What was the first Pokémon photography video game called?

The first Pokémon photography video game was Pokémon Snap.

Developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo, Pokémon Snap was first released in Japan in March 1999 for the Nintendo 64. Instead of catching Pokémon in the traditional way, players traveled through environments and photographed them for Professor Oak.

The player controls Todd Snap, a photographer who rides through Pokémon Island in the motorized Zero-One vehicle. Items such as apples, Pester Balls, and the Poké Flute can attract Pokémon, reveal hidden behavior, or create better photo opportunities.

The game was unusual because it rendered Pokémon in real-time 3D and focused on observation rather than battling. Its photography theme also anticipated later Pokémon projects built around taking pictures and recording creatures in the field.

New Pokémon Snap, released in 2021 for Nintendo Switch, is a sequel rather than the original. The 1999 Nintendo 64 game remains the first dedicated Pokémon photography title and featured 63 of the original 151 species.