And 1999 uncertain Pokémon Snap was released for Nintendo 64 in Japan. Despite a real success of esteem with fans of the license at the time, a sequel had never been mentioned … Until last June. We were then finally able to take our camera and go "hunt" for these creatures, both mysterious and adorable, on Nintendo Switch.
It's time to give our verdict on this real virtual photo safari.
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See PriceRead ConclusionNew Pokémon Snap
- A relaxing and joyful experience
- Successful graphics on the sets and Pokémon
- The collection aspect (more than 200 different creatures)
- A little script that does the job
- The very short lifespan (10 hours)
- A concept necessarily predictable and repetitive
- Uninteresting side quests
The next few months will be extremely busy for the Pokémon license. Indeed, the Pokémon Sparkling Diamond and Sparkling Pearl remakes will arrive at the end of the year. It is then a brand new opus in the open world, entitled Pokémon Legends: Arceus which will land in early 2022.
But before these festivities, it is New Pokémon Snap which opens the ball for the 25th anniversary of the saga. More than 20 years after the marketing of the first game of this sort of spin-off mini-series, we are diving back into the heart of ultra-colorful landscapes, in which we must locate and then photograph our dear Pokémon. And as we'll see, the formula hasn't been altered at all by the two decades since the original episode.
Photos on a screenplay background
Contrary to what we might think at first glance, New Pokémon Snap does not just drop the player on a simple course in order to capture dozens of Pokémon snapshots. From the beginning of the adventure, you have to choose the look of our young hero (among the eight proposed) before meeting Professor Mirror in his research laboratory entirely dedicated to Pokémon.
If listing the different species is one of his priorities, the scientist is also trying to unlock the secrets around the Lumina phenomenon. The latter affects both flora and Pokémon in the Lentis region. But we won't say more to avoid spoiling the few surprises that punctuate this little epic.
Other protagonists also gravitate around our budding photographer. All this to underline the fact that, if the scenario is obviously not the most worked out there is, it has the merit of existing in a game that could perfectly well do without it.
In fact, in New Pokémon Snap, the heart of the gameplay is obviously to take pictures using a device called the Exploreflex. But this is not the only equipment used by our character during his escapades.
The trip itself takes place aboard a vehicle bearing the sweet name of Neo-One. A very practical machine since it advances in perfect autonomy and can withstand the most extreme conditions. Thus, there is no need to worry about driving during the game.
Once the gadgets are in our possession, Professor Mirror immediately launches the first expedition... And serious things can finally begin!
Back to the year 2000
First regret with this New Pokémon Snap, the recipe has not changed one iota since the title released in 2000 on our continent. This second iteration uses the formula of traditional rail shooters in which the player is guided on a predefined route. Some variations will appear by redoing the same levels but they remain relatively minimal.
Also, no feeling of freedom occurs during the adventure while a little more "open" progression could have magnified the experience. The routes are relatively short and quite monotonous once the feeling of discovery has passed. You just have to let yourself be carried away and scan the surroundings in search of Pokémon.
Fortunately, the concept itself remains pleasant. The camera is zoomed using the L or ZL trigger and the A button is used to take a photo. Nothing very difficult. The gameplay is enriched as we progress, with for example the addition of tender apples.
This food is used in particular to bait Pokémon to immobilize them for a moment. You should know that additional features (such as the possibility of playing music) are added to the Exploreflex until the end of the adventure. We won't spoil them for you, but know that they will prove useful in making cross creatures react differently.
In short, the grip does not suffer from any notable defect, which will allow novice players to get their bearings quickly. Note that the lens can be manipulated via the joysticks, the directional pad or by using the Switch's gyroscope. So there is something for everyone.
JVFR
It's up to you, young photographers!
More than 200 Pokémon are part of this opus. All these beautiful people frolic happily in forests, deserts, jungles and other sunny beaches. Of course, each ecosystem has its own bestiary.
