In the 20-plus years since the release ofPokémon Snapfor the N64, video game technology and the way we interact with each other across the internet has changed dramatically. Modern games, and even remakes of classic titles, tend to go bigger and bolder, or leaner and meaner, all to take advantage of current-gen engines and socially connected platforms. It can be … overwhelming. So it’s nice thatNewPokémon Snapretains a lot of what made the original rail-shooter photo-safari game so appealing. It is, to put it simply, The Softest Game of 2021, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.
Much likeAnimal Crossings: New Horizonsbecame a cozy island home away from home during the most widespread locked-down days of the COVID pandemic in 2020,New Pokémon Snapmight just be the go-to-casual comfy game this year. It’s got a lot going for it out of the gate:Pokémonis the biggest and most successful franchise in the world, thanks to its hundreds of cute and recognizable ‘mons; the game requires very little effort from players, which makes it accessible to just about everyone; and its lazy-river pace allows gamers to truly chill out, while the game’s side quests and timing-dependent achievements still keep some challenges in the mix. And did I mention how addictively adorable it is? There is just something so simple and so wholesome aboutNew Pokémon Snap, a game that invites you to absolutely chill for a while and enjoy a relaxed photo-tour of gorgeous new locales populated with plenty of pokémon. It’s exactly what the video game industry needs right now.
RELATED:Here Are 8 of the Best ‘Pokémon’ Spinoff Games and You Gotta Play ‘em All
Before we get too far afield, here’s the synopsis if you’re just catching up:
As a budding Pokémon photographer, you have arrived in the Lental region to participate in a Pokémon research program alongside the region’s expert, Professor Mirror, and his assistant, Rita. You’ll be helping them with their ecological survey to photograph Pokémon thriving in nature. You’ll venture from island to island riding in your trusty vehicle NEO-ONE, discovering wild Pokémon in their lush, natural habitats.
For transparency’s sake, I’m only a few hours intoNew Pokémon Snap,having just picked it up for myself this morning and cleared the first region. But this is one of those rare cases where what I was looking for in a game and what the game promised in its pre-release marketing lined up spectacularly well.New Pokémon Snapdelivers that hit of nostalgia for the original game and many of the titles in the franchise alongside a pleasantly paced playthrough that’s about as cozy as it gets. It’s honestly all I ever wanted out of this game.
Whether you’re a newcomer to the franchise or a devoutPokémonfan, there’s something here for everyone. Veterans will love seeing familiar ‘mons in a brand-new habitat, interacting in a delightful variety of ways. (You canexplore the all-new Lental Region at this interactive website, learn about the new islands, and even earn some Nintendo points!) And just because you sail through one area of a region doesn’t mean you’ve seen all it has to offer.New Pokémon Snapdoes a good job of slowly adding in new mechanics – like scanning with your camera, tossing Fluffruit and Illumina Orbs, etc. – so that each time you embark on a photo-adventure, you’ll see and snap something new.
If you find yourself in need of a nudge as to what it is exactly that “new” thing is and what you should be looking out for, be sure to check your side quests. You’ll progress through the main game just fine by playing each area by day, night, and the special Illumina “boss” section, but these bonus quests offer an incentive to replay rounds and see what new pokémon and behavior you may find. (The only tricky part here is that you need to have the side quest availablebeforeyou take a picture of said target so that you can complete the quest by submitting it to Prof. Mirror for evaluation. It’s a bit of a clunky system that’s not as intuitive as it could be.) And if you find yourself in need of experience bumps to clear each region’s levels, you might actually want toloweryour Exp. Level rather than raising it, especially if you need to land some diamond-rated 1-star pokémon. (The other somewhat unintuitive ranking factor here is that stars – 1 through 4 – correspond to how rare a given pokémon’s behavior is in a shot, while the quality – bronze through diamond – is all about Prof. Mirror’s own score system, which he explains.)
RELATED:‘New Pokémon Snap’ Brings Back the Best of the N64 Games, Now Adapted for the Social Media Era
WhileNew Pokémon Snaphonors the original game in lots of ways, including some fun surprises returning for this new edition, it also stays true to the modern era of gaming. There’s a newly introduced photo-editing feature called Re-Snap which lets you pretty up your pictures, add stickers, and the like. It’ll even let you upload favorite photos to Your Space in order to share them with otherNew Pokémon Snapplayers around the world, and you can award “Sweet!” medals to photos that catch your eye. That’s a very cool addition that encourages editing, sharing, and support within the community (though certainly the ability to add your own captions can and probably will go horribly wrong in some cases.)
Aside from a few unintuitive choices – the somewhat clunky side quest system, the less-than-clear star rating, and the default control scheme that somehow swaps the A button in for the camera shutter rather than a trigger like ZR –New Pokémon Snapis a solid game across the board. It looks gorgeous on the Switch thanks to its candy-coated color palette and cute, cartoonish characters. (Though why the thumbnails of your photos chosen for Prof. Mirror appear grainy and blurry in the pre-evaluation screen is a mystery to me.) There’s plenty ofPokémonlore to play around with, too, like the fact that Hoothoot rarely shows both of its legs, or the rare and unique effects that the Illumina phenomenon brings to the Lental Region. And as a casual game that offers something pleasantly slow-paced that you can enjoy in your own time, it can’t be beat.
I’ll reserve my final rating forNew Pokémon Snapuntil after I’ve at least cleared the entire game itself, but for right now, this follow-up on a classic definitely delivers. It’s given me exactly what I wanted as The Softest Game of 2021, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
KEEP READING:‘New Pokémon Snap’ Reviews Tease a Must-Play for Fans of the ’90s Spinoff
