Pokémon Snap was originally released for the Nintendo 64.
Developed by HAL Laboratory, Pokémon Snap debuted in Japan on March 21, 1999. The player controls Todd Snap, a photographer who travels through Pokémon Island in the Zero-One, an amphibious vehicle designed for on-rails exploration. Instead of catching Pokémon in battles, players photograph them for Professor Oak to evaluate.
The game was unusual because it showed many Pokémon in real-time 3D and encouraged players to replay courses to discover new poses, hidden routes, and environmental interactions. Apples, Pester Balls, and the Poké Flute could influence Pokémon behavior and improve photographs.
Pokémon Snap began development as a non-Pokémon project called Jack and the Beanstalk, planned for the Nintendo 64DD. Development later shifted to a standard Nintendo 64 cartridge. A sequel, New Pokémon Snap, arrived on Nintendo Switch in 2021, but it did not replace the original as the first photography game in the series.