New Pokemon Snap

 Switch
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 651 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 427 out of 651
  2. Mixed: 68 out of 651
  3. Negative: 156 out of 651
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  1. MedNow
    Apr 6, 2022
    8
    I love the graphics. The game is cute and amusing. It's cool to see these pokemon doing something else then battling. I love it that as you advance you see different behaviour and different pokemon. It's not a 10 for me because it's to slow paced for my taste at sometimes. Redoing the same course over en and over just to level up can become dull at times!
  2. 0semsum0
    Apr 8, 2022
    8
    This game is absolutely gorgeous. If you ever dreamed about living in the Pokémon world (not for the fights) since watching the TV show, this is currently the closest you can get, considering how the graphics look on games like Arceus. The Pokémon feel very alive and natural, and sometimes the environment is just amazing on its own. The true game is just to watch the Pokémon, but theThis game is absolutely gorgeous. If you ever dreamed about living in the Pokémon world (not for the fights) since watching the TV show, this is currently the closest you can get, considering how the graphics look on games like Arceus. The Pokémon feel very alive and natural, and sometimes the environment is just amazing on its own. The true game is just to watch the Pokémon, but the photography also feels nice. I got frustrated a few times because I missed the perfect shot, but if you manage to seize the opportunity, it makes you proud.

    The posing and behaviour of the Pokémon is really well executed. You are encouraged to experiment how to influence the Pokémons' pose, and there are some very funny scenes too that I won't spoil. The missions are hard to fulfill, but it wouldn't be fair to treat them as puzzles. They are mere hints for your experiments, and when you finally get to fulfill the requirements, you are rewarded with exciting behaviour.

    There are still a few things I don't like. Throwing / shooting with fruit or Illumination Orbs sucks. Sadly, it is essential to a few levels, including the ones with the Guardian Pokémon (essentially bosses). Progressing the story is a little bit too repetitive, you have to play the same level two or three times before you progress. For the rating, size matters most. You can get a good score if the Pokémon is just big on the photo, and it is hard to get a good score if it's small, but strikes an interesting pose. Considering what the game gets right, those issues are not big, I would still recommend it to every Switch owner who likes laid back games.    … Expand
  3. SeiferA
    Jun 3, 2022
    8
    Graphics: 10/10
    Beautiful. Just absolutely beautiful. From the clear water to the Pokemon textures, this game is absolutely pleasant to look at.
    Sound: 6/10 There’s really nothing super big I can bring up about the music and sound fxs. The music is certainly better than Pokemon Snap’s late 90s era MIDI music. And sound fxs do the job well enough. But neither are really anything to    Graphics: 10/10
    Beautiful. Just absolutely beautiful. From the clear water to the Pokemon textures, this game is absolutely pleasant to look at.

    Sound: 6/10
    There’s really nothing super big I can bring up about the music and sound fxs. The music is certainly better than Pokemon Snap’s late 90s era MIDI music. And sound fxs do the job well enough. But neither are really anything to write home about.

    While I can’t comment on the English voice acting, I can say the Japanese voice acting was pretty superb overall. Though the professor’s one liner comments at the end of each picture review did get tiring rather quickly.

    Gameplay: 9/10
    So the controls, options at your disposal and general feel of the game is really great. But I have a confession to make: When I played this game a year ago, I assumed in order to progress I needed to finish the side missions provided to me.

    It wasn’t until I picked back up this game recently that I realized progress is made 80% of the times by just getting to level 2 in the area.

    Had it been as difficult as I thought it was, I would’ve given this part of the game a very low score, but now I realize the game is essentially just as simple to play as Snap on the 64, albeit a bit longer with more post game content. The game also encourages multiple replays, not only with the missions and post game content, but also understanding the paths Pokemon will usually take as well as the best spots to snap a picture; That much has carried over from 64.

    So yeah, overall I like the gameplay! For a game with a premise as simple as this, I don’t know how I could ask for anything more than what the team provided (Aside from maybe being able to compare pictures and scores with your friends as oppose to randos, hence the near perfect score)

    Story: 6/10
    The story is fairly straightforward, with your character investigating the region to discover a new type of Pokemon and solving the mystery behind their strange power. The story does get a bit compelling towards the end, but I gotta admit, by the time I was done, I did feel like it was all a bit anti-climatic.

    I would have also preferred if we got more real time cutscenes; It seems like the majority of the game’s story is told via stills.

