So I beat "Pokémon Snap"... An example of Nintendo's greatness. Jun 25, 2011 9:17PM PST

While doing a full recovery of my desktop PC, I decided to pass the time with a round of "Pokémon Snap".  

I am no stranger to Pokémon Snap, and this isn't the first time I beat the game.  I owned it when it was released in 1999, loved it, and downloaded it a couple of years ago when it became available on the Wii Shop Channel.  

For me, Pokémon Snap is a game that exemplifies Nintendo's outside-the-box approach to originality.  You play the part of an aspiring Pokémon trainer collaborating with Professor Oak to take pictures of different Pokémon throughout various locations on Pokémon Island.  

In each level you ride in a rail cart, take photos of Pokémon, and when it's over you select the best photo of each Pokémon for Oak to grade on merits of size, pose (is the Pokémon looking at you or performing a special act?), centering, and extra Pokémon of the same type captured in the image.  The photos are then compared to photos of the same Pokémon kept from previous attempts, the best ones replacing old photos in a portfolio that also tracks your accumulated score and number of types of discovered Polémon.  

As more Pokémon are discovered, Oak will provide you with items that can be thrown at Pokémon to elicit reactions like better poses, cause them to unlock other locations by exploding or pressing buttons, or prompt Pokémon in hiding to become visable.  Some Pokémon may also be provoked by simply snapping a photo of them while they are centered in your lens.

Pokémon Snap's feel is a casual one, but still retains a sense of urgency as only a short timeframe is available to photograph a Pokémon in it's best pose, let alone close up and centered, and aiming and throwing items is tricky due to the trajectory.

Snap is a rather short game and can be finished in one sitting by an intuitive gamer.  Over a decade later, after numerous playthroughs, I still found new poses and ways to score more points.  

Playing through Pokémon Snap again was perfect for passing the hours spent restoring my computer back to new again.  This is a game that, IMO, could offer a perfect sequel on the 3DS.

What I liked:

Original gameplay.  There's nothing like it.

Built around 1st generation series of Pokémon, where my experience with Pokémon begins and ends.

Discovering a new Pokémon/pose for the first time.

What I didn't like:

Rainbow Cloud level is rather simple.

Entire 1st generation Pokémon roster could have been included.

Trying to snap a 1000 point photo of a flying Zubat.

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Comments (5)

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• Oh snap

  Posted: Jun 25, 2011 12:00AM PST by  Cary Woodham
  

  Pokemon Snap was a brilliant game that I think should be revisited.  Remember when you could print off your Snap stickers at Blockbuster Video?  Of course, HAL made Snap (and also Kirby) so you know it would be good.

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• Good Review

  Posted: Jun 26, 2011 12:00AM PST by  sepp
  

  Ive never played Snap, but your Review gave me a good idea what the Game is like. I think a 3DS version sounds great, I would definitely try it.

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• Snap

  Posted: Jun 26, 2011 12:00AM PST by  joshnickerson
  

  I enjoyed the hell out of this game when it came out, and it's a shame we never saw a sequel. It's one of the few Pokemon spinoff games that was actually pretty great.

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• I am a pokefanatic.. but

  Posted: Jun 26, 2011 12:00AM PST by  Hubris1987
  

  i remember buying that game with hard-earned lawn-mowing money when I was younger. I felt terribly ripped off, even at the age of 13. I mean, it's barely a game. You have a few set levels, and you can't even move!

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• I remember...

  Posted: Jun 26, 2011 12:00AM PST by  frostbite635
  

  Playing this game over and over again trying to get as many points as possible. Man was it a good time when I was younger. A couple of years ago (right after the 360 came out), a friend of mine was into modding Xbox's and he ended up modding mine to include an N64 emulator. Majora's Mask, OoT, and Pokemon Snap were all replayed and beaten ha, and still enjoyed.