New Pokemon Snap is finally out, and Pokemon fans everywhere are starting to board the NEO-ONE and adventure through the Lental Region to study Pokemon interacting in their natural habitats. There are several areas of the Lental Region to explore and each track has a day and nighttime variant, meaning there are tons of great opportunities to interact with and photograph Pokemon.
Updated July 19, 2021 by Mina Smith: Pokemon Snap is a massive game with a lot of intricate details to getting just the right photos. Players can collect four types of photos of each Pokemon, a one-star, two-star, three-star, and four-star. To help players to get all of those photos for each of the ten Legendaries in the game, this article has been updated to include a brief description of each of the star photos of each of these Legendary Pokemon. Hopefully, this will make completing each of these photo collections quickly just a little bit easier for players.
New Pokemon Snap Legendaries
Although normal Pokemon are abundant, it turns out there are several Legendary Pokemon that can be found in the game. Not every Legendary is present and most of them are smaller Pokemon that can be more easily hidden, but it's great to be able to see some of the most powerful Pokemon living their lives in the wild. There's potential for more Legendaries to be added to the roster with a DLC, but for now, here are all the Legendary Pokemon in New Pokemon Snap and where to find them.
Celebi from New Pokemon Snap
- Celebi only appears in the Elsewhere Forest, at the very end of the default path.
- One-Star - Celebi flying
- Two-Star - Celebi happy face
- Three-Star - Celebi sitting
- Four-Star - Celebi about to teleport (use burst since Celebi is so fast)
Celebi was the first Mythical Pokemon to be confirmed for New Pokemon Snap after appearing in one of the earlier trailers. Celebi is a grass and psychic type known for its ability to heal wounds and travel through time. It is often found in forests, so it makes sense that it would be found in New Pokemon Snap's Elsewhere Forest level.
Unlike some of the other Legendary Pokemon, Celebi isn't all that hard to find. Players can snap a photo of Celebi by simply taking the default path through Elsewhere Forest. In the last area, Celebi will fly by for a photo-op. For some variety, players can also attract Celebi with fluffruit.
Lugia from New Pokemon Snap
- Lugia can only be found in the alternate path through the Lental Seafloor - Undersea.
- One-Star - Lugia sleeping
- Two-Star - Lugia's face
- Three-Star - Lugia as it spins through the water or right as it wakes up
- Four-Star - Lugia while it is roaring
Gen 2's Lugia was the second Legendary Pokemon to be confirmed for New Pokemon Snap, appearing briefly in one of the later gameplay trailers. Lugia's appearance was especially exciting because it seemed to confirm that there would be several Legendary Pokemon to find in the game. Lugia is a psychic and flying type known as the Guardian of the Seas, and is usually associated with its counterpart, Ho-Oh.
Unlike Celebi, Lugia is a little harder to find. It can be found on the Lental Seafloor by diverging left from the standard path. Along the way, players will encounter a Lanturn. Throwing an Illumina Orb on it will cause it to swim down. It ultimately gets grabbed by a pair of Frillish, and players can free it by throwing another Illumina Orb. As a reward, the Lanturn will open up a new path where players can get a shot of Lugia.
New Pokemon Snap's Ho-Oh
- Ho-Oh appears only in the Fireflow Volcano, but can appear in several different places.
- One-Star - Any photo
- Two-Star - Throw a fruit at Ho-Oh while its flying, then snap a photo
- Three-Star - Ho-Oh's barrel roll
- Four-Star - Ho-Oh's screaming while surrounded by rainbows
If Lugia is in the game, then it's safe to assume that Ho-Oh will be as well. The two make up the legendary Tower Duo and where one is, the other usually isn't too far behind. While Lugia is the Guardian of the Seas, Ho-Oh is a fire and flying-type known as the Guardian of the Skies. Unlike many of the other Pokemon, Ho-Oh doesn't require specific actions to appear.
Encountering Ho-Oh in New Pokemon Snap is actually quite random. It will be in the Fireflow Volcano level and can appear in multiple different locations. Going through the stage at least a couple of times and keeping the camera pointed up at the sky should trigger an appearance by Ho-Oh. It's unclear if any specific conditions are required, but with a little bit of patience and persistence, Ho-Oh shouldn't be too difficult to find.
Suicune in New Pokemon Snap
- Suicune is found in Shiver Snowfields at Night at Research Level 2
- One-Star - Suicune running or standing
- Two-Star - Hit Suicune with a fruit while it has stopped
- Three-Star - Suicune eating a fruit
- Four-Star - Suicune growling
Suicune is the only one of the Legendary Dogs to appear in New Pokemon Snap so far, and it doesn't make itself easy to find. Suicune is a water-type Pokemon usually associated with the other Legendary Dogs Entei and Raikou, but it flies solo in New Pokemon Snap. It will take at least two stage run-throughs to find Suicune.
The first step is to go to Shiver Snowfields during the day and find Sandslash, who will hide every time the player snaps a photo. Players will need to take several pictures of Sandslash until, finally, it digs a hole and opens up an alternate route to follow. Now that the path has been opened, players need to return to Shiver Snowfields at night and acquire the assistance of several more Pokemon.
Players need to go down Sandslash's path and throw an Illumina Orb on Crabominable, which will trigger a pile of snow to fall on poor Abomasnow. It will get angry and attract a nearby Froslass; taking its picture will open up yet another new area. Players will need to throw one last Illumina Orb on Jinx in the new area, which will finally attract Suicune.
