New Pokémon Snap’s Camera Is More Complicated Than It Should Be

New Pokémon Snap is the first new game in this spinoff Pokémon series since the original game released on the Nintendo 64 just over 22 years ago. Given the long wait, fans have understandably been excited to see how it would fare, and it seems that New Pokémon Snap’s release hasn’t disappointed. Yet there are a few issues that arise in this newest installment in one of the world’s most popular franchises, one of which is tied to the game’s core functionality.

A nostalgia trip for some, and a fresh, relaxed experience to supplement hours of Pokémon Go for others, New Pokémon Snap is a lighthearted, low-key experience sure to please any fan of the series. Its simplicity is part of what sets it apart from most of the other games in its own franchise, with a slow pace, a complete lack of any sort of combat or violence (aside from gently bopping the occasional Pokémon with a fluffruit to get their attention), and a dreamy atmosphere that makes exploring the Lental region feel like a cross between a safari and theme ride. This simplicity makes it a perfect game for children and families, where any kid old enough to hold a tablet can presumably have a good time watching the at-ease antics of 214 of their favorite Pokémon.

Yet it’s this same simplicity that New Pokémon Snap sometimes finds a way to stumble over. In attempting to update the formula and make a little bit more of a game than the original, some of the ease of use and natural feel of snapping pictures have given way to new mechanics and items in New Pokémon Snap that don’t always work quite right or justify the extra padding they bring to the game.

New Pokémon Snap’s Camera Pointer Is… Pointless

One of the more obvious additions to the game is a secondary pointer that lives within the player’s camera frame. Rather than a stationary crosshair of some sort in the center of the frame, New Pokémon Snap opts for a floating pointer that can be moved independently with the left stick. Weirdly, however, while the right stick can control the position of the camera directly, the camera will move whenever the pointer reaches the edges of the frame as well. This allows New Pokémon Snap’s camera to be moved more quickly when both sticks are used in tandem, but as photos always center exclusively to the frame, never the pointer, it doesn’t feel very useful. Instead, it makes the speed at which the camera turns oddly variable, making a faster turn better placed on a dedicated button. As it is, requiring the movement of the pointer to the edges of the frame for the speed boost can be frustratingly variable, though at least quick-turn options do exist on the d-pad.

While it’s a very minor point since New Pokémon Snap exudes so much joy at every turn, it does point to its tendency to over-complicate matters just to add the perception of depth. Like the new illumina orbs and music player that flesh out the existing fluffruit-throwing mechanic to get Pokémon to exhibit different behaviors, it’s a little bit of randomness that makes photo opportunities sometimes feel a bit more like random chance than calculated affairs.

Despite these decisions, which may frustrate younger players especially, New Pokémon Snap is one of the best ways to simply bask in the radiance of the many colorful character designs the series is known for, and no doubt there are players who will find that a little extra randomness adds something organic to the mix. In either case, having to make an extra run because one didn’t quite land the perfect photo on their last outing certainly isn’t the worst thing if it means they get to spend more time with their Pokémon friends.

About The Author

Michael Riser
(34 Articles Published)

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Michael J. Riser is an author, freelance writer, and a gaming features editor at Screen Rant. His work has appeared in such varied publications as Goomba Stomp, IGN Pakistan, UNC Charlotte’s Sanskrit, and print anthologies from Despumation, Solarcide, and Pantheon Magazine. He has formerly been the managing editor of Alloutgames.com and the indie games editor at Goomba Stomp. An Asian Studies and Religious Studies graduate of CSU Chico, he has lived in Japan, hunting through the narrow aisles of game stores from Osaka to Tokyo, and has lived in the cloisters of a Buddhist monastery in Ningbo, China. He now lives in California with his wife, a rescue dog, and a mischievous Hallowe’en cat.

You can find him occasionally ranting at Bookruptcy.com, and can email him directly at michael.r(at)screenrant(dot)com.

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