New Pokémon Snap

New Pokémon Snap is a photography game released in 2021 for the Nintendo Switch. It was developed by Bandai Namco Studios and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. The game serves as a follow-up to the 1999 Nintendo 64 title Pokémon Snap, which was created by HAL Laboratory. Players work with Professor Mirror’s research team, traveling through the Lental region—a chain of islands—in an automated hovercraft. Their goal is to photograph wild Pokémon to study their behavior and investigate unusual luminous phenomena in the area.

The gameplay stays close to the original: players move along fixed paths in on-rails sessions, aiming to capture high-quality pictures of Pokémon. As they progress, new courses and items become available to improve photography. Courses can also be upgraded, which changes the Pokémon and interactions that appear. New features include night-time versions of courses, boss encounters, and a rating system that scores photos based on how rare a Pokémon’s behavior is. The professor’s lab acts as a central hub where players can access courses, review research, manage their photo album, customize their profile, and use online features.

Talks about a sequel happened for years across different consoles. Bandai Namco Studios got the chance to develop it after working on Pokkén Tournament. The team wanted to create a world where wild Pokémon felt alive, and they chose the roster of species based on natural habitats and traits. Developer Haruki Suzaki said the game expanded on ideas from the first title, updating them for a modern audience influenced by social media. Development aimed to fully use the Nintendo Switch’s hardware. After release, the game was used in collaborations with companies like Fujifilm and Seven-Eleven Japan. In August 2021, a free downloadable content update added new Pokémon and courses.

Critics praised New Pokémon Snap as an improvement over the original, highlighting its graphics, detail, photo editor, and relaxing tone. Some found the gameplay repetitive, and others were disappointed with the photo rating system and the absence of an evolution mechanic from the first game. Fans also received it well, with certain Pokémon gaining more popularity in the community. The game was called one of the best of 2021 and received nominations at The Game Awards 2021 and the 2021 Golden Joystick Awards.