    Difficulty: 1/5 (Very Easy)
    Like I mentioned, this game only requires for your to get a level 2 or light up/take pictures of the flowers to unlock the next area. It’s really simple gameplay overall, with the only difficult part being the slight grind to get to level 2 (Which really only requires 2 play throughs total as long as you’re actively trying to take pictures)

    BOTTOM LINE:
    8/10

    I don’t know if I’d recommend this game as a full price title especially since, despite lasting longer than Snap 64, its still a pretty short game, but you do get quite a bit of enjoyment out of it nonetheless. I had fun taking pictures and sharing them on social media, and I kinda want to print out some of these as stickers someday. Just like the good ol days.

    So yeah, totally check this out! Just again, I’d rather wait until it goes on sale in some capacity.    … Expand
  4. Eidnex
    Sep 13, 2022
    8
    Super Grafik Viele Level Pokemon in ihrer natürlichen Umgebung, wirkt sehr lebendig.
  5. Divad27
    Dec 18, 2022
    8
    I cannot comment on this game as a neutral person, but I am aware that it is not for everyone, in fact most people will get bored and stop playing it, especially because of its high price. As a fan of the franchise, it is a game that I have really enjoyed due to the exploration capacity (although guided) and the beauty of the graphics (taking into account that it is a switch game). A shortI cannot comment on this game as a neutral person, but I am aware that it is not for everyone, in fact most people will get bored and stop playing it, especially because of its high price. As a fan of the franchise, it is a game that I have really enjoyed due to the exploration capacity (although guided) and the beauty of the graphics (taking into account that it is a switch game). A short experience but if you play it with the right mentality, it will be very enjoyable… Expand
  6. p1menta
    Sep 25, 2021
    7
    First of all I think all these angry reviews are, at least, unfair. I mean, yes, the game is expensive (as all others, specially from Nintendo, it's not exclusively this one) and it doesnt add that much on creativity, I know, but being a Pokemon game and not being the same old **** graphics-gym-battle-turn-based that we've seen through 30 years is an advance for me.
    I haven't played the    First of all I think all these angry reviews are, at least, unfair. I mean, yes, the game is expensive (as all others, specially from Nintendo, it's not exclusively this one) and it doesnt add that much on creativity, I know, but being a Pokemon game and not being the same old **** graphics-gym-battle-turn-based that we've seen through 30 years is an advance for me.
    I haven't played the original yet, I always wanted to as a child, but didn't have the money to buy it, and this one, all these years later, gave me a nice feel of nostalgic fulfilment. Yes, there could be more mechanics, I get it. I just think my expectations are so low about nintendo and specially pokemon games, that I can enjoy anything is not just terrible thousand times repeated stuff.
    IIf you are a pokemon fan you should be fine with it too. It's not a perfect one, but I've never seen a perfect pokemon game either. After all, I guess this is my favouriyr one    … Expand
  7. srx
    May 2, 2021
    7
    This game getting reviewbombed or what? Anyways, 7/10 for low content and poor textures on some terrains (which is pretty important for a game of this genre), but overall it was a pretty fun experience. Never played the original so I don't have a comparison for reference, but as an avid player of FPS games and a fan of pokemon in general this was a super cool concept to me. There isThis game getting reviewbombed or what? Anyways, 7/10 for low content and poor textures on some terrains (which is pretty important for a game of this genre), but overall it was a pretty fun experience. Never played the original so I don't have a comparison for reference, but as an avid player of FPS games and a fan of pokemon in general this was a super cool concept to me. There is actually difficulty involved in regards to aiming projectiles with different trajectories and timing. With the lacking content (only 200 or so pokemon cmon) I would say it isn't worth the full 60 for most people, but I think I had my money's worth in fun.… Expand
  8. MrSlim
    May 29, 2021
    7
    This is an enjoyable bout that I've been waiting to get my hands on for many years at this point. I had a good time playing this game and while I have yet to finish the game completely, I believe I've played enough to form a solid opinion on it. I will go over key points as to the great parts and the problems of this cute and interesting snap-a-thon.

    Graphics: The game looks phenomenal.    This is an enjoyable bout that I've been waiting to get my hands on for many years at this point. I had a good time playing this game and while I have yet to finish the game completely, I believe I've played enough to form a solid opinion on it. I will go over key points as to the great parts and the problems of this cute and interesting snap-a-thon.

