Pokémon Snap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pokémon Snap | |
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| Developer(s) | HAL Laboratory |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64, Virtual Console |
| Release date | Nintendo 64 JP March 21, 1999 NA June 30, 1999 PAL September 15, 2000[1] Virtual Console JP December 4, 2007 NA December 10, 2007 PAL December 11, 2007 |
| Genre(s) | First person rail shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: E ELSPA: 3+ OFLC: G |
| Media | 128Mb (16MB) cartridge |
| Input methods | Controller |
Pokémon Snap (ポケモンスナップ Pokemon Sunappu?) is a video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is part of the Pokémon series, and was first released in North America on June 30, 1999[2].
It was released in Japan on the Wii's Virtual Console on December 4, 2007, in North America on December 10, 2007 then in Europe and Australia on the next day, three days earlier than previously planned.[3] The Virtual Console version features the ability to send pictures taken in the game to the Wii Message Board and send them to friends. [4] This is the first Pokemon game to get a Virtual Console release and the first Virtual Console title which has been modified to take advantage of features of the Wii console. The default name of the main character, Todd, was changed to Todd Snap for unknown reasons, likely to retcon as he was called Snap in the DVD/VHS versions of the Pokémon anime. It is currently available for 1,000 Wii points.[5]
Pokémon Snap was originally revealed as a Nintendo 64DD game.[6]
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[edit] Story
Todd Snap (Tōru (トオル) in the Japanese version), a fledgling Pokémon photographer, who resembles the photographer in the Pokemon series, is summoned by Professor Oak to an unusual island to help him with a report. Oak needs quality pictures to accompany his scientific findings, and knows from past experience that Todd is the right person for the job. Pokémon Island, which contains a variety of climatic and geographic regions, is a place where Pokémon live relatively undisturbed by humans. Using a motorized, amphibious buggy named the Zero-One, Todd explores the island and takes photographs of the wide variety of Pokémon that inhabit its environments.
[edit] Gameplay
From Professor Oak's research hub, the player can select between the game's levels and features using a menu system. The path through the levels is linear, similar to a rail shooter. Up to 60 pictures can be taken per visit to a course. After completing a course, the player selects their best pictures to present to Professor Oak, who rates them with a point-score. The system takes into account various aspects of the pictures, these are; "Special", "Size", "Pose", "Technique" and if there are any of the "Same PKMN" within the frame. Scoring well in the Pokemon Report and photographing a wide variety of Pokémon is required to make progress in the game.
The game features seven levels (one of the main disappointments felt by fans, along with the fact that only 63 of the original 151 Pokémon were included [7]). The seven levels are; "Beach", "Tunnel", "Volcano", "River", "Cave", "Valley", and the special course "Rainbow Cloud". However, the staggered acquisition of items from Professor Oak ensures that the player must re-explore the courses to discover new material. The levels must be replayed in order to locate hidden Pokémon, alternate routes, or photographic opportunities that yield the best scores.
Each of the first six levels contains the hidden likeness of a certain Pokémon in the environment, called a "Pokémon Sign". When the player photographs all the signs and presents them to Professor Oak, the seventh level is unlocked.
The game features an "Album mark" where players can mark their favorite pictures and show them to friends and to view at a later date. The "Album mark" is unlocked early in the game (the player has to photograph and submit a mere 4 Pokemon in order to unlock this feature. [8][9]
If you buy the game on the Wii's Virtual Console then you have the ability to send your photos to the Wii message board and send them to other people with wii consoles or send them to the photo channel.
[edit] Marketing
Upon the game's release, Nintendo launched a marketing campaign in which owners of Pokémon Snap could bring a memory card with game data on it to a retail store and print a sheet of 16 stickers featuring the photos they'd taken. Nintendo partnered with Blockbuster in North America, Lawson in Japan and Toys "R" Us and Myer in Australia for the promotion. Stores in these franchises carried "Pokémon Stations" which could print the stickers for a fee of $3. In North America, the promotion ran through the US Thanksgiving of 1999 in more than 4,500 Blockbuster stores.[10]
[edit] Reception
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[edit] References
- ^ http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/n64/data/198311.html GameFAQS
- ^ http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/n64/data/198311.html GameFAQS
- ^ Pokemon Snap hitting NA VC on December 10th
- ^ "Oh snap! Virtual Console games to get Wii specific functionality?". Destructoid. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2007.
- ^ "Pokémon Snap @ Virtual Console Games"
- ^ "Pokemon Snap Moves to Cart". IGN. 6 January 1999. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
- ^ Casamassina, Matt. "Pokémon Snap review". IGN. 27 July 1999. Retrieved 15 August 2006.
- ^ http://www.nintendo.com/gamefaqgallery?gameid=m-Game-0000-210 Pokemon Snap Nintendo page FAQ
- ^ http://www.nintendo.com/gamefaqgallery?gameid=m-Game-0000-210#m-FAQItem-0000-560 Pokemon Snap Nintendo page FAQ - Album Mark
- ^ "Nintendo Strikes Blockbuster Deal". IGN. 13 May 1999. Retrieved 11 May 2006.
- ^ http://ign64.ign.com/articles/152/152335p1.html IGN review of Pokemon Snap
- ^ http://www.gamespot.com/n64/puzzle/pokemonsnap/review.html Gamespot review of Pokemon Snap
- ^ http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/198311.asp Nintendo Power Pokemon snap review
- ^ http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/game.php?id=10094 Official Nintendo Magazine Review
[edit] External links
- Official Nintendo Pokémon site
- Pokémon Snap game profile at Nintendo.com (link broken)
- Pokémon Snap at GameFAQs
- IGN's coverage of Pokémon Snap
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