Wallace & Gromit: The Big Fix Up

Lilly Nicholls and her son Fred review Wallace & Gromit: The Big Fix Up, a new app from Aardman and Fictioneers.

This summer has certainly been a challenging one; Covid restrictions are all but lifted and most activities are fair game now, but after such a long time in our safe little bubble I have been trying to find alternatives to our usual summer holiday staples of museums and amusements and instead seeking activities that will get us outside in the fresh air, while avoiding any protests of “Not another walk mum!”.

I think I’ve found something that ticks all the boxes, Wallace & Gromit: The Big Fix Up is a free app that uses augmented reality and mixed reality to put you and your little ones right into the Aardman universe. As the story unfolds you discover that business tycoon Bernard Grubb has commissioned the famous duo to spruce up Bristol in time for the big festival. There are heaps of tasks to complete, all manner of contraptions to discover, and of course it’s loaded with the usual wit and charm you would expect from any Aardman production. My six-year-old child needed assistance to scan each location but otherwise the gameplay was quite intuitive for them.

The story is broken down into several chapters, which take place across Millennium Square and College Green. It takes approximately one hour to complete the game and the use of AR can be very battery intensive; we used a portable power bank and allowed the phone to recharge halfway through the game while enjoying a picnic lunch on the green.

You can download it now from the app store or Google Play.

Photos: Aardman and Lilly Nicholls