Why are some of the gems horrible to get? How on earth were you supposed to get the blue gem from Turtle Woods without using a guide or having someone just outright tell you "You can't destroy any boxes"? Or the one about being able to fall into the pit in Crash Dash, was I just supposed to guess? It's been several years, but I pretty distinctly there being no conveyance for either of those. Also, the boss fights not being replayable is an unnecessary downgrade from the first game. I just want to play hop skotch 'til you drop with Tiny.

On the plus side, taking photos of cute animals is still a potent game mechanic. At its core, the game is fun to play, and the star rankings for rarer poses are a cool add.

Everything else about it—the aesthetics, controls, items, level layouts, etc. —feels more hollow than it did in its delightful N64 predecessor, though. Maybe it’s my nostalgia talking, but some (most) of these newer Pokémon are dumb as hell and not cute. The levels—even though there are more of them and they change when you rank them up—feel barren. There are no evolutions (a huge bummer), barely any puzzles, and a finicky scan mechanic that always feels like an unwelcome interruption.

It’s just OK. Could’ve been great with some more thoughtful design.