Pokémon Snap was the first Pokémon spin-off game to let players photograph Pokémon in 3D.
Developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo, Pokémon Snap was released for the Nintendo 64 in Japan on March 21, 1999. Instead of catching Pokémon in traditional battles, players rode through guided environments as Todd Snap and used a camera to record Pokémon behavior.
The game was notable because it rendered Pokémon in real time in three-dimensional environments. Players could improve their photographs by observing timing, positioning, and interactions, turning the Pokédex idea into a photography challenge. Professor Oak evaluated the pictures rather than rating captured creatures.
Pokémon Snap also had unusual real-world printing promotions. In Japan, players could take game images to Lawson convenience stores and have them printed as stickers. A later Nintendo Switch sequel, New Pokémon Snap, expanded the photography concept in 2021, but the Nintendo 64 original established the format during Pokémon’s early multimedia boom.