I'm a firm believer that Pokemon is at its strongest when a variety act. Competitive play, collecting, and bonding with pokemon are all part of the complete set, and New Pokemon Snap brings collecting and bonding to life with a much larger than expected pokedex and a story about the beauty of Pokemon and the world around them that may be lost when battling rivals and traversing dark caverns clutching an escape rope.

The game's main focus is charm, and it has it in spades, shining new light on pokemon you might not have found charming before encountering them in the lentil region, and amplifying the cute factor of fan favorites to the max with action sequences, feeding mechanics, and sweet greetings and dances between different pokemon that haven't previously interacted much.

The game's real shine comes from two places, however. The first facet that makes the game great is the social component. Even ignoring the online photo sharing capabilities, New Snap is the perfect game to show your friends some of your favorite things about Pokemon, and the customizable photodex entries means that everyone you watch play, or interact with about the game, will have their own visual spin on the adventure.

The second and strongest facet in my mind is the game's diverse use of extremely simple mechanics. Using illumina sequences, alternate routes, and simple environmental puzzles, New Snap shifts from photo sim to rail shooter to observational puzzle game without missing steps in between, helping break up what would have easily been a monotonous game otherwise.

It won't be for everyone, but for Pokemon lovers or photography nuts, this game is a MUST.