    Graphics: The game looks phenomenal. Everything looks beautiful on the eyes and I enjoy going to new places in order to see the excellent landscapes that have been built from the ground up. Also seeing my favorite Pokemon roam around in gorgeous HD is a sight I've been waiting to see forever!

    It is "New" Pokemon Snap! (At least for the most part): If you played the original game, this game does build on it in multiple ways. As mentioned the graphics are of course upgraded, and the number of Pokemon you can encounter has tripled. There are also more settings to see these little critters live their lives. We also get the addition of "Illumina Pokemon" which are an interesting concept at first, but kind of falls flat as time goes on (We'll get back to them in a second). Unfortunately, the game also removes Pokémon evolving from the first game, which is extremely depressing as it was an exciting part of the N64 original. So I would say generally, the game has a lot more to offer than the original but some parts do fall a tiny bit flat.

    The Game can get really repetitive: With the game clocking in at just under 10 hours, and many of the core game mechanics being given to you shortly after you start, you begin to wonder what will keep you interesting for the remaining few hours. And honestly, not a lot does. Barring times you get into new areas, a lot of the natural and interesting parts of the game become boring as you see the same Pokémon doing the same actions over and over again. Taking the same photos as you've taken half a dozen times before doesn't make for a really interesting time at many points. And going back to Illumina Pokémon, they are perhaps the biggest disappointment in this game as there is little interest in them as their stages are 5 minute, 'boss-fight' esc excursions where you take a photo of the same Pokemon 40 times and this "Illumina Pokemon" is nothing more than a glowing, large version of a Pokemon we've seen multiple times in past Pokemon games.

    The Star System: In New Pokemon Snap, there is a very uninteresting star system that makes it even more of a bore to get 100%. Basically, depending on how you take a photo, some images get 1 star, 2 stars, 3 stars, or 4 stars. These ratings depends on a number of events happening, like if the Pokemon is eating one of the fluffberries, maybe it'll get 2 stars or if its doing something because of an ingame-event that you causes maybe It'll get 4 stars. The concept is boring and repetitive, especially because you can only choose one of these photos at a time, so you need to get all 4 stars each time you go around. It's not very good, and if a Snap 3 ever comes out I think it's something that needs a good amount of changing.

    In conclusion I would recommend this game to you if you are interested in getting it. But if a game like Pokemon Snap doesn't really interest you all too much I wouldn't purchase it, or not until that hefty 60 dollar price tag decides to drop. It's a fun game that I feel many OG Pokemon Snap players would enjoy but it has many problems, some of which the original didn't have which makes it a difficult topic to discuss which one is the better of the two. I do hope a 3rd game in the franchise does eventually come out, but I hope it makes multiple improvements that this one lacked.    … Expand
  9. SplitMind
    Jul 11, 2021
    7
    New Pokemon Snap has been highly-awaited, and really, why the hell has it taken Nintendo over two decades? They haven't hesitated to milk the mainstream Pokemon games into oblivion. Anyway, does the game live up to our excessive nostalgia? Well, it basically does, yeah.

    The graphics are charming, however if you have played any Pokemon game from the last decade they will not be too    New Pokemon Snap has been highly-awaited, and really, why the hell has it taken Nintendo over two decades? They haven't hesitated to milk the mainstream Pokemon games into oblivion. Anyway, does the game live up to our excessive nostalgia? Well, it basically does, yeah.

    The graphics are charming, however if you have played any Pokemon game from the last decade they will not be too surprising. Nintendo seem to be scared to hire new artists. Having said that, there is nothing bad about the graphics my qualm would be that it's not exactly living up to it potential - it doesn't really look like two decades have passed. A few scenes are quite nice when it's colourful and out in the open, however too often we're drawn into dark caves that do little for the eyes.

    The gameplay is key to Pokemon Snap and I don't think there is much here to complain about. It can be incredibly fun to watch the Pokemon in their natural habitat and try to capture their photo at just the right moment. I don't think a huge amount has changed from the first game and in this case that's not a bad thing.

    When first playing through the game I found the levels to be a little threadbare and barren of Pokemon and interesting sights. I then discovered that as you progress this increases, although sometimes not by much. I also think they did themselves a disservice by making the legendary Pokemon obscured and hard to find without looking it up online.

