Laura's Happy Adventures - Reception and Criticism

Reception and Criticism

Laura's Happy Adventures was well received by both video game critics and players. It was specially praised for being the first game of its kind. The game was well known in Europe, where the Playmobil toy brand is extremely popular. Many different language versions of the game were produced, including Spanish, French, German and even British English. Though the game was intended mainly for a female audience, it was popular with male players as well.

In spite of its good reviews, the game was subject of slight controversy. Because the game was intended for young girls, a number of reviewers and testers felt the nature of the game was slightly inappropriate. The game is completed when Laura manages to help each member of her family solve some kind of situation; some players believed this would give a young girl the idea that girls are expected to be servicial and helpful in order to find happiness (hence "Happy Adventures"). One of Laura's adventures in particular was bothersome to some testers; Laura is asked by her father Anthony to help him sort out a dispute he had had with his wife. Though the dispute was minor and Laura is simply asked to run a few errands and deliver brief love notes, testers felt asking a young girl to settle an argument between two parents to be inappropriate, even "disturbing."

The success of the game lead to the completion of Alex Builds His Farm (1999) and Hype: The Time Quest (1999), as well as a Game Boy Color remake in 2000.