Release Date: March 21, 1999
Developer: HAL Laboratory, Inc.; Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
When Pokemon Snap was announced for the Wii U Virtual Console, there were some smiles among fans of the series. The game, originally released on the Nintendo 64 in 1999, was already available on the Wii’s Virtual Console, and that version is compatible with the Wii U. The new version merely adds Game Pad support. Still, enough people were pleased that it warranted some news coverage.
I was among the few who questioned why Nintendo would choose to release this game on a lame-duck system that doesn’t have that large a user base. The people who would have wanted to play this game would most likely have purchased the Wii version by now. More importantly, why did it take Nintendo so long to release the game if Game Pad support was important enough to merit a Wii U-specific version? The Wii U has been out in the States since 2012; wouldn’t a port of the most popular Pokemon spinoff be justified early on?
As much as I’d like to rail on Nintendo for their decision, I won’t. I promised in my end-of-year rant article that I’d lay off them. Jim Sterling did a good enough job knocking Nintendo down a few pegs that I can simply point to his video and say, “what he said!” Besides, this is a Retro Review of the original game, not a Grumpy Old Gamer article.
I first experienced Pokemon Snap with my son a few months after its US release. The concept behind the game was odd to me, so I didn’t jump on it right away. After a few play sessions, though, my son and I were enraptured.
In the game, you play as Todd Snap, a budding Pokemon photographer. Professor Oak summons you to an island he’s on and asks you to take pictures of Pokemon for him so he can include them in his PKMN report. You do so by climbing into a vehicle he invented, the ZERO-ONE, and taking photos of wild Pokemon in several areas as the vehicle travels along by rail. The areas of the island include a beach, a cave, a volcano, and even outer space.
After the ride ends, you will take your freshly-snapped photos of Pokemon to Professor Oak. He will then rate the pictures you show him based on size, pose, and technique and award you points. He also adds points if two or more of the same Pokemon are in one shot.
As you take great photos and rack up your score, Professor Oak gives you new items to help you take better photos. You start off with an apple, which you can use to get a Pokemon’s attention and get him or her in frame better. You will eventually unlock other items like a Pester Ball or a Poke Flute. You can then replay previously visited areas in order to unearth Pokemon that are obscured or get them to face you, resulting in a better picture and more points.
Only 63 of the original 151 Pokemon made it onto Pokemon Snap. Fan favorites like Pikachu, Eevee, and Charizard are obviously represented, but other more obscure 1st Gen Pokemon appear as well. One thing I appreciate about this game is that the Pokemon use the actual voices used in the cartoon series instead of the rasps and tweets that were found in the Game Boy games. They also exhibit quite a bit of personality here. Seeing Meowth chase a Pidgey out of some tall grass or spotting Snorlax’s body and belly as he sleeps are just two of dozens of nice character touches in the game.
Different areas house different Pokemon, so expect to see more fire-type Pokemon in the volcano and more water-type Pokemon at the beach. The areas have some detail but are mostly blocky and drab. To be fair, that was par for the course with the first-generation 3D consoles. For the time, Pokemon Snap’s visuals were very lush. They just don’t hold up as well today in my opinion.
The Pokemon and their animations take up most of the detail, and I’m okay with that. As mentioned above, the Pokemon show a lot of character. Credit has to be given to the animation team for their work here. Sound-wise, there is some light, atmospheric music playing during the ride in all areas. The light amount of sound effects are muted but accurate. The most prominent sound, of course is the clicking of the camera.
Taken together, all the elements of the game make for a nice experience. It’s amazing just how engrossed you become in the game as you try to get the Pokemon in just the right pose. I distinctly remember my son sitting beside me, all of 5 years old, oohing and aahing with each new Pokemon discovered. When he took over the controls, I’d just sit next to him and watch as he snapped away. It’s a pretty relaxing game and a great one to play with children.
The game does a bit old quick, however. There are only six distinct areas; a seventh is unlocked if you take photos of mysterious signs that are located in each area. Since you travel on a rail, the paths become repetitive quickly. The backtracking required to snap all the Pokemon will start to grate on you soon enough as you pass the same terrain over and over again. The game is also rather short. You can snap photos of all 63 Pokemon in less than 20 hours if you’re persistent.
Don’t let any of that dissuade you from getting Pokemon Snap if you haven’t tried it out. The experience is great the first time around, and kids will love seeing the Pokemon as more than static sprites on screen. The Wii and Wii U Virtual Console versions are available now. For those that want the true retro experience, the N64 cart is available in the secondhand market and will run you about $17-25 for a loose cart.
Although I question Nintendo’s logic in releasing this it so late in the game for a lame-duck system, Pokemon Snap is still a great purchase for Wii U owners. Though short, it is still full of charm and fun. I recently tried the game out with my four-year-old great nephew, and he was just as enthralled as my son was 17 years ago. That’s as good an endorsement as I can give a game.
Good: Fun gameplay; Pokemon are very emotive and use their cartoon voices; excellent animation
Bad: Short game; dated visuals; lots of backtracking
Final score: 7.5/10
