Over 20 years since Pokemon Snap launched on the Nintendo 64, fans were given a sequel to the unique spin-off in the form of New Pokemon Snap. The game was developed in collaboration with Bandai Namco, where not only does it fill the older fans with nostalgia for the original, it also gives younger fans a chance to experience a way to photograph some of the most iconic creatures in the franchise. Some fans might consider this entry to be one of the best Switch games of 2021, thanks to its unique premise of being an on-rails photography-based "shooter" that also looks incredible on the console.
The game has also seen some post-launch support, thanks to a sizable DLC adding new areas and creatures to New Pokemon Snap. This includes iconic Pokemon such as Snorlax and Psyduck, along with daytime and nighttime variations of explorable areas. The sight of these Pokemon, environments and biomes in modernized HD graphics are beautiful, with fans finding creative ways to take pictures of their favorites. Two key members of this project, Pokemon president Tsunekazu Ishihara and director Haruki Suzaki discuss how this new iteration of the spin-off came to be.
In an interview with Famitsu, Ishihara reveals that there were many attempts to bring a sequel to the original Pokemon Snap onto previous generation Nintendo consoles, noting discussions about this sequel popping up on consoles like the GameCube or Wii. The biggest problem noted by Ishihara was the concept of the game itself, where taking photos isn't as novel as it was in the 90s. This included trying to design a new gimmick to modernize the game making it a difficult part to start development.
The two then discussed how New Pokemon Snap was possible due to Pokken Tournament, where Ishihara was surprised by Suzaki's team at Bandai Namco detailed background details. This includes the number of Pokemon and elements that were implemented in in the stages unrelated to the core gameplay. When Ishihara was asked if he gave Suzaki and his team any requests, he said that he rarely gave them specifics.
Suzaki also commented that the team almost changed the core gameplay of New Pokemon Snap, but decided to stick with the same gameplay introduced on the N64. He noted that there was a lot of internal reflection regarding the original, which allowed them to find things with the concept that could be expanded upon in its attempts to modernize it.
New Pokemon Snap is available now on Nintendo Switch.
Source: Nintendo Everything