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Pokemon Snap Naturally, when IGN64 first previewed the game more than a year ago -- then running on 64DD hardware -- we immediately chalked it up as one of those crazy Japanese fads that just doesn't translate to America. Bear in mind that this was before the craze that is Pokemania had invaded the States and turned our nation's children into Pikachu-starved lunatics hell-bent on anything and everything related to the Nintendo-created monsters. But even if the US had been subject to the Pikachu hype at the time, we probably still wouldn't have predicted a game primarily centered around picture-taking would carry over into the US. It seems, however, that Nintendo was right and we were wrong. Pokemon Snap is, at its core, a game about snapping photos of Pocket Monsters in order to earn points -- and it's on rails. But through clever design, intuitive control, lots of traditional secrets and, of course, more than 60 Pokemon to snap pictures of and toy with, it's a game that is a lot of fun in spite of its seemingly simplistic design and nature. The Facts
Gameplay Players control Todd, a photographer contracted by Professor Oak to travel to Pokemon Island and snap pictures of the Pocket Monsters in their natural habitat. Helping Todd on his adventure is Zero-One, a vehicle built by the professor himself designed with only two goals in mind: One, take Todd for a cruise through all the areas of Pokemon Island and two, keep the Pokemon safe. Because of this, the vehicle comes to a stop whenever players are about to hit a Pocket Monster, giving the creature a chance to escape unhurt. Todd begins each level with a film roll capable of snapping 60 photos. Players must decide when to take a picture and when to hold off, but they also need to determine what object to use in order to entice the Pokemon to pose for them in any given situation. Some Pocket Monsters, after all, don't respond to the sound of music; others want food; still others only react to pester balls. Each Pokemon may dictate a different course of action in order to capture the best possible picture. Once players are satisfied with the pictures they have snapped, they can take them to Professor Oak for judgement. The better they are, the more he likes them, the more points players are awarded. Control is very intuitive. As players don't have a say in what direction Zero-One takes them in, nearly all of the buttons are freed up for other purposes. The analog stick is used to control the direction players face as they coast along on rails. The B button throws pester-balls (which are like stink-bombs and generally bother Pokemon). The Z-trigger zooms the camera. The A button throws food (an apple) and, when the Z-button is pressed (thus zooming the camera), the A button snaps photos. C-down plays the flute, which causes certain Pokemon to dance or react and the R button speeds up Zero-One. Everything controls wonderfully and it really is a lot of fun to just try out different methods on the various Pokemon. Or, if you're anything like us, laugh at them after they have been hit with a stink-inducing pester-ball. Pokemon Snap does have a fair amount of problems, however. The biggest of which lies in game-depth -- or, as it were, lack of it. The title features only seven levels and takes roughly a few hours to complete. Though developer HAL has done its best to enhance replay value with hidden goodies, the overall quest is far too easy. Courses include:
Imagine each course takes an estimated three to five minutes to run through. There is no getting around it, Pokemon Snap is a short experience. Worse yet, Pokemaniacs are bound to be disappointed with the selection of Pocket Monsters in the game -- roughly 62 out of a possible 151 in all. It looks as though Nintendo 64 owners will have to wait for the US release of Pokemon Stadium before they'll have the chance to play with all of the monsters. Pokemon Featured in the Game (and their accompanying number):
Depth, quite frankly, is our only complaint about Pokemon Snap. Had the game been longer and featured more Pocket Monsters, we would have only criticized the fact that everything runs on rails, which is not really as bothersome as one might think. Graphics: With all of this said, Pokemon Snap is by no means an ugly game. Think Super Mario 64, add in more texture variety, improved animation and the like. The characters themselves are what really make the experience worthwhile, and they look exactly as they should only in full 3D. You'll laugh wholeheartedly as Pikachu jumps out in front of you in polygonal glory and you send a pester-ball his way, knocking the creature off his feet. Or maybe you won't... but we will. Sound Developer HAL has done an amazing job of creating an addictive, fun little game out of an undeniably strange concept. The problem with the title isn't its control or its graphics as all of this comes together wonderfully. The problem lies with depth, a facet of gameplay that Pokemon Snap fails to touch on with only seven levels and little more than 60 Pocket Monsters. It's as if HAL ran out of time before it could implement the remaining levels and Pokemon. Otherwise, Pokemon Snap is an addictive, surprisingly fun gem of an
experience that definitely deserves a rent. And parents would certainly be wise to snatch
this game up for their kids. As an added bonus, gamers can bring their Pokemon Snap
cartridge to participating Blockbuster locations and print up their favorite photos --
which is sure to spawn more hype for the Pokemania craze sweeping the nation.
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