Pokémon Snap features 63 of the original 151 Pokémon as photographable subjects.
The Nintendo 64 game does not include the entire first-generation Pokédex. Instead, it places a selected group of species across courses on Pokémon Island, including beaches, tunnels, rivers, caves, and volcanic areas. Players photograph these Pokémon while the Zero-One moves automatically along fixed routes.
Professor Oak evaluates photographs according to factors such as the Pokémon’s size, pose, position, and how well it is centered. Players can use items including apples, Pester Balls, and the Poké Flute to attract Pokémon, reveal hidden ones, change their behavior, or open alternate opportunities.
Although the game’s roster is limited, Pokémon Snap was notable because it rendered many Pokémon in real-time 3D for the first time. Its unusual photography format also distinguished it from the role-playing games and helped establish Pokémon as a franchise capable of supporting different genres.