POKEMON Snap is back more than two decades on – but is it any good?
I’ve being trying out the Nintendo Switch revamp, and I’m seriously snap-happy.
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Bizarrely, Pokemon Snap sounds like a terrible game.
You’re tasked with taking brilliant photographs of Pokemon in the virtual wild – and that’s about it.
Every time I describe it to pals who didn’t play the original, I’m met with confusion and boredom.
And yet, every time people actually give it a go, the magic of Pokemon Snap reveals itself.
It comes 22 years after the original version launched on the Nintendo 64, and I’m eternally grateful.
The original game was brilliant and unique, and the 2021 version is no less wonderful.
In today’s New Pokemon Snap, you’re travelling around the thriving Lental region, which is jam-packed with familiar and exotic creatures.
And you’re tasked with helping Professor Mirror and his assistant Rita study creatures in the local area.
This involves popping off to various locations of interest, where you’ll roll around on a guided track in your pod.
During these shuttle adventures, you’ll be snapping a variety of Pokemon in their natural habitat.
The locations look gorgeous in the classic Nintendo Style.
After each trip, your photographs will be graded by Professor Mirror based on their quality.
To get the best score, you’ll need great shot composition, getting as close to the Pokemon as possible while making sure they’re facing the camera.
It sounds easy, but it’s very tricky.
The Pokemon will do special poses, or scurry across your screen in a flash, so you need to always be ready – and learn their routes over time.
You can also use fluffruit to lure the Pokemon out of hiding.
It’s immensely satisfying when you snap a great shot of a Pokemon and trump your previous pics.
And there’s loads of variety in terms of locations, as well as day-and-night cycles – which present their own Pokemon too.
If you’re a die-hard Pokemon fan then…well, you’ve probably already bought this game. And rightly so.
There’s also much to enjoy for people totally new to the world of Pokemon.
And it’s immensely easy to pick up: the tutorials are excellent and controls are very simply.
Somewhat bizarrely, taking a photo is mapped to a button and not a trigger.
You can remap this easily, but it resigns the controls and the tutorials don’t update to reflect your change – which is a little strange.
But there are very few buttons required to play in any case, so it’s not a major criticism.
There’s also a little too much dialogue generally for my tastes, but Pokemon fans will enjoy the continued world-building in this beloved universe.
Overall, it’s a cracking game with loads of replayability – though it may seem monotonous to anyone not sold on the central premise of Pokemon photography.
HOAR says: A brilliant remake of an N64 classic that looks beautiful on the Nintendo Switch, which can easily please long-time Pokemon fans and newcomers alike. 4/5
- New Pokemon Snap at Argos for £39.99 – buy here
All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. Always do your own research before making any purchase.