    What may infuriate some people is that it's not a fast game. It's designed to be more chilled however the menus and dialog I found to be painfully slow at times.

    The rating system for photos is mostly okay, but a few times it can become and arbitrary pain in the butt as it chooses how many stars to give your photo. Also, the grinding can be ridiculous to get to level 3 and beyond for most levels.

    The story makes a refreshing change from the mainline games with a familiar face or two popping up. What I like is how you could basically play through the game and pay the story minimal attention and not have your experience hindered. Some of the Pokemon choices involved did seem a bit curious, but again that can also be refreshing.

    Overall, if you came to have your Pokemon Snap itch scratched, I think you will leave quite satisfied. The game seems to pride itself on replayability and I did find myself going back after the credits rolled and that's not something I do a lot. It could probably have benefitted from a bit more imagination in the level design and more Pokemon, although it definitely has a lot more Pokemon than the original!    … Expand
  10. Syhlcam
    May 14, 2021
    7
    L’objectif est simple, prendre les plus belles photos que possibles. Mieux une image est belle plus vous aurez de point, selon plusieurs paramètres. Vous aurez également la possibilité de prendre les Pokémons dans des poses spécifique. Il y a trois poses spécifiques par Pokémon plus une photo de base. Vous devrez faire le meilleur score pour les quatre images.

    Les trajets offrent    L’objectif est simple, prendre les plus belles photos que possibles. Mieux une image est belle plus vous aurez de point, selon plusieurs paramètres. Vous aurez également la possibilité de prendre les Pokémons dans des poses spécifique. Il y a trois poses spécifiques par Pokémon plus une photo de base. Vous devrez faire le meilleur score pour les quatre images.

    Les trajets offrent d’agréable balade, un jeu très calme mais qui nécessite toutefois une attention de chaque instant. Les Pokémons bougent, cours et vole à tout moment et des interactions entre eux sont présente mais brève. Alors si vous voulez capturez ces moments il faut rester vigilant et regardez chaque endroit.
    Vous aurez accès progressivement au cours de vos explorations à divers accessoires. Les célèbres pommes, qui vous pourrez lancer au niveau ou sur les Pokémons afin de les faire réagir différemment. Mais également de la musique, un radar qui vous servira également à détecter des Pokémon et autres éléments particulier mais surtout aux orbes Lumina.

    Les orbes Lumina sont des éléments propres à l’archipel que le professeur arrivera à développer grâce à vos photos de fleur Lumina que vous trouvez sur votre chemin. Grâce à ces orbes vous pourrez les lancer sur les Pokémons afin de les faire briller de manière temporaire. Cette réaction fait réagir le Pokémon mais également les Pokémon voisins.
    Après votre expédition, le professeur vous demandera de sélectionner une photo de chaque Pokémon que vous avez pris. Il passera ensuite en revue vos photos et les notera en fonction des différents paramètres citez plus haut. Il vous donnera un score chiffré mais également représenté par un niveau d’étoile, de fer à diamant.

    Vous débloqué de nouvelle zone progression après avoir exploré les précédentes zones disponibles. De plus, vos possédez un niveau d’exploration pour chaque zone. A chaque niveau différent, les Pokémons qui apparaisse change ainsi que leurs interactions. Il faudra donc refaire régulièrement les zones pour augmenter son niveau.
    Et c’est ici que le plus gros problème du jeu se pose. Au début, la monté de niveau est rapide, une expédition peut suffire. Mais rapidement, il faut refaire plusieurs fois la même zone sans arriver à trouver de quoi apporté de nouveau. Et c’est ici que le jeu devient très répétitif.

    La manque d’ambition se sent, excepté les quelques poses et les différentes zones et quelques chemin alternatif, bah il n’y a rien d’autre. D’ailleurs chemin alternatif parfois difficile à trouver, car nécessitant une interaction précise avec un Pokémon à un moment précis. Même si le jeu possède une direction artistique joli, un environnement sonore sympathique. En une dizaines heures on commence à tourner en rond. Plus de pose, plus de Pokémon ou encore la présence de Pokémon Chromatique aurait été un plus pour une partie du public.

