New Pokémon Snap

New Pokémon Snap is a 2021 adventure by studio Bandai Namco Studios created in cooperation with The Pokémon Company, following up on the cult classic Pokémon Snap from the Nintendo 64 and bringing its unique concept of photographing Pokémon to modern graphics on Switch. The player travels by a special vehicle called the NEO-ONE along a fixed rail route across exotic islands, trying to capture the best and most interesting shots of hundreds of species of Pokémon in their natural, if fictional, environment, from dense jungles to underwater reefs.

The key mechanic is interacting with the environment using items such as Fluffruit or Illumina Orbs, with which the player provokes interesting behavior from the Pokémon – playing together, fighting among themselves, or rare, hidden reactions that gradually unlock new routes and new areas to explore on repeated expeditions. After completing an expedition, the captured photos are evaluated by an expert who judges composition, size, pose, and visibility of the photographed Pokémon and awards points on a four-star scale based on the quality of the shot.

The game is renowned for its soothing, meditative atmosphere, striking orchestral music, and carefully designed environments full of details and hidden interactions that reward repeated runs through the same route by discovering new details. New Pokémon Snap became one of the most acclaimed spin-offs in the entire franchise by managing to update a concept nearly thirty years old for a modern audience without losing its charm, calm, and sense of patient discovery. Fans also praised the variety of environments and their day and night variants, thanks to which the same location behaves differently on a second or third playthrough and reveals new Pokémon behavior, making the game replayable even for players who otherwise don't usually seek out photography games.