New Pokemon Snap takes place in the Lental region, specifically a diverse archipelago with ecosystems ranging from jungle to desert and everything in between.
Professor Mirror, the Lental region’s Pokémon expert, wants to study Pokémon in their natural habitat, so he does the totally normal thing of sending small children out to do his field work in the handy, on-rails NEO-ONE car.
Questionable labor ethics aside, the goal is filling up the Photodex with top-notch Poke-pics. Professor Mirror grades images on aspects such as poses and frame placement, but there’s plenty of incentive to hop back in the NEO and observe ‘mon in their natural habitat.
New Pokemon Snap promises variety at every turn. Pokemon lurk in secret pathways, patrol their habitats, and get into scuffles with each other, and that’s before even realizing the NEO ONE is around.
Players can toss delectable Fluffruits to attract Pokemon’s attention, and Nintendo’s press release mentioned Pokemon behavior changes with every visit and some brand-new behaviors as well.
That’s the normal Pokemon photo experience, but the Lental archipelago offers something unique: the Illumina Phenomenon. This occurs in certain glowing places, and while the New Pokemon Snap trailer shows a giant Meganium emerge from one such location, the Illumina Phenomenon and what it does remains a mystery for now.
New Pokemon Snap pre-orders are open now.