    Toutefois je n’ai pas encore parlé des boss. Ces boss sont simplement les Pokémons Luminescent de manière naturelle. Après avoir découvert l’ensemble des lieux sur une île, vous découvrirez une source lumina associé où est présent un tel Pokémon.
    Vous aurez vite l’impression d’être dans une arène à devoir faire une première interaction avec les Pokémon cible avant de pouvoir les illuminé via un orbe et le prendre en photo. Et certaine musique de ces moments sont des musiques de boss. Sans oubliez la difficulté qui augmente très fortement sur les derniers et sur le boss final.

    Vous aurez accès également à d’autres fonction dans ce nouveau titre. Notamment des fonctions en ligne. Vous pouvez récupérer vos photos et les modifié à la manière d’Instragram. Vous pourrez ensuite en mettre six en ligne en même temps. Sachant que le professeur en met deux de lui-même selon leur qualité.
    Vous obtiendrez des médailles Pomme donnez par les autres joueurs. Toutefois vous n’aurez accès qu’a une petite sélection de photos d’autre joueurs. Une de votre langue et une internationale, vous pourrez donner une médaille pour chaque photo si vous le souhaitez. Vous pourrez également visiter le profil des joueurs et consulté un classement selon le score de l’ensemble des photos et ainsi voir votre position.

    Au global, le jeu offre une expérience très bonne avec une ambiance clame et posée. Les environnements sont variés et agréables à parcourir. Chaque nouvelle expédition offre ces surprises et découverte agréable. Les explorations nécessitent une attention et une réactivité constante. Les Pokémons Luminescent offre un défi supplémentaire.

    Cependant, rapidement la nécessité de refaire à plusieurs reprise les mêmes zones sans modification donne un sentiment de monotonie. Le jeu devient bien plus pénible et ennuyant car en dehors des expéditions il n’y pas grande chose à faire.    … Expand
  11. Sergiox
    May 3, 2021
    7
    Divertido a la altura de cualquier exclusivo de Nintendo, buena jugabilidad.
  12. HowTo
    May 7, 2021
    7
    It's a fine game, but it's not great. Pokémon Fans should get this. It's above average.
  13. Hedaki
    May 12, 2021
    7
    It's fair. It's New. It's Pokémon. It's Snap. The original was better, to be honest.
  14. Jayyfeathrr
    Jun 3, 2021
    7
    Fun game.
    The act of snapping pics of Pokémon is fun, and the graphics are pretty cool, but overall it’s only better than average. Its relaxing and entertaining, but not something I’ll go back to for years which is a major factor in games I like.
    Like 10hrs to get the credits rolling, maybe another 10 to get all the extras. Another 10 to get max levels on every pic (and the rating system    Fun game.
    The act of snapping pics of Pokémon is fun, and the graphics are pretty cool, but overall it’s only better than average. Its relaxing and entertaining, but not something I’ll go back to for years which is a major factor in games I like.
    Like 10hrs to get the credits rolling, maybe another 10 to get all the extras. Another 10 to get max levels on every pic (and the rating system isn’t all that good so that’s not something I’ll strive for).
    The online feature adds value to people who like it, but not for me particularly.    … Expand
  15. DeadmanMano
    Dec 23, 2021
    7
    I wanted to take cute pictures of Pokémon, and New Pokémon Snap lets me do that. The gameplay loop is pretty repetitive, and the NPC's are really bland, but looking through my Switch screenshots and seeing pictures I took of some of my favorite mons brought me a lot of joy.
  16. Wehew
    Sep 7, 2022
    7
    taking photos are so relaxing! if they made it easier and friendly for everyone to play it would be better
  17. Rikyun
    May 1, 2021
    6
    For a 60USD game Pokemon Snap is not worth it. It sure feels right and amazing for a first play, but slowly becomes a boring game. If you can get it with some discount then purchase it, but keep your money safe from paying the whole price.

    Pros: +Amazing graphics considering is a switch game. +It brings nostalgia of the first game, which is an amazing feeling for the first day.    For a 60USD game Pokemon Snap is not worth it. It sure feels right and amazing for a first play, but slowly becomes a boring game. If you can get it with some discount then purchase it, but keep your money safe from paying the whole price.

    Pros:
    +Amazing graphics considering is a switch game.
    +It brings nostalgia of the first game, which is an amazing feeling for the first day.
    +Watching some characters and pokemon living in this scripted world first amazing the first time, and even the second one.
    +Having some missions to accomplish gives you purpose to replay
    +Watching pokemon doing something related to their environment gives the impression of a living game.

