It may be easy to write off Pokemon Snap as yet another gimmicky spinoff of Nintendo's most lucrative franchise, but looking back, it’s honestly a very refreshing take on the arcade rail-shooter. HAL Laboratory managed to transform a gameplay vessel known for flashy, action-packed titles into one of the most relaxing and heartwarming diversions in the N64 library. Just consider how the mechanics were translated: the guns became your toolkit, in the form of your camera and your apples + Pester Balls to interact with the environment and local wildlife, and the “damage” became a photography scoring system as you carefully manipulate your surroundings and wait for the perfect moment to take your shot. The game has excellent replayability due to its depth of interactions packed within the span of a few hours, and becomes a fantastic exercise of discovery and optimization: it’s quite satisfying figuring out exactly how every Pokemon can be lured and baited into favorable positions to maximize your score while unlocking a few new courses along the way. Furthermore, experimentation never feels punishing because courses are already naturally short (within 5 min per run) and you’ll later unlock the Dash Engine to accelerate your cart if there are any particular sections you want to get to immediately. It’s a fantastic way to encourage finding as many unique interactions as possible while rewarding acute player awareness; my favorite examples include stringing together multiple far-away shots of Lapras across the beach stage to finally snag an up-close profile photograph at the end, or realizing that you can "feed" Grimer with enough Pester Balls to spawn Muk. Of course, this goes without saying that nothing quite hits the spot like taking pictures of happy, dancing creatures on a chill Pokemon safari.
What does hold Pokemon Snap back a bit is the scoring system. It unfortunately feels like a crapshoot trying to snag a perfect score, since Professor Oak’s requirements regarding size seem a bit nebulous besides the obvious guideline of “make the Pokemon as large as possible within the frame with the whole body included” and pose specifications feel even more arbitrary (given that the Pokemon is facing forward of course), with anything that’s not an aggressive or flashy Pokemon stance often meeting the fate of “it’s so-so,” whatever that means. Also, needing to be exactly pin-point accurate on the reticle in order to associate a score with a particular Pokemon species should work well in theory, but this concept doesn't quite hold up in scramble situations when multiple species are present in the frame and none of them are covered by the reticle. Case in point, Professor Oak was very sure that this was meant to be a picture of Haunter. Let’s just say that being at the forefront of Pokemon research with a PhD doesn’t necessarily make him the most qualified to judge photography. The flimsy scoring mechanics aren't a huge deal for most of the game, given that unlocking courses seems to be locked behind photographing a certain number of different species as opposed to sheer score accrual, but it does hurt the post-game appeal of trying to beat the challenge scores.
Regardless, Pokemon Snap remains a somewhat overlooked and innovative twist on a classic video game genre, popularizing photography games and spawning many spiritual indie successors that have begun sprouting in recent years. While a part of me does wonder what HAL Laboratory could have done with a bigger development budget, given that there are only six main courses and only 63 out of the original 151 Pokemon were included, I have to respect how so many different hidden secrets were packed into a game that can be easily completed in a single afternoon. It never fails to put a smile on my face, playing the Pokemon flute and watching Snorlax bob its chubby face to the rhythm, or luring a horde of Charmanders from over a hill with apples and snapping shots of them jumping joyously about. I’m very much looking forward to committing to a full run of the long-awaited sequel later this year to see how the franchise decided to expand from this snug and breezy little package.
What does hold Pokemon Snap back a bit is the scoring system. It unfortunately feels like a crapshoot trying to snag a perfect score, since Professor Oak’s requirements regarding size seem a bit nebulous besides the obvious guideline of “make the Pokemon as large as possible within the frame with the whole body included” and pose specifications feel even more arbitrary (given that the Pokemon is facing forward of course), with anything that’s not an aggressive or flashy Pokemon stance often meeting the fate of “it’s so-so,” whatever that means. Also, needing to be exactly pin-point accurate on the reticle in order to associate a score with a particular Pokemon species should work well in theory, but this concept doesn't quite hold up in scramble situations when multiple species are present in the frame and none of them are covered by the reticle. Case in point, Professor Oak was very sure that this was meant to be a picture of Haunter. Let’s just say that being at the forefront of Pokemon research with a PhD doesn’t necessarily make him the most qualified to judge photography. The flimsy scoring mechanics aren't a huge deal for most of the game, given that unlocking courses seems to be locked behind photographing a certain number of different species as opposed to sheer score accrual, but it does hurt the post-game appeal of trying to beat the challenge scores.
