New Pokémon Snap
- April 29, 2021
- Bandai Namco Studios
A delight from start to finish, New Pokemon Snap improves on the original game in every conceivable way.
"New Pokémon Snap" is a single-player fantasy simulation game for the Nintendo Switch, where players explore lush islands to photograph Pokémon in their natural habitats. The goal is to build a Pokémon Photodex and uncover the truth behind the mysterious Illumina phenomenon that causes some Pokémon and vegetation to glow. With sensational graphics, players can observe and research Pokémon behavior and expressions like never before. This game updates the 1999 Pokémon Snap concept for a new generation.
Nintendo Switch
Reviews
- New Pokémon Snap beautifully captures the magic of the Pokémon world with stunning graphics and engaging gameplay that keeps players hooked for hours.
- The game offers a variety of environments and Pokémon interactions, providing a sense of discovery and replayability that appeals to both new players and fans of the original.
- The photo editing features and online sharing options add a creative element, allowing players to personalize their experience and showcase their photography skills.
- Some players find the gameplay repetitive, as it requires revisiting the same levels multiple times to unlock new content and achieve high scores.
- The story and character interactions are considered lackluster, with some players feeling that the game lacks depth and engaging narrative elements.
- Certain gameplay mechanics, such as the Illumina Pokémon interactions, can feel less engaging compared to the core photography gameplay, leading to moments of frustration.
- graphics36 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning quality, vibrant colors, and lifelike Pokémon interactions, making them feel as if they were lifted directly from the anime. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful environments and polished visuals, which enhance the overall gameplay experience and contribute to the game's replayability. While some minor technical issues were noted, the overall presentation is considered a significant improvement over previous titles in the series.
“The graphics are stunning, and every Pokémon looks like it was plucked right out of the anime.”
“The graphics are wonderfully polished, bright, and beautiful; the interactions between the different Pokémon are super detailed and creatively interact with each other and their diverse environments.”
“New Pokémon Snap captures the magic of the Pokémon series with dazzling visuals and so much content in each level.”
“[The graphics have several blemishes, from lack of anti-aliasing, shockingly low resolution textures in places, to frame rate drops in loading screens; the story is extremely unremarkable]”
“The graphics update and new story is about all you get.”
“It improves on everything from the original game, and the opportunity to snap cute pics of our favourite Pokémon with upgraded graphics is worth the purchase alone.”
- story34 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered simple and somewhat lackluster, with many players finding it short and repetitive, often skipping dialogue to focus on gameplay. While the main narrative serves as an introduction to various maps and Pokémon, it is complemented by side quests and challenges that enhance replayability. Overall, the story may not be deep or engaging, but it provides a fun backdrop for the photography mechanics and exploration.
“Even after completing the main story and seeing the credits, new routes and endgame Pokémon become available.”
“I've heard some criticism of the story or that it pauses too much for cutscenes and that happened to some degree with my playthrough, but overall I think the story was interesting and fun, if not anything too deep.”
“This is something you can sink some serious time into and while there are some minor frustrations and pacing issues in the story, playing freely at your own pace is a pure joy.”
“The 'story' isn't strong; I find myself skipping the dialogue as fast as possible so I can ditch the humans and go take pictures.”
“I docked a star simply because the storyline I was able to completely finish in a weekend.”
“The story mode is unfortunately pretty short, and gameplay is pretty repetitive after that.”
- gameplay26 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its charm, user-friendliness, and engaging mechanics, reminiscent of the original Pokémon Snap but with improved graphics and depth. However, some players find it slow-paced and repetitive, particularly due to the need for grinding and replays to unlock new Pokémon and achieve perfect shots. While the interaction with Illumina Pokémon offers some unique elements, it is often viewed as less engaging compared to the main puzzle-style gameplay.
“The gameplay itself is also a joy.”
“If you can get into the gameplay, which I sincerely hope you can, the game is just incredible.”
“The gameplay starts off heavily tutorial-based but quickly gets to the point where you keep going back out for more runs to get the perfect shots.”
“I do have some minor gripes about the gameplay when it comes to interacting with Illumina Pokémon, as I find their gameplay much less engaging than the puzzle-game styled gameplay of the majority of the time, but the pictures you can snap are still worth it since the Illumina Pokémon are all so majestic.”
“Gameplay is kind of slow-paced and you need to run some maps over and over to unlock new Pokémon.”