    Cons:
    -Is not a 60USD game, it lack play ability and content to justify the whole price, sure making it look pretty does not justify the whole price.
    -It lacks puzzles, I spent the first day excited waited to unlock the right level or tool to help me solve any puzzle to get some evolution or secret pictures, or hidden pokemon, there are none of this.
    -Once I realize there are no puzzle to solve, or hidden content to unlock the game started to feel repetitive and boring.
    -Some tools like the music feel worthless I spent almost all my levels playing it, and can´t see any difference or reaction to the music.
    -Scripted trails with no hidden paths or alternative routes (Routes only have 1 and they are very small)
    -Not clear rating mechanics, sometimes you make a pokemon do something new and crazy and it is a 1 star, and sometimes it is in idle animation and it has 2 or 3 stars.    … Expand
  18. myjy
    May 1, 2021
    5
    Got rid of the evolutions so it it’s incredibly boring now. No mind games to see how to Use the environment. It’s such a let down I wasted my money for nostalgia.
  19. Poochingus
    Jun 6, 2021
    5
    To sum the game up, it is fun everytime you unlock new material, and feels oppressive until you reach the next milestone.

    Overall I enjoyed my time with the game. I thought it was pretty, I thought it had a lot to see and photograph. But it only just barely bellies up past the bar of mediocre. So why? 1. It misses the spirit of the first game in many ways 2. replaying feels    To sum the game up, it is fun everytime you unlock new material, and feels oppressive until you reach the next milestone.

    Overall I enjoyed my time with the game. I thought it was pretty, I thought it had a lot to see and photograph. But it only just barely bellies up past the bar of mediocre. So why?

    1. It misses the spirit of the first game in many ways
    2. replaying feels stressful and confusing as to what you need to photograph, instead of photographing what you want

    What I really enjoyed here was the amount of pokemon on each map is way up. To be expected with better hardware. Changing your controls and sensitivity is welcome, and so many games need control options. This isn't 1999, so bonus points for that. Like the original game the score doesn't follow what actually looks good, but hey that is expected. However it is not so clear what makes a good shot anymore. Size score isn't consistent anymore strangely. They also give you 4 behaviors per pokemon to capture and I love this idea. However, sometimes it seems impossible to know the difference between any behaviors at all, and even more odd, two different behaviors are often considered the same. WHY? So if you play this game and don't know what you did wrong, it might be nothing, try a similar shot again.

    Honestly as annoyed as I am at $60 games for the less potent games, like zelda links awakening remake, I think this game is actually priced appropriately. Maybe $50 would have been better, but now that Playstation games are $70 I'll take what I can get.

    What can I say, I agree with most people. While I actually don't mind a XP system, I don't like HOW it is used. The original game rewarded your clever thinking to unlock new areas. But now you have to grind for xp to unlock the next level in a map or new map altogether. I would have loved the XP system to unlock different cameras or camera gear like a longer range or wider field lens. An infrared attachment, a rapid fire attachment etc. Same with the on rails cart, maybe choose different cart attachments, like a stealth version, one that can get taller for a better view, or a faster or slower cart depending on your needs, a booster perhaps? Breaks?

    What I like is how the pokemon interact with the environment, but I wish there was more chance to effect the pokemon with my actions. I remember how often you could actually make pokemon evolve by coaxing them into a certain area or feeding them apples. What I do appreciate is more of the map paths with a single "boss" like encounter. Though again, I feel the level up system is not helping it out at all.

    Lumina orbs are really cool, and I find them a fine enough change over pester balls, I get it, round corners so that you don't make babies cry at the pokemon being bothered by pester balls, but I wish they did a little more with them and remove the scan feature. I hate the scan feature, it seems very lazy and unintuitive. I feel like I need to scan because I don't know when or where scans will help or do something, it is a general sweep instead of giving me the chance to target a spot like with apples and lumina orbs(or pester balls in the past). Its only use is for when a path branches, and it doesn't seems to be useful for that either, why not just let me hit a button to go to the fork without scanning in the first place? It isn't like you are unlocking new paths with clever actions anyhow.