Regardless, Pokemon Snap remains a somewhat overlooked and innovative twist on a classic video game genre, popularizing photography games and spawning many spiritual indie successors that have begun sprouting in recent years. While a part of me does wonder what HAL Laboratory could have done with a bigger development budget, given that there are only six main courses and only 63 out of the original 151 Pokemon were included, I have to respect how so many different hidden secrets were packed into a game that can be easily completed in a single afternoon. It never fails to put a smile on my face, playing the Pokemon flute and watching Snorlax bob its chubby face to the rhythm, or luring a horde of Charmanders from over a hill with apples and snapping shots of them jumping joyously about. I’m very much looking forward to committing to a full run of the long-awaited sequel later this year to see how the franchise decided to expand from this snug and breezy little package.
If there is any game that champions the "short and sweet" mantle, it is Pokemon Snap.
Pokemon Snap is the on-rails phototaking game one would expect from this genre, expect it's way more endearing since you're taking photos of Pokemon in their habitat.
What also puts Pokemon Snap above other games in this genre is the gameplay loop, which also makes it a semi-puzzle game. The gameplay loop will find you replaying levels using tools you've unlocked to uncover new Pokémon you might have missed in your first run, or new poses for existing Pokemon, resulting in a higher score and therefore more tools to uncover more secrets.
While fun, it is sadly short lived and can be fully completed in an hour. It feels like a concept for a much bigger game that would be developed decades later (foreshadowing). Although the replayability factor on this is great like star fox 64 where replaying to get the best scores can become addicting.
I would have been mad if I bought this for full price back in the day, but playing today as part of my NSO subscription service totally makes this game worth your time if you are a fan of Pokemon, and on-rails games.
Pokemon Snap is the on-rails phototaking game one would expect from this genre, expect it's way more endearing since you're taking photos of Pokemon in their habitat.
What also puts Pokemon Snap above other games in this genre is the gameplay loop, which also makes it a semi-puzzle game. The gameplay loop will find you replaying levels using tools you've unlocked to uncover new Pokémon you might have missed in your first run, or new poses for existing Pokemon, resulting in a higher score and therefore more tools to uncover more secrets.
While fun, it is sadly short lived and can be fully completed in an hour. It feels like a concept for a much bigger game that would be developed decades later (foreshadowing). Although the replayability factor on this is great like star fox 64 where replaying to get the best scores can become addicting.
I would have been mad if I bought this for full price back in the day, but playing today as part of my NSO subscription service totally makes this game worth your time if you are a fan of Pokemon, and on-rails games.
Pokemon Snap exists in the same bubble as Pokemon Stadium, both being from a very early period in the franchise where seeing your favorite Pokemon in 3D was still novel. Whereas Stadium largely depicted Pokemon from the narrow viewpoint of battling, Snap lets you see them in their natural habitat, just being Pokemon. You can observe them forging for food, chasing prey, bathing... yeah and then you can take pictures of them... yeeeah...
Uh, I mean, it's all strictly for scientific purposes! Everything is on the up-and-up in Professor Oak's lab, yes sir.
Pokemon Stadium easily makes my list of games best enjoyed during the Summer. It's barely a game at all, it's almost entirely vibes, the sort of thing you play when it's sweltering out, AC on full blast and sitting in front of a buzzing CRT. Every level is on rails, and your only task is to take pictures of as many Pokemon as you can, with each snapshot rated on certain criteria like how close to the center of the frame the Pokemon is, or whether or not the pose you got from them was unique. The only other things you do is throw fruit at and gas Pokemon. Again, it's for scientific purposes.
Whereas Stadium presented a narrow part of the Game Boy games on a larger scale, Snap gave us something that players had yet to really see outside of the anime. It was a lot of fun just seeing these little bastards interact, or pelting them in the face with apples and watching them go all googly-eyed from blunt force trauma. Different events would play out depending on whether you could coral a Pokemon to a certain location, triggering evolutions or changing your route through a level, even unlocking new levels or causing legendary Pokemon to appear in the process. It gave you a good reason to go back through each of the courses over and over again, just to see what new things you could trigger on each run.
