Video Game Blog 047: Pokémon Paparazzi
The original Pokémon Snap from 1999 is a fondly-remembered title from the early days of my Pokémon experiences. This was a game that showed Pokémon in a way none of the others to date had managed. When the long-awaited sequel was finally announced, I was thrilled. Sadly, and as I’ve often mentioned, I’m easily distracted. So I didn’t get around to actually playing the newer game until just after Christmas of 2024. Two weeks later I was sitting and watching the ending credits roll.
I’ve already talked in depth about my love for Pokemon in previous video game posts, so in this one I’ll just stick to talking about the game and my experiences playing it, comparing it with the original.
Title (Credit: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)
New Pokémon Snap was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2021. It’s the sequel to Pokémon Snap, which came out in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. The premise of the two games is the same— you follow a predetermined track in a bubble-shaped craft, taking photos of Pokémon in their natural habitats. The photos are then scored and can be saved in an album.
Hey, I know that guy. (Credit: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)
The main character of the first game, Todd Snap, shows up in this one in a supporting/mentoring role. Where in that game the idea was just to take photos and eventually encounter the legendary Pokémon Mew, this game has a full story involving a strange phenomenon, ancient temples, and a past disaster.
I found new friends. (Credit: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)
The gameplay is very simple. The craft— the NEO-ONE— moves along the track and you aim your camera, zooming in and taking photos. As you proceed, you gain new items to help you— flufffruit, music, and the Illumina Orb, which can make Pokémon glow. There is also a scanner you can use to get Pokémon’s attention, find secrets, and open new paths on the course. Several of the courses have day and night variations and after a time you can also explore the research camp.
After the course you select one picture for each type of Pokémon and the Professor grades the photos based on various criteria such as size, composition, direction, things like that. Each photo is further classed with a star ranking from 1-4 depending on the rarity of their behavior. The scoring is more detailed than in the first game and the star ranking is new.
Presenting my photos. (Credit: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)
Another new feature for this game is the level system. The points you earn from the graded photos translate to course experience, which raises your level for the specific course and time of day. At higher levels, you encounter new Pokémon and behaviors.
Is a birb. (Credit: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)
The biggest change from the original game is the scope. The original Pokémon Snap contained 7 courses and 63 Pokémon. New Pokémon Snap has expanded this to 30 courses (counting the nighttime variants) and 234 Pokémon. It’s a massive game.
The main goal of the game is to fill your Photodex, which is accomplished by taking photos of each available Pokémon, one for each star ranking. You advance through the game by completing Professor Mirror’s research, taking pictures of the Crystablooms and ruins, and investigating the various courses and Illumina Pokémon. There are also optional requests you can complete for the characters, taking specific pictures for them. The game includes a lot of online and social aspects, along with photo editing options and a photo album to display your favorite pictures.
Ooooo. (Credit: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)
Thoughts: The addition of a story and the improved graphics are big advancements over the original game. The gameplay is easy and intuitive. There are enough courses and different things to see in each one that the game never gets boring. The excitement of seeing a new Pokémon or behavior kept me playing. Now that I’m done with the story, I will keep coming back to this game again and again to fill up my Photodex.
Overall I would say New Pokémon Snap maintained the feel and spirit of its predecessor while building upon it in every way. This is how you make a satisfying sequel.
Majestic. (Credit: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)
One of the coolest things about Pokémon is that they’re all unique animals, with habitats, social behaviors, instincts, and little quirks. The most recent generations of the games have brought us all a little closer to the world of Pokémon by showing us how the little critters act in their habitats and around each other. This game manages this in a particularly good way, bringing us into a nature safari with the creatures and giving us ways to impact them and observe new things. At the core of this game is the wonder of discovery and exploration and it’s amazing at capturing these things.
Thank you all for reading my brief review of New Pokémon Snap! Although I didn’t have a lot to say about this game I did really enjoy it. I’ll be back soon with more video game goodness!
See ya later! (Credit: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)