New Pokemon Snap's Mew
- Mew is in the Founja Jungle
- One-Star - Mew far away
- Two-Star - Hit Mew and have it wince
- Three-Star - Mew is sparkly and happy
- Four-Star - Mew close up, eyes open, and curious
For players a little bit tired after the struggle of finding Suicune, Mew is a great next step. Mew is an iconic psychic-type Pokemon best known for its ability to master almost any move. In New Pokemon Snap, Mew can be found in the nighttime stage of Founja Jungle. Mew can actually be drawn out at the very beginning of the level.
When the stage begins, players need to turn around and face the two Morelull directly behind the NEO-ONE. Playing a song with the Melody Player should trigger a pink orb to begin circling the area; hitting that pink orb with a fluffruit will reveal Mew. It requires a little bit of precision, but Mew is precious and the resulting photographs are sure to be worth the effort.
Shaymin in New Pokemon Snap
- Shaymin is found in the Florio Nature Park
- One-Star - Shaymin standing or running at the player
- Two-Star - Shaymin startled
- Three-Star - Shaymin jumping
- Four-Star - Shaymin happy
Shaymin is another fairly easy Legendary Pokemon to find in New Pokemon Snap. Shaymin is an adorable grass-type Pokemon that can transform from its land form, which resembles a hedgehog, to a sky form that looks like a dog with large ears. It is also known as the Gratitude Pokemon.
In New Pokemon Snap, Shaymin can be found in the very first stage, Florio Nature Park. In the flower field at the end of the stage, players should see two Crystablooms, one of which is concealed by grass. Throwing an Illumina Orb at the Crystabloom should draw out Shaymin just long enough to snap a quick photo. It will be pretty obscured by the grass still, so thankfully after first discovering Shaymin, it will come out in the beginning of the stage with Grookey and Pichu. So far, only Shaymin's land form is in the game.
Diancie in New Pokemon Snap
- Diancie is in the Outway Cave level
- One-Star - Any photo
- Two-Star - Diancie "alert" pose
- Three-Star - Diancie charging up
- Four-Star - Diancie right after making a diamond in the victory pose
Diancie is a rock and Fairy-type Pokemon that's best known for its evolution into Mega Diancie. It is one of the newer Legendary Pokemon, revealed in 2014 for Pokemon X and Y, and its Mega form is known as the Royal Pink Princess. Diancie has also been called the Jewel Pokemon.
Diancie can be found in the Outway Cave level. Towards the end of the stage, players need to take the alternate route towards a crystal-filled room housing a Mawile and two Carbinks. Hitting all three Pokemon with Illumina Orbs will trigger Diancie's appearance, and open up yet another alternate route for players to explore.
Manaphy in New Pokemon Snap
- Manaphy is found in the Maricopia Reef (Evening) Course behind the two Lapras
- One-Star - Manaphy swimming
- Two-Star - Manaphy after hitting it with a fruit
- Three-Star - Manaphy jumping out of the water
- Four-Star - Manaphy happy face
Manaphy is a water-type Pokemon known to guard the seas. It's most well known for its ability to breed, unlike any other Mythical or Legendary Pokemon. Breeding a Manaphy with Ditto results in Phione, another mysterious Pokemon that can only be obtained via this method.
Manaphy isn't hard to find in New Pokemon Snap, but it does require a little bit of dedication. Before Manaphy can be found, players need to finish the game and unlock the nighttime variant of the Reef stage. Once the stage is unlocked, Manaphy is pretty easy to find. Towards the end of the level, players will need to take the alternate path towards the Lapras and throw an Illumina Orb at each of them. They will start singing, causing Manaphy to make an appearance and join in the fun.
Jirachi in New Pokemon Snap
- Jirachi is in the Ruins of Remembrance
- One-Star - Jirachi calmly flying
- Two-Star - Jirachi waking up
- Three-Star - Jirachi after waking up will fly up and create stars
- Four-Star - Jirachi very happy by activating all crystabloom
The adorable Jirachi is a unique Legendary Pokemon that's only awake for seven days every thousand years, so it's pretty special to see it in New Pokemon Snap. When it is awake it's known to grant wishes, and the crease on its stomach is actually a third eye. Jirachi is a combination steel and psychic type Pokemon, and its awakening seems to coincide with the Millennium Comet.
Jirachi can be found in the Ruins of Remembrance. Because it's only awake for a short period of time, it makes sense that there are only a couple of opportunities to find it during the game. While not 100% confirmed, it seems like players may only have two opportunities in total. Jirachi can be found after finishing the game at the beginning of the stage, in a tree surrounded by Eldegoss. The second opportunity is at the end of the stage, in the cave. Throwing Illumina Orbs at the statues should cause Jirachi to make a second appearance.
New Pokemon Snap's Xerneas
- Xerneas can be found in the Ruins of Remembrance, in the Illumina Spot
- One-Star - Any photo
- Two-Star - Xerneas sitting and looking at the player
- Three-Star - Xerneas glittering as it is hit with an Illumina orb
- Four-Star - Xerneas as it performs Geomancy against the Houndooms as it is on its hind legs
Finally, players will encounter Xerneas in the final level of New Pokemon Snap. Xerneas is one of the most beautiful Legendary Pokemon and is one of three to be inspired by Norse mythology, the other two being Yveltal and Zygarde. Its friends aren't in Snap yet, but Xerneas is the star of the last stage in New Pokemon Snap, so every player who completes the game will be able to photograph it.
Xerneas is in the Ruins of Remembrance, in the Illumina Spot. There are some great photo ops during the game but thankfully, this location can be revisited for additional photos later. Hopefully New Pokemon Snap will feature updates that add new Pokemon, Legendary or otherwise, to the game. It would also be great to have some additional stages added in the form of a DLC, following in the footsteps of Pokemon Sword and Shield. But for now, there are plenty of Pokemon for explorers to find in the Lental Region and many secrets to uncover.
New Pokemon Snap is available now on Nintendo Switch.
Source: IGN