While it's still perfectly enjoyable today, I think some of that charm might be lost on people who experienced Pokemon well after the fact. A lot of the novelty of Snap was due to the core series being on a handheld that was extremely rudimentary compared to its console contemporary, which itself could still only do so much. Of course, being able to save the photos you took and taking the cart to a Blockbuster to then print them out is another element of this game that's kind of lost to time. Snap absolutely holds up, but it was incredibly special in the moment.
I also really love the presentation. The music is very cheerful, and the whole game has a very carefree attitude. Even when Oak is laying waste to your photos and asking if you've even heard of the rule of thirds, you never feel like the game is asking anything more of you than to just have fun. Did find it a little weird when Oak asked me to do surveillance on his wife, though.
Uh, I mean, it's all strictly for scientific purposes! Everything is on the up-and-up in Professor Oak's lab, yes sir.
Pokemon Stadium easily makes my list of games best enjoyed during the Summer. It's barely a game at all, it's almost entirely vibes, the sort of thing you play when it's sweltering out, AC on full blast and sitting in front of a buzzing CRT. Every level is on rails, and your only task is to take pictures of as many Pokemon as you can, with each snapshot rated on certain criteria like how close to the center of the frame the Pokemon is, or whether or not the pose you got from them was unique. The only other things you do is throw fruit at and gas Pokemon. Again, it's for scientific purposes.
Whereas Stadium presented a narrow part of the Game Boy games on a larger scale, Snap gave us something that players had yet to really see outside of the anime. It was a lot of fun just seeing these little bastards interact, or pelting them in the face with apples and watching them go all googly-eyed from blunt force trauma. Different events would play out depending on whether you could coral a Pokemon to a certain location, triggering evolutions or changing your route through a level, even unlocking new levels or causing legendary Pokemon to appear in the process. It gave you a good reason to go back through each of the courses over and over again, just to see what new things you could trigger on each run.
While it's still perfectly enjoyable today, I think some of that charm might be lost on people who experienced Pokemon well after the fact. A lot of the novelty of Snap was due to the core series being on a handheld that was extremely rudimentary compared to its console contemporary, which itself could still only do so much. Of course, being able to save the photos you took and taking the cart to a Blockbuster to then print them out is another element of this game that's kind of lost to time. Snap absolutely holds up, but it was incredibly special in the moment.
I also really love the presentation. The music is very cheerful, and the whole game has a very carefree attitude. Even when Oak is laying waste to your photos and asking if you've even heard of the rule of thirds, you never feel like the game is asking anything more of you than to just have fun. Did find it a little weird when Oak asked me to do surveillance on his wife, though.
The only thing cooler than going on a trip to different biomes and taking pictures of Pokemon is going to your Blockbuster and printing out said photos. The 90s ruled.
I really appreciate how this game just ditches the usual Pokémon messages of friendship, ecology, or believing in yourself and instead just flat out tells you "Need money? Become a STALKER 🤙".
as a devoted lover of Pokemon and the Nintendo 64 who has 100%ed this game both as a child and a 25 year old adult, let me tell you: this game is not as good as you remember it.
HOWEVER: i love me some low poly models of pokemon and delicious secrets. you win this time, NOSTALGIA.
HOWEVER: i love me some low poly models of pokemon and delicious secrets. you win this time, NOSTALGIA.
fun game. i played this on the wii u virtual console mostly blind as a kid and making a lot of the games discoveries for the first time was a really fun experience. with that in mind some of this games secrets were too cryptic for young me so i did use a walkthrough. still thoroughly enjoyed it however. the 6 main levels all have a lot to them and even though the game only has like 60 something pokemon there is a lot to do/find leading to mew at the end. a lovely little game and still a joy to replay to this day
A very good vibes games that captures the appeal of the Pokemon world really well. All the secrets are fun to find and it's a good challenge to take photos that are both compositionally strong and fit the game's bizarre scoring system.
