After 22 years, a new and improved Pokemon Snap for the Nintendo Switch has finally arrived. The new Pokemon Snap is a dream come true for those who enjoy exploring worlds. From forests to deserts and everything in between, players can spend hours searching for the ultimate photos of 200 different Pokemon. 

Much like a National Geographic photographer moving through the outback of Australia, a player can explore the habitats of various mons, searching for the perfect opportunity to take a photo. 

The goal is to explore and find Pokemon in their home environments, hoping to snap a picture of them in their natural habitats. While some aspects of this updated game are similar to the original version, it’s an entirely new experience with additional habitats and 200 Pokemon to find within the game. It can feel like you are being transported into a world full of Pokemon, more so than in any other entry in the franchise. 

A New World to Explore

Like the original adaptation, this one has the player assisting in exploring these environments and the classification of Pokemon. In the newest version, though, the player is helping Professor Mirror and his assistant Rita. The goal is to discover how and why Pokeman can glow and how this affects their behavior. 

The professor will help rate your photos while Rita teaches you about the islands you explore and the Pokemon. Players can save their favorite photos and enhance them using filters or changing the lighting exposure. There are also several in-game tasks to complete to level up, opening up further opportunities to see mons with new behaviors.

New Pokemon present as the player moves through the various environments in the trusted exploration pod NEO-ONE. A player can throw fluff fruit to entice a mon out from hiding or to feed them, providing an opportunity to take photographs. Players can also toss a glowing orb in the mons vicinity, making the mom glow and pose. 

Players can also convince the mons to dance by playing a melody, creating even more photogenic sequences. Exploring at night also allows for more opportunities to find other Pokemon and to change the lighting for more photo options.

Professor Mirrors will rate each photo on a scale of 1-4, with a 4 being more action sequence photographs such as playing with other mons or dancing.  As players explore the region of Lental, as this world is called, you can work on quests and complete tasks assigned by the professor and Rita. 

As more tasks are completed, new options and Pokemon become available. The mons become even more accustomed to you and allow you to approach closer, allowing for even better camera action.

When saving photographs to your album, you can add personal touches and do some editing. Players can re-center their photographs, reduce the blur or add lighting to emphasize different aspects of the photo. You can also save photographs to a personal album designed separately from the Photodex involved in gameplay.

New Additions for the 21st Century

The newest game version also includes an interactive option for online play using photos from a player’s album. Players can see pictures that others have taken, not only for new ideas on how and when to photograph their favorite mons but also to compete for the top photo in different categories.

The game itself is fun to play. Exploring the various environments and finding new Pokemon throughout the game provides hours of enjoyment. As you move and continue to level up, new behaviors present themselves for each mon, and the interactions between the mons themselves range from adorable to hilarious. 

The artwork is fabulous and presents the player with realistic opportunities to take some memorable photographs of the mons in action.

By having this version accessible on the Nintendo Switch, the game creators, Bandai Namco Studios Inc, have only added to the sensation of playing within this world. The Switch is a handheld device that gives the impression of holding a camera and moving around to find the best possible picture angle. 

The game has been translated into several languages, making it a worldwide phenomenon where gamers can interact and share their photographs.

There were a few minor complaints for users who played the original version of Pokemon Snap, released in 1999. The newest version has solved many of those. There are more environments to explore and more Pokemon to find. 

The original release only had 63 different mons in-game versus the 200 from various generations within this edition. While there will be those who find criticisms for this edition, there is a big opportunity for future versions to incorporate several new Pokemon, with over 600 mons yet to be added.

Final Thoughts

From the console to the in-game interactions between the player and mon, there is very little negative to say about this version of Pokemon Snap. Immersing yourself in these new environments is truly special for any Pokemon fan. There is something magical about seeing a Venasaur stomping through a field or a Mantine jumping in and out of the water. New Pokemon Snap breathes life into the Pokemon that we fantasize about so much, allowing us to experience everything like we were on a virtual safari. 

It’s truly loads of enjoyment for new and existing fans. Spending time looking for and discovering new Pokemon while learning about their behaviors is an enjoyable experience. 

The ability to compare photographs and compete against other players for the best picture in different categories is a good, clean, relaxing enjoyment that any player, young or old, can truly enjoy. So grab your camera and find those hidden Pokemon waiting to give you a picture worth a thousand words.