    In the end, I enjoyed it. A bit of stress took a lot out, and the spirit of the game was forgotten with not much in the way of innovation. Still, I look forward to perhaps some DLC maps to bring more life to the game in the next year. Perhaps a visit to the original maps and meeting Professor Oak would be a cool idea. As it stands though, I can't rate the game as highly as the first game, short as it was to beat. The first game never overstayed its welcome, at times this game can drag. Skip this unless you are the type who likes to %100 games, otherwise the XP system will be frustrating and take you out of the fun of photographing wildlife in search of some silly particular photo.    … Expand
  20. ElSmasher
    Nov 26, 2022
    5
    With a real lack of stakes. New Pokemon Snap could only be a game to be sold. Nostalgia may hypnotize 64 fans but not me. If the game wants to act on the graphics (which is not beautifully beautiful), it puts aside the content and gameplay because of a dated rail shooter system. The chara-design and the variety of the pokemons' reactions save the day in this rather laborious game.
  21. Ingleberg
    Jun 5, 2021
    5
    Unbelievably grindy and bloated, really takes the charm out of it when you have to do the same stage 100 times just for the one, maybe two things that have changed and try to figure out how to fulfill a request and get a good shot so you can level it up (good luck) and do it again. This is terrible, it's torture. SOME THINGS ARE BETTER OFF SIMPLE. I am not a fan of mundane repetition forUnbelievably grindy and bloated, really takes the charm out of it when you have to do the same stage 100 times just for the one, maybe two things that have changed and try to figure out how to fulfill a request and get a good shot so you can level it up (good luck) and do it again. This is terrible, it's torture. SOME THINGS ARE BETTER OFF SIMPLE. I am not a fan of mundane repetition for the sake of hoping something cool happens.… Expand
  22. AbslomDaak
    May 6, 2021
    5
    50 quid for a game that you can clear the core content of in 6 hours, and then the rest of the content in another 3 to 6. It looks lovely, and it plays just fine, but it's not worth its price tag.

    If, and this is a big if, as this is one of those Switch titles that wont drop in price too much, if you can find this for a low price AND you are a Pokemon fan... not a blinkered psycho fan,    50 quid for a game that you can clear the core content of in 6 hours, and then the rest of the content in another 3 to 6. It looks lovely, and it plays just fine, but it's not worth its price tag.

    If, and this is a big if, as this is one of those Switch titles that wont drop in price too much, if you can find this for a low price AND you are a Pokemon fan... not a blinkered psycho fan, just a regular fan... then you might wanna pick this up.

    But at full price? No, I cannot recommend such a short game that has zero replay value.    … Expand
  23. joezee420
    May 2, 2021
    5
    This is game is tight. These kids havent played the original and expect this to be something it's not
  24. HankLord
    May 2, 2021
    5
    Don’t expect much and you’ll be happier maybe. Price tag too high for what you get, at least for me. A lazy reboot of the original with less charm, but looks great. An extremely casual experience. If you’re the kind of person that plays games for nostalgia and a chill experience, you’ll like this. If you want more than that, take a hard pass. To be clear, I know it’s the norm to haveDon’t expect much and you’ll be happier maybe. Price tag too high for what you get, at least for me. A lazy reboot of the original with less charm, but looks great. An extremely casual experience. If you’re the kind of person that plays games for nostalgia and a chill experience, you’ll like this. If you want more than that, take a hard pass. To be clear, I know it’s the norm to have Pokémon games rehashed with barely any changes, some people like that. Just not for everyone. An average game that doesn’t deserve a 0 but surely does not deserve a 10.… Expand
  25. jordan-simister
    May 2, 2021
    5
    So amazing to have a game where you can experience pokemon in their natural habitat, I gasp everytime I see a new pokemon! The game is overall pretty user friendly and can keep me hooked for hours (or the last 3 days... :') )
  26. Carnizero81
    May 4, 2021
    5
    Muy bueno, el juego me encanto, jugamos asta el amanecer tomando fotos de diferentes pokimones.
  27. Gosticouilles
    Jan 13, 2023
    5
    I had fun ar first but it got old pretty fast. Being able to control our vehicule speed would have made the game way more enjoyable since some parts feel really empty and slow.
  28. Dangusse
    Feb 13, 2023
    5
    outrageously slow and redundant tutorial. the game is incredibly simple, and i dont know why they think we want to stare at the professor talking at a snail's pace for so long and have to press A so many times for him to say like 1 word for each press. this just wont stop, either. i'm more than 20 minutes into the game by the time they allow me to just simply MOVE, and there wereoutrageously slow and redundant tutorial. the game is incredibly simple, and i dont know why they think we want to stare at the professor talking at a snail's pace for so long and have to press A so many times for him to say like 1 word for each press. this just wont stop, either. i'm more than 20 minutes into the game by the time they allow me to just simply MOVE, and there were absolutely zero interesting cutscenes, just these two idiots standing in front of a static background and telling you absolutely nothing useful or interesting. they barely even explain the game, it's like the writers specifically wanted this to be as unenjoyable as possible.