Pokémon Snap was one of the first N64 games I’ve ever played. It came packed alongside Pokémon Stadium and a special Pikachu edition N64.
I have very fond memories and remember loving how expressive the models were compared to the sprites on the gameboy games.
Im glad that I could replay this game. Its really short but definitely worth your time. It is full of personality.
I have very fond memories and remember loving how expressive the models were compared to the sprites on the gameboy games.
Im glad that I could replay this game. Its really short but definitely worth your time. It is full of personality.
Short and Sweet
Pokémon Snap é uma maravilha. Os seu gráficos são bonitos e envelheceram melhor do que muitos jogos do Nintendo 64, a trilha sonora é simples e agradável, a jogabilidade junto com a proposta de tirar fotos de Pokémon a torna bem satisfatória, e além de tirar fotos, você também interage com o mundo e os Pokémons a sua volta, deixando o game mais vivo. O único ponto fraco é o backtracking, mas isso não chega a arruinar o jogo. Pokémon Snap é um jogo que amo do fundo do meu coração, e continuarei amando, não importando se eu for adolescente, criança, adulto ou idoso.
Prós: Os gráficos são bonitos; A trilha sonora é legal; A jogabilidade somada ao conceito a torna muito boa; As interações com o mundo e os Pokémons são encantadoras.
Contras: O Backtracking chega a ser um pouco incômodo.
Prós: Os gráficos são bonitos; A trilha sonora é legal; A jogabilidade somada ao conceito a torna muito boa; As interações com o mundo e os Pokémons são encantadoras.
Contras: O Backtracking chega a ser um pouco incômodo.
such a fun concept, it fits perfectly with the pokemon franchise where all kids want to do is be part of the world around them ♡ i would spend hours and hours as a kid memorizing the locations of different pokemon and how to access the special ones. this game is the reason why mew was my favourite pokemon for so many years ♡ it loses half a star as it is a little short, i wish that there was more content!
It's charming, giving you an opportunity to interact with Pokemon on ways aside from battle and contests, which is always a massive plus. The world of Pokemon is so rich with content it's a bummer we don't get more in world games like this that break the rules of what a Pokemon game is meant to play like. I can only hope the trend will continue as it has and give us more varied Pokemon experiences.
This game was for many years, the best view into the world of Pokémon and their natural habitats! It's a bit on the short side, length-wise, but there's plenty of replayability with secrets to unlock and goals you can set for yourself.
---Despite the tedious nature of it, there's still a vigorous debate on what length a game should be. I understand the argument, especially if you value capitalism and think the dollar is almighty. I however don't care how long or short a game is, as long as it uses it's time well. I've played many games throughout the years, and out of all of them Pokemon Snap is one the best short games out there. Really it's a great game no matter what category you put it in. The fusion of excitement, wonder, and strategy is all delivered into this compact package of entertainment software.
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---For those unaware, Pokemon Snap is a video game where you play as a photographer who must document all the creatures (called Pokemon) on a remote wild island. How you document these Pokemon is through your primary tool: the camera. Each "course" in the game sees you going through an on-rails adventure, snapping shots of the wild life around you. Once your course is finished, you return to the local researcher, Professor Oak, who will grade your shots and put the best ones in a "Pokemon Report."
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---Snap is both a relaxing retreat and an exciting foray. It takes the mechanics of an on-rails first person shooter like House of the Dead, and recontextualizes them into this wonderful game about taking pictures. It's the kind of game that's got so much charm and appeal, that one can't help but complete it in a night, which isn't hard to do. Part of that is due to Snap's execution being water tight. There are no detours, or filler, or even pizzazz. From the start Snap is determined to just put you in the field and start documenting.
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---Another aspect of Snap's brevity is the courses themselves. Each course follows a specific theme. Think "beach", "cave", "river." These locations are a bit generic sounding on paper, but in execution they're so layered. Pokemon Snap makes fantastic use of 3D space. There's always going to be something you miss because you were trying to take a picture from a certain angle. These courses practically beg to be combed through by the player in order to experience everything they have to offer.
