During New Pokemon Snap’s launch week, the first-person rail shooter has captivated Nintendo Switch owners as trainers have scrambled to catalogue the 214 Pokemon who call the Lental region home. In many ways, the game embodies the collecting spirit that’s been a core component of the franchise’s 25 years of success.
Each of the stages found within New Pokemon Snap have been packed with an impressive level of detail, which has had the knock-on effect of making the task to complete the Photodex a serious challenge. Getting the most elusive of Pokemon to even come out from hiding can take a hefty dose of patience, coupled with a willingness to partake in a lot of trial and error detective work.
Vivillon
Ever since the third generation games Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, alternate forms of beloved monsters have played a constant role in adding depth to each incarnation of the National Pokedex. No single species depicts this better than Vivillon which was first introduced in Pokemon X and Y. Collecting each of the 20 vibrant butterfly variations has always been a uphill battle that’s involved trading with trainers across the globe, due to how specific patterns are exclusive to certain regions of the real world. Considering the history behind Vivillon’s introduction to the franchise, it isn’t a surprise to see its role in New Pokemon Snap involve a comparative level of complexity.
To catalogue each of the 20 forms (and therefore complete the Photodex in the truest sense), players need to undergo a test of endurance whilst trigger specific events across each of the game’s stages. None of these feats are particularly strenuous individually, but can be challenging to piece together due to their often random nature. While forms such as the Meadow pattern Vivillon fly directly in front of the camera in the game’s opening stage, many others require a deeper awareness of stage layouts. This is represented best by the Continental form, which only spawns behind players provided they’ve hit every Crystabloom in the Ruins of Remembrance stage with an Illumina Orb.
Mew
By historical franchise standards, the roadmap that must be followed to uncover Mew in New Pokemon Snap is comparatively simple, despite the extra steps that are involved compared to the vast majority of regular Pokemon within the game. Players who experienced the 1999 original Pokemon Snap in detail do have an advantage over those who missed out in terms of difficulty and awareness however, due to the way in which this latest challenge mirrors the original.
Like all Legendary Pokemon within the game, rolling credits on the adventure is the first condition that must be met and the most straightforward aspect of the entire process. Only after doing so can trainers turn around at the start of the Founja Jungle Night stage and use the music box item to summon a mysterious pink apparition. Throwing a Fluffruit at the pink orb will then force the ghostly phenomenon to reveal itself fully as the highly sort after Mew.
Suicune
In many way, the challenge associated with finding the Legendary Beast Suicune in New Pokemon Snap acts as a fitting tribute to the creature’s origins within the franchise. Back when it debuted in Pokemon Gold and Silver, the water type Pokemon was renowned for being one of the most difficult to catch, due to its roaming nature and ability to quickly flee most unplanned encounters. While it’s siblings Raikou and Entei haven’t found their way into the game at launch, Suicune more than makes up for this by recreating the same scale of difficulty in this new setting. The path every photographer needs to walk in order to encounter Suicune is equally the most convoluted and rewarding one within the whole of New Pokemon Snap.
Before any attempt to capture the legendary can be made, players need to ensure they’ve beaten the story, and taken enough photos of the Alolan Sandslash within the Shivering Snowfield to unlock the stage’s alternate route. From there a trip to the newly unlocked night time variant is required, where a well-timed Illumina Orb can be thrown at a Crabominable in order to summon a photographable Froslass. This sequence of events will open up the option to scan and access a new path that’s home to a Jynx riding an Avalugg. Throwing one additional Illumina Orb at the Iceberg Pokemon’s passenger will then be enough to finally satisfy and summon Suicune.
Lugia
Most of the Legendary Pokemon found within New Pokemon Snap earn their special status above regular Pokemon, due to the random hoops that players are forced to jump through in order to get them to appear. In the case of Lugia, the guardian of the seas, a series of tasks must be completed within the Lental Seafloor Undersea stage that revolve around the player themselves being a protector to a seemingly unrelated Pokemon.
Upon venturing into the level 3 version of the dimly lit stage, a Lanturn will be waiting for the NEO-ONE vessel. Throwing an Illumina Orb at the dual water and electric type Pokemon will cause the stage route to change as the machine follows the creature through a chain of dangerous encounters. After escaping a Sharpedo, the Lanturn will finally be apprehended by a pair of Frillish which the player can scare off via a second well timed Illumina Orb. Grateful for saving its life, the Pokemon will then lead the player to the bottom of the ocean where an audience with Lugia awaits.
Manaphy
For two Mythical creatures that are traditionally locked away behind external distribution events in mainline entries, the complex stages involved in their spin-off appearances provide a smart way to foster the social player discussion that have been a core component of Pokemon from its early inception. Both Manaphy, found within the Maricopia Reef evening stage.
Of the two, Manaphy’s presence is the most difficult to trigger, thanks to it only becoming photographable provided an Inkay is lured to a specific Crystabloom. Once this has been achieved, players must successfully make the octopus jump (with a Fluffruit) before striking a second nearby crystallized flower.
Pumpkaboo (Super Size Form)
Successfully uncovering Diancie’s hiding spot within New Pokemon Snap’s Cave stage opens the door for an extra hidden encounter that’s easily overlooked, but still required to complete the Photodex to 100%. Provided players have also thrown Illumina Orbs at the three Average Size Pumpkaboo who live within the stage, in addition to the single large one found in the run up to the special garden, a final Orb can be launched at Diancie during the creature’s performance to get the rarest of all Pumpkaboo sizes to attend the show.
Difficult challenges like this that require the player to explore each stage to its fullest are where New Pokemon Snap’s charm truly shines the brightest. Bandai Namco have created a game that captures the collecting and social essence of the franchise in a way that evokes its pioneering yet challenging early days.
New Pokemon Snap is available now exclusively on Nintendo Switch.