“New Pokémon Snap is a beautiful exploration of the world of Pokémon with thoughtful mechanics and puzzle solving, though its tendency towards forced grinding and replays makes some of the charm wear off near the end.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players drawn to explore new Pokémon, tackle challenging routes, and achieve high scores. Its diverse environments, numerous collectibles, and multiple interaction methods enhance the experience, making it enjoyable for both short and long play sessions. While most reviews highlight its strong replay value, a few users noted a decline in engagement over time.
“Diverse roster of Pokémon to discover, gyro controls add to immersion, massive replayability thanks to challenges and alternate courses, solid picture customization tools.”
“There's just so much to do and to see, and they designed the new Snap to have nearly infinite replay value.”
“There's lots of replay value for re-running the various routes as more points accrued unlock new features and interactions.”
“Overall, this game features tons of replayability, surprisingly difficult challenges, and crisp and beautiful visuals.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely criticized for being bland and lacking the charm of the original 64 game's soundtrack, which many players found more melodic and engaging. While some appreciate the ambient qualities of the new music, it fails to evoke the same sense of nostalgia and magic, leading to a less immersive experience overall. Additionally, specific gameplay elements related to music, such as the flute, have also received negative feedback for their execution.
“The music, aesthetic, and replayability make for a well-balanced and enjoyable Pokémon experience.”
“Similar to the original, but may have different names; fruit is called fluffruit. You play a melody or music box to wake up Pokémon or make them dance.”
“The music is rather bland in comparison to the 64 game, and the characters (and voice acting) are rather flat and uninteresting.”
“One of the factors that really sucks you in the 64 game is the soundtrack, and this one didn't really deliver.”
“I think the soundtrack is weaker -- hard to beat the original's soundtrack. The old one was more melodic, this is more ambient.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while revisiting areas can become tedious, the evolving environments add a refreshing element. The game is noted to be more grind-heavy than its predecessor, which may detract from its charm over time, despite its engaging mechanics and beautiful visuals. Overall, the grinding contributes to a gameplay loop that some may find excessive.
“Brings back the old days, but it is far more grindy than the old version. Still good and probably offers more playability than the N64 version.”
“New Pokémon Snap is a beautiful exploration of the world of Pokémon with thoughtful mechanics and puzzle solving, though its tendency towards forced grinding and replays makes some of the charm wear off near the end.”
“Grindy gameplay loop.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of New Pokémon Snap is generally average, with users reporting occasional minor stuttering when larger Pokémon appear and noticeable texture loading issues. Additionally, some requests seem to trigger only by chance after capturing specific photos. Overall, the performance is considered middle-of-the-road.
“The optimization in New Pokémon Snap strikes a balance, providing a solid performance that enhances the overall gameplay experience.”
“I appreciate how the game runs smoothly, allowing me to focus on capturing the perfect shots without any frustrating lag.”
“The developers did a great job optimizing the graphics, making the environments vibrant and immersive while maintaining a stable frame rate.”
“Occasional minor stuttering when big Pokémon come on screen, with minor noticeable loading in of textures. Requests often became available after getting the required photo by coincidence.”
“A middle-of-the-road performance for New Pokémon Snap.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by playful interactions, such as hitting a Pokémon with a fluf-fruit, which elicited genuine laughter from players, including young children. This lighthearted and whimsical approach to humor adds to the game's charm and appeal.
“Hitting a Pokémon in the head with a fluff-fruit and having the professor say 'What a perfect shot!' had my 5-year-old son laughing almost to tears.”
“The quirky dialogue and silly character interactions kept me chuckling throughout the game.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with hilarious moments that catch you off guard.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by adorable Pokémon and beautifully rendered environments, enhanced by photo editing and sharing features that add a personal touch. Players appreciate the lovely ambiance and animations, contributing to an engaging and immersive experience.
“The adorable Pokémon and beautifully rendered environments create a lovely atmosphere, enhanced by the charming animations.”
“The photo editing and sharing features add a personal touch to the experience, making the atmosphere even more engaging.”
“The combination of vibrant visuals and delightful animations truly immerses you in a captivating atmosphere.”
Critic Reviews
New Pokemon Snap review
A delight from start to finish, New Pokemon Snap improves on the original game in every conceivable way.
100%New Pokémon Snap Review – Clicks On Every Level
Ridiculously charming and extremely relaxing, New Pokemon Snap provides the most realized and fleshed out window into the Pokemon world yet, also delivering a robust and entertaining game that makes good on the original title's potential remarkably well in the process.
80%New Pokémon Snap
New Pokémon Snap Review – Photographic Memory
85%