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---The one part of these courses I love the most are the Pokemon themselves. These creatures were already an iconic piece of pop culture by the time Snap was released. Though, Snap enhances the "Gotta Catch em' All" attitude of the franchise by giving these Pokemon personalities through how they interact with the environment, the other Pokemon, and even the player themselves. Having these personalities be based off what was established in the popular Pokemon anime is a genius touch. Each Pokemon in the game feels like an inhabitor in the game's world without having the looped routine nature of their backend logical behaviours poking through, ruining the illusion.
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---Another area Pokemon Snap excels at is it's flow and progression. Courses and additional abilities are unlocked by adding more Pokemon types to the Pokemon Report, or by boosting the score Professor Oak gives you with each shot you submit to him. The aforementioned abilities bring some welcome replayability to Snap's courses. For example the apple is great at luring Pokemon closer, or the pester ball which is great for disturbing the Pokemon's normal behaviour. These always come at the right time, and makes the player want to go back and use their newly acquired skills to find newer Pokemon or get better shots.
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---With all this praise I should say that I do think Snap has it's issues. For one, I'm sure it's brevity isn't for everyone, and I understand that. One part of the game I'm personally not a fan of is the photo scoring itself. Pokemon Snap's requirements for a good shot is for the Pokemon to be right at the center of the shot composition, with it taking up a good portion of the frame, and in some acceptable "pose". These criteria can be pretty dubiously graded at times, plus with some of the Pokemon always being far in the distance, getting the best shot can feel frustrating. I also thought a particular point in the game where you had to hit a button with a Pokemon could be a bit touchy.
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---Overall though I believe Pokemon Snap to be a brilliant game. One that still feels unique and fresh to this day while also being a great afternoon relaxer. It's a game to get lost in, and admire the world it builds up. It's also software that has depth, making for an enjoyable experience even if it does only last for a few hours. It's safe to say Pokemon Snap's cult status is well deserved, so please go ahead and take your shot at this classic video game. - [09/10]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---For those unaware, Pokemon Snap is a video game where you play as a photographer who must document all the creatures (called Pokemon) on a remote wild island. How you document these Pokemon is through your primary tool: the camera. Each "course" in the game sees you going through an on-rails adventure, snapping shots of the wild life around you. Once your course is finished, you return to the local researcher, Professor Oak, who will grade your shots and put the best ones in a "Pokemon Report."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Snap is both a relaxing retreat and an exciting foray. It takes the mechanics of an on-rails first person shooter like House of the Dead, and recontextualizes them into this wonderful game about taking pictures. It's the kind of game that's got so much charm and appeal, that one can't help but complete it in a night, which isn't hard to do. Part of that is due to Snap's execution being water tight. There are no detours, or filler, or even pizzazz. From the start Snap is determined to just put you in the field and start documenting.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Another aspect of Snap's brevity is the courses themselves. Each course follows a specific theme. Think "beach", "cave", "river." These locations are a bit generic sounding on paper, but in execution they're so layered. Pokemon Snap makes fantastic use of 3D space. There's always going to be something you miss because you were trying to take a picture from a certain angle. These courses practically beg to be combed through by the player in order to experience everything they have to offer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---The one part of these courses I love the most are the Pokemon themselves. These creatures were already an iconic piece of pop culture by the time Snap was released. Though, Snap enhances the "Gotta Catch em' All" attitude of the franchise by giving these Pokemon personalities through how they interact with the environment, the other Pokemon, and even the player themselves. Having these personalities be based off what was established in the popular Pokemon anime is a genius touch. Each Pokemon in the game feels like an inhabitor in the game's world without having the looped routine nature of their backend logical behaviours poking through, ruining the illusion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Another area Pokemon Snap excels at is it's flow and progression. Courses and additional abilities are unlocked by adding more Pokemon types to the Pokemon Report, or by boosting the score Professor Oak gives you with each shot you submit to him. The aforementioned abilities bring some welcome replayability to Snap's courses. For example the apple is great at luring Pokemon closer, or the pester ball which is great for disturbing the Pokemon's normal behaviour. These always come at the right time, and makes the player want to go back and use their newly acquired skills to find newer Pokemon or get better shots.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---With all this praise I should say that I do think Snap has it's issues. For one, I'm sure it's brevity isn't for everyone, and I understand that. One part of the game I'm personally not a fan of is the photo scoring itself. Pokemon Snap's requirements for a good shot is for the Pokemon to be right at the center of the shot composition, with it taking up a good portion of the frame, and in some acceptable "pose". These criteria can be pretty dubiously graded at times, plus with some of the Pokemon always being far in the distance, getting the best shot can feel frustrating. I also thought a particular point in the game where you had to hit a button with a Pokemon could be a bit touchy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Overall though I believe Pokemon Snap to be a brilliant game. One that still feels unique and fresh to this day while also being a great afternoon relaxer. It's a game to get lost in, and admire the world it builds up. It's also software that has depth, making for an enjoyable experience even if it does only last for a few hours. It's safe to say Pokemon Snap's cult status is well deserved, so please go ahead and take your shot at this classic video game. - [09/10]
Pokémon Snap's concept is a genius idea that really takes advantage of the vast amount of different Pokémon that are featured in Pokémon Red. Blue, and Yellow. The concept of the game is to go out to a handful of different environments to get as many good photographs of the various Pokémon you'll find on each stage and bring them back to Professor Oak who will then judge the quality of the photos you give him. Not only is it a clever way in bringing Pokémon to the big screen, but also seeing how they live and interact with the world and other Pokémon around them.