In order to emphasize the “collectible” aspect, so dear to the franchise, each Pokémon comes in four distinct forms, and the goal is quite logically to photograph them all. For this, it is necessary to provoke fate by forcing a creature to behave in a certain way. So she can just be sleeping, eating after picking up a tender apple, or even being surprised when the player throws that same food directly at her head. It is of course necessary to experiment to find all the forms in question and to complete the Photodex at 100%. All without forgetting that Pokémon will sometimes act of their own free will and that it is therefore essential to be focused until the end.
This will be followed by an evaluation of your shots by the professor who will take specific criteria into account (framing, size of the subject, background, other Pokémon in the photo...). It is also essential to specify that after an expedition, the professor will only evaluate one photo per Pokémon.
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This is all done to encourage players to replay safaris on a loop, but also to inflate an extremely short game life (despite some uninteresting secondary objectives). Indeed, count barely ten hours to see the end credits.
Note also that some biomes can be traveled at night, which will affect the Pokémon found there. Additionally, raising an area's exploration level (just by taking pictures) will make creatures less fearful and open up new opportunities for you.
Despite everything, the concept wears out fairly quickly, so the limited lifespan of the game is ultimately not so disabling (apart from the fact that the price of the game remains quite high). We can still regret the notable absence of several famous Pokémon, which will inevitably disappoint long-time fans.
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A Pokemon World Tour
If we will remain silent as to the number of ecosystems accessible in New Pokémon Snap, we must imperatively highlight the beauty of the settings crossed. The colors are shimmering and the technique holds up, both in portable mode and on a television.
A few rare cases of clipping (elements that appear at the last moment) are worth mentioning, but nothing too serious. The Pokémon are well modeled and superbly animated cutscenes support the crucial moments of the story. These sequences are quite brief, but they benefit from a truly surprising sense of detail! First-person view requires, we quickly feel immersed in the world of Pokémon ... And the sound effects of the latter reinforce this feeling of immersion of the most pleasant.
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However, what really stands out about New Pokémon Snap is its relaxing atmosphere. No fights or timed scenes to put the pressure on here. So much so that the general atmosphere is reminiscent of that of an Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
This is why the game should appeal to beginners but also to veterans who wish to decompress between two more "demanding" games. Finally, if they were unfortunately not available during our test, community functions are also included in the title.
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Once stored in our personal album, the photos can be modified with filters, frames or even stickers. Everyone can then share their creations online and award medals to the most beautiful shots. Rankings also make it possible to compare the points earned during a getaway with the rest of the community. It's quite classic and totally dispensable. But this dimension "multiplayer" is not invasive and even less mandatory to progress, which is ultimately not worse.
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New Pokémon Snap: the opinion of Clubic
To conclude, let's say that New Pokémon Snap delivers the experience we expected. No disappointments or surprises on arrival. The title is content to plunge us into a real safari to discover the creatures so appreciated by millions of players. The handling is immediate, the very successful decorations and the “collectible” aspect remain pleasant in a game which provides this zenitude of which the Switch has the secret.
If the shortcomings are few, we can still rail against the obvious repetitiveness and the short lifespan for a game sold at a high price. While not essential or groundbreaking, New Pokémon Snap is sure to be a great time for the whole family. A great introduction before the release of the next episodes which will put the capture of Pokémon back at the heart of their formula.
new pokemon snap7
New Pokémon Snap does (well) what is expected of it. It's a relaxing game, beautiful and above all easy to understand for the youngest. There is nothing innovative and its lifespan is reduced to a handful of hours but it is nevertheless very entertaining.Most
- A relaxing and joyful experience
- Successful graphics on the sets and Pokémon
- The collection aspect (more than 200 different creatures)
- A little script that does the job
The lessers
- The very short lifespan (10 hours)
- A concept necessarily predictable and repetitive
- Uninteresting side quests
Test carried out on Nintendo Switch from a code provided by the publisher
