What was Pokémon Snap’s original non-Pokémon working title?

Pokémon Snap’s original non-Pokémon working title was Jack and the Beanstalk.

The project began at HAL Laboratory as a photography game inspired by the classic English fairy tale. It was intended for Nintendo’s 64DD peripheral, whose larger magnetic disks and online features were meant to support ambitious Nintendo 64 projects.

Development later stalled because the original concept lacked a strong reason for players to keep taking pictures. The team reworked the project around Pokémon, whose recognizable creatures provided clear photographic targets and collectible goals.

The conversion explains why Pokémon Snap feels different from the main role-playing games. Players travel automatically through courses in a vehicle called the Zero-One, use items to attract or reveal Pokémon, and receive scores for their photographs. The finished game was released on a standard Nintendo 64 cartridge after the 64DD version was abandoned.