Which Pokémon game first centered its gameplay on photographing Pokémon?

Pokémon Snap was the first Pokémon game centered on photographing Pokémon.

Released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, Pokémon Snap casts the player as Todd Snap, a photographer researching Pokémon for Professor Oak. Instead of catching Pokémon in Poké Balls, players ride through natural environments and take pictures of Pokémon in the wild.

The game’s photography mechanics reward timing, positioning, and observation. Players can use items such as apples and Pester Balls to influence Pokémon behavior, while special interactions reveal poses or hidden creatures. Professor Oak evaluates the photographs based on factors including size, position, and how clearly the Pokémon appears.

Pokémon Snap became a distinctive spin-off because it turned the series’ familiar creatures into subjects for exploration and documentation. Its concept later inspired New Pokémon Snap for Nintendo Switch in 2021. The two games share the photography premise, but the original Pokémon Snap introduced that format to the franchise.