I’ve journeyed through the Founja Jungle so many times the location of the Pokémon have been embedded in my brain; I know where the Beautifly flutter, the Arbok slither and where the Quagsire wallow in the swamp. My current quest is to snap a picture of a Pikipek, the Pokémon equivalent of a woodpecker, drilling away at a tree. I position my camera carefully and, when I round the corner, take a flurry of photographs. Sadly, despite my preparation, I’m a second too late and Pikipek has already taken flight. This isn’t the last it’s seen of me though – I want that photograph for my Photodex and I’ll get it one way or another.
Pokémon photography fans have waited 22 years for New Pokémon Snap to arrive. Its predecessor, Pokémon Snap, was originally released on the Nintendo 64 and, with its conclusion involving throwing apples at Mew in space, helped start the tradition of Pokémon spin-offs being rather strange. Since its release, we’ve seen all kinds of Pokémon spin-off games, from investigating mysteries with Pikachu to watching television with Pikachu and even, for some reason, two PokéPark games, but none have captured the unusual, yet compelling, magic Pokémon Snap had. Especially the PokéPark games. The challenge facing New Pokémon Snap is whether it can recreate this sensation without becoming an imitation of the original game.
On the surface, New Pokémon Snap remains unchanged from the original; your goal is to take the best pictures possible across a variety of courses, from the Lental region’s nature park to tropical beaches. Each one is explored rail-shooter style and, despite sounding restrictive, it grants you the freedom to focus on taking pictures or uncovering secrets, such as alternative routes. Every location is filled with Pokémon roaming the land, skies or waters, making it near impossible to capture them all on camera in a single visit. It’s easy to miss a creature simply because you’re facing the wrong direction or need to line up your shot in preparation for their appearance. You’ll find yourself revisiting courses to investigate what’s occurring behind your pod or to capture the activities of a sole Pokémon.
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