    the controls are a mess, there are somehow four different layouts that are all nonsensical and all of them disproportionately utilize the left joycon while only using the right joycon to take pictures.

    once the game actually starts, it's not halfway bad, but it's impossible to recommend when the basic gameplay formula involves so much soul drainingly boring and obnoxious dialogue. i have to wonder if this was done to pad out the average play time without including much content, since i have heard other reviewers saying that there are very few levels.

    for the original n64 release to have such limited content was one thing, because it was an incredibly rushed title that happened to find great niche appeal. however, it's insulting for the issues with the original not to be fixed in an updated version. these maps are not that large, not that long, and not that detailed. besides that, it would take very little extra work to create more stages, so i wonder if nintendo is simply trying to set the bar as low as possible in order to make future titles as profitable as possible.

    edit: for me to find another review which says that there are no mid stage evolutions is completely unacceptable. why in the name of all that is sacred would they bother REMOVING features from an already extremely simplistic game?    … Expand
  29. GenuineOpinion
    May 2, 2021
    4
    This is a fair, thorough review. The original game was better, here's why:

    1) The developers seem to not understand the point of the game. The game is not the act of taking photos of pokemon. The *game* is more like a puzzle, you're supposed to figure out how to create situations with the pokemon using the tools you've been given. Can't figure out how to move onto the next level? Figure    This is a fair, thorough review. The original game was better, here's why:

    1) The developers seem to not understand the point of the game. The game is not the act of taking photos of pokemon. The *game* is more like a puzzle, you're supposed to figure out how to create situations with the pokemon using the tools you've been given. Can't figure out how to move onto the next level? Figure it out. New Pokemon snap has removed the puzzle solving element of the game almost entirely. Levels are unlocked, not through unique and cool discoveries, but through a mundane leveling system that literally locks certain pokemon from a level until you grind through it a few times....

    not worth writing more.    … Expand
  30. Xplocion
    Jun 5, 2021
    4
    The good:
    A new Pokemon Snap. You can photograph special Pokemons with silhouettes, shadows, plants (as in the original game)
    The bad: A continuation that no one asked for now (it was requested 5,10,15 years ago), came 20 years later. "New" for being a new game but it is as anachronistic as the original game, if you tell me that it is a Polemon Snap Remake with little monsters from    The good:
    A new Pokemon Snap. You can photograph special Pokemons with silhouettes, shadows, plants (as in the original game)

    The bad:
    A continuation that no one asked for now (it was requested 5,10,15 years ago), came 20 years later.
    "New" for being a new game but it is as anachronistic as the original game, if you tell me that it is a Polemon Snap Remake with little monsters from recent generations, I believe you. Even with the improvements that have been in matters of open worlds and exploration, the game is on rails

    What Meh:
    As a Pokemon fan since GB games, I am bothered by the franchise's excess and overexploitation in ridiculous games like this one. If they give it to you, go ahead, but it is not an essential game in the Pokemon collection    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Best Switch Game of 2021
7
#7 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 116 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 116
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 116
  3. Negative: 0 out of 116
  1. CD-Action
    Dec 7, 2021
    80
    In a nutshell: as a researcher, you travel to various places, interact with wild Pokémon and take photos to document their behavior. This simple concept only works thanks to the Pokémon, but it doesn’t have to be a drawback, because the game shows the world of pocket monsters more realistically and vividly than any title before it. [07/2021, p.72]
  2. Ninty Fresh Magazine
    Dec 3, 2021
    75
    New Pokémon Snap looks beautiful and is packed full of exciting Pokémon, but the increased complexity has brought the game to a grinding halt. [Issue #4, p.51]
  3. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Oct 6, 2021
    90
    New Pokémon Snap isn't totally perfect, but it is a lovingly, intelligently updated take on a now 22-year-old original that only came to life because it was imbued with Mr. Iwata's magic. I know seeing this sequel would have made him smile. [Issue #53 – July/August 2021, p. 69]
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