Pokémon Snap was first released for Nintendo 64 in 1999. The photography game placed players in the role of Todd Snap, who traveled through natural courses to photograph Pokémon rather than capture them in Poké Balls.
Nintendo released the game in Japan on March 21, 1999, with North American and European versions following later that year. Professor Oak evaluated each photograph for subject size, pose and placement, turning observation into a score-based challenge.
Pokémon Snap was developed by HAL Laboratory and produced with Nintendo, making it a notable spin-off rather than a traditional role-playing game. Its rail-based courses showcased Pokémon behaviors and environments that were difficult to see in the main Game Boy titles. A sequel, New Pokémon Snap, arrived for Nintendo Switch in 2021.