game, and in addition to spotting a variety of dogs, you'll see them doing all kinds of unexpected things, from skating up halfpipes and riding bicycles to piloting minecarts and surfboards. The game also has vending machines where you can access treats for dogs to chew on or toys for them to play with to prime them for photos—or even a Roomba-like vacuum to terrify them with if you're feeling like it. While the number of images you can hold at once is limited, it's easy to discard them and make room for more, and you can save as many favorites as you want.

(Pupperazzi via Kitfox Games)

And while the game rewards you for posting the best pics to dogNET, the real reward is intrinsic. There's something so special about finding a new kind of dog doing something hilarious and unpredictable, or dressed in a wild new outfit, which makes it worth exploring every corner of every level to discover all of the game's little secrets. Plus, as someone from a family with Boston terriers, it was impossible to see one of the pups without it putting a huge smile on my face.

(Pupperazzi via Kitfox Games)

Plus, you can pet the dogs!

(Pupperazzi via Kitfox Games)

 

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Getting Over It

As much as I loved the sweet, casual nature of Pupperazzi, I did have a couple of issues with the game. Firstly, the game initially made me profoundly motion-sick. There was something about the first-person view and stopping to snap up every dog I could see that made me pretty queasy—and it didn't help that it was such a sweet game I was hesitant to pause. However, on subsequent visits to the game, I found that adjusting the field of vision option in the menu, as well as lessening my turn speed, helped this issue greatly. If games can also make you sick, I also recommend shorter play sessions.

Secondly, there were a couple of times during the game when I felt like I was taking a photo of what was being asked, but it simply didn't register. At first, I wasn't positive if I was misinterpreting an objective, but it usually worked to leave the area and come back to try it again. This didn't happen too often, but it's something to be aware of.

All in all, these things did little to hinder my enjoyment of the game. It's utterly adorable, and even with just a handful of levels and somewhat simplistic graphics, it's charming from start to end. The music is lo-fi, chill and surprisingly memorable, and since the game can be completed in about three hours, it's not too much of a commitment for casual players. There's a lot of fun to be had here—with even more gameplay at the ready for those who just want to play around within this world and take in all of the canine cuteness within.

(Pupperazzi via Kitfox Games)

 

Pupperazzi is now available on Xbox consoles, PC and the Nintendo Switch for $19.99.

 

For more on our new favorite games, click HERE to read our review of Tchia.