Pokémon Snap features 63 of the original 151 Pokémon.
Released for Nintendo 64 in Japan in March 1999, Pokémon Snap is a photography-focused spin-off rather than a traditional catching-and-battling role-playing game. Players control Todd Snap, who travels through Pokémon Island in the Zero-One vehicle and photographs Pokémon in natural environments.
The game includes only part of the first-generation Pokédex. Its 63 featured species appear across courses such as beaches, tunnels, rivers, caves, volcanoes, and the Rainbow Cloud. Players can use items including Pokémon food, Pester Balls, and a Poké Flute to attract Pokémon, reveal hidden creatures, or change their behavior.
The limited roster was intentional: Pokémon Snap emphasizes observing and photographing creatures rather than collecting every species. Its real-time 3D presentation also gave many Pokémon their first appearance in a fully 3D game environment.
The original game was developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. Its unusual format helped establish photography as a viable Pokémon spin-off concept decades before New Pokémon Snap.