The items that Professor Oak gives you not only help you get better photographs of the Pokémon but also require you to get creative in how you'll get the ability to get snapshots of certain Pokémon you otherwise wouldn't see or even how you'll unlock a few of the levels. The best examples I can think of are when you have to knock the Magikarp into the waterfall with your items to evolve it into Gyarados or when you have to use items on Squirtle & Mankey to unlock one of the levels. It makes the game a bit less linear while also adding a level of interactivity that allows the player to get a deeper sense of immersion while sightseeing in the Pokémon world.
I'm probably asking a bit too much given how much work it would take to animate all 151 Pokémon and the limitations of the system, but I think the game should have added all of Gen 1. It could have allowed for a few extra levels to be included in an already short game and it would satisfy those whose favorite didn't get featured. I know I would have loved to see Poliwhirl and a fully animated Mewtwo make an appearance in this.
When it comes to getting a deeper look at the world of Pokémon and in utilizing its unique concept, it delivers. It not only is a game I'm glad I played, but it also made me interested in playing its sequel which took way too long to come out. I hope that one features more of my favorites in it.
The items that Professor Oak gives you not only help you get better photographs of the Pokémon but also require you to get creative in how you'll get the ability to get snapshots of certain Pokémon you otherwise wouldn't see or even how you'll unlock a few of the levels. The best examples I can think of are when you have to knock the Magikarp into the waterfall with your items to evolve it into Gyarados or when you have to use items on Squirtle & Mankey to unlock one of the levels. It makes the game a bit less linear while also adding a level of interactivity that allows the player to get a deeper sense of immersion while sightseeing in the Pokémon world.
I'm probably asking a bit too much given how much work it would take to animate all 151 Pokémon and the limitations of the system, but I think the game should have added all of Gen 1. It could have allowed for a few extra levels to be included in an already short game and it would satisfy those whose favorite didn't get featured. I know I would have loved to see Poliwhirl and a fully animated Mewtwo make an appearance in this.
When it comes to getting a deeper look at the world of Pokémon and in utilizing its unique concept, it delivers. It not only is a game I'm glad I played, but it also made me interested in playing its sequel which took way too long to come out. I hope that one features more of my favorites in it.
Short but sweet. You can easily complete this game in a day, but it's a blast for the whole time! I'll never understand why Junichi Masuda was so against making a sequel to this game.
When this came out in '99, it was our first time seeing Pokemon in a 3D setting. What made it truly special was the ways you could get them to interact with each other. Saving Jigglypuff from Koffing, Pikachu riding an Electrode, Pidgey KO-ing Meowth with Gust, etc. I'm still a sucker for those charming little moments, no matter how many times I've seen them before.
And let's not forget: Snap's music is in the Top Five Pokemon Soundtracks of All-Time. Nothing but bangers!
When this came out in '99, it was our first time seeing Pokemon in a 3D setting. What made it truly special was the ways you could get them to interact with each other. Saving Jigglypuff from Koffing, Pikachu riding an Electrode, Pidgey KO-ing Meowth with Gust, etc. I'm still a sucker for those charming little moments, no matter how many times I've seen them before.
And let's not forget: Snap's music is in the Top Five Pokemon Soundtracks of All-Time. Nothing but bangers!
Animal abuse if it was epic
As a person who is not really big on Pokémon, I always had curiosity on this game, because it looked pretty enjoyable taking pictures of these creatures.
And that's pretty much the game. It's short, but sweet. You can take pictures of various Pokémon, doing many poses, and you get some items along the way to help you make Pokémon do different poses, or to find new Pokémon altogether.
It's a fun short ride, that I recommend, even for people who aren't into Pokémon.
And that's pretty much the game. It's short, but sweet. You can take pictures of various Pokémon, doing many poses, and you get some items along the way to help you make Pokémon do different poses, or to find new Pokémon altogether.
It's a fun short ride, that I recommend, even for people who aren't into Pokémon.
It’s a fun couple of hours. It’s got a charm because so many of us played it when we were younger.
I kind of enjoy the shortness of the game. It’s a complete it in one play session sort of game. And since it’s on NSO now I thought I should play though it again.
It’s just full of charm
I kind of enjoy the shortness of the game. It’s a complete it in one play session sort of game. And since it’s on NSO now I thought I should play though it again.
It’s just full of charm
What a cute game. Unfortunately it turns out to be absolute hell to emulate, but it's very charming and entertaining. There's a surprising amount of interactions with the various critters (a lot of them involve violence, which is objectively very funny) and while the scoring AI is a bit arbitrary, it's a very pleasant experience all the way through.
Pokémon Snap stands as one of the most unique and beloved Pokémon spinoffs, having been released way back in the N64 days and, until recently, never been replicated. Call me a fake fan, though, but I'd never tried the game in my childhood -- I'd seen in in magazines and websites, but the opportunity never showed itself. Until now.
In Snap, you play as as an assistant to Professor Oak, who now has a lab on a deserted island, where he practices Pokémon photography and invents tools to support that new hobby. And, of course, he sends children out to do the hard, dangerous part of the work. Yeah. I thought his casting was strange at first, but the reliance on child labor makes it still in-character.
Anyway, scattered across the island are different biomes inhabited by Pokémon, and your job is to ride the Zero-One -- an on-rails vehicle -- and take pictures of the creatures found along its route. Your pictures are rated by the professor himself based on a few factors, like how clearly they depict their subject and the presence of multiple of that Pokémon in the same picture. As you add better photos to your album, you gain access to other tools that allow you to get different reactions out of the critters you wish to photograph.
I can see why it took Nintendo and Game Freak so long to put out a new one of these. It's a short game that can be beaten in an afternoon, and even if they wanted to make it longer, it's one of those games where the minute of playtime is incredibly expensive for the developer: Snap's stages clearly took a long time to design and implement, yet they take but a few minutes to play through -- the 100% speedrun for the game is about 25 minutes long with no skips. It's easy to see how other more scalable spin-offs wound up being prioritized.
It has to be said, though, Pokémon Snap hasn't aged much. The grading system is the jankiest part, and Pokémon fans that stuck with the franchise over the years will notice some creative liberties -- it's the IP in its infancy, after all -- but the core mechanics are solid and the Pokémon found on the island are given a lot of personality. I can say, with no nostalgia for the game, that it remains a great play today.
I'm looking forward to giving the Switch sequel a shot and seeing how it iterates on the formula.
In Snap, you play as as an assistant to Professor Oak, who now has a lab on a deserted island, where he practices Pokémon photography and invents tools to support that new hobby. And, of course, he sends children out to do the hard, dangerous part of the work. Yeah. I thought his casting was strange at first, but the reliance on child labor makes it still in-character.
Anyway, scattered across the island are different biomes inhabited by Pokémon, and your job is to ride the Zero-One -- an on-rails vehicle -- and take pictures of the creatures found along its route. Your pictures are rated by the professor himself based on a few factors, like how clearly they depict their subject and the presence of multiple of that Pokémon in the same picture. As you add better photos to your album, you gain access to other tools that allow you to get different reactions out of the critters you wish to photograph.
I can see why it took Nintendo and Game Freak so long to put out a new one of these. It's a short game that can be beaten in an afternoon, and even if they wanted to make it longer, it's one of those games where the minute of playtime is incredibly expensive for the developer: Snap's stages clearly took a long time to design and implement, yet they take but a few minutes to play through -- the 100% speedrun for the game is about 25 minutes long with no skips. It's easy to see how other more scalable spin-offs wound up being prioritized.
It has to be said, though, Pokémon Snap hasn't aged much. The grading system is the jankiest part, and Pokémon fans that stuck with the franchise over the years will notice some creative liberties -- it's the IP in its infancy, after all -- but the core mechanics are solid and the Pokémon found on the island are given a lot of personality. I can say, with no nostalgia for the game, that it remains a great play today.
I'm looking forward to giving the Switch sequel a shot and seeing how it iterates on the formula.
A fun little game you can 100% in a few hours. The cursor speed is a little slow, and on your first playthrough, some of the shot setups will feel very obtuse. Otherwise, a fun time.
You end up with 69 pictures in your report at the end if you go for 100%, and well, I think that's just neat.
You end up with 69 pictures in your report at the end if you go for 100%, and well, I think that's just neat.
There’s a much darker alternate universe version of this where it’s still on a rail but you’re shooting at them safari-style and professor oak rates the carcasses you drag back to his lab on how well he can stuff them. It’s the game that explains why in the mainline gameboy titles you don’t see any bison-themed Pokémon.
Me: PROFESSOR OAK! I'VE DONE IT! I MANAGED TO SNAG A PHOTO OF THE LEGENDARY MOLTRES; THE MYTHOLOGICAL POKEMON REFERENCED IN THE TOMES OF KANTO LEGEND FOR BRINGING BALANCE TO THE WORLD AND CRADLING THE OCEAN!!! WE'VE MADE HISTORY!
Professor Oak: Looks at picture. Hmmmmm, yeah, it's not in the centre of the frame though, is it...?
Me: Well, it's slightly off, I guess...
Professor Oak: ... and the sizing? What's up with that, huh?
Me: ...
Professor Oak: ...
Me: ...
Professor Oak: I'll give you 5 points for it. Got anything else?
Me: ...Um, well, I have this blurry shot of a random Pidgey I took to waste some film.
Professor Oak: looks at the picture. A single, glistening tear rolls down his wrinkly old face. YOU BEAUTIFUL SON OF A BITCH. IT'S IMMACULATE. 4,500 POINTS TO YOU. SOMEONE GET THE BUBBLY, WE'RE CELEBRATING TONIGHT!!!!
Professor Oak: Looks at picture. Hmmmmm, yeah, it's not in the centre of the frame though, is it...?
Me: Well, it's slightly off, I guess...
Professor Oak: ... and the sizing? What's up with that, huh?
Me: ...
Professor Oak: ...
Me: ...
Professor Oak: I'll give you 5 points for it. Got anything else?
Me: ...Um, well, I have this blurry shot of a random Pidgey I took to waste some film.
Professor Oak: looks at the picture. A single, glistening tear rolls down his wrinkly old face. YOU BEAUTIFUL SON OF A BITCH. IT'S IMMACULATE. 4,500 POINTS TO YOU. SOMEONE GET THE BUBBLY, WE'RE CELEBRATING TONIGHT!!!!
I don't care what anyone said, Pokémon Snap is one of the best Rail Shooters.
Wish there were more courses, would love to grind out filling out a whole pokedex.
OGs remember when u went to blockbuster with ur little memory gimmick to print out the photos u took
Taking photography classes wasn’t enough to please Professor Oak in this secret filled on rail shooter! Intriguing this was originally a game based off Jack and the Beanstalk.
Low as the rating might seem, this is honestly a kind of comforting game. It's short and sweet and has a pretty cool concept that makes it warm, fun and nostalgic. The reason the rating is so low is...damn, has this game aged poorly. Some elements feel so clunky, to the point where it can feel hard to go back to. Still, it's a great piece of nostalgia with charm and amazing music that's nice for a quick afternoon playthrough.