New Pokemon Snap review roundup: here's what the critics are saying

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New Pokemon Snap is proving a hit among critics

New Pokemon Snap
(Image credit: Nintendo)

New Pokemon Snap is nearly out, and the critics have weighed in on Nintendo's latest entry in the franchise.

Overall, New Pokemon Snap seems to have received pretty positive reviews from critics. Scores are generally averaging out at roughly an 8/10, with most critics agreeing that it's a charming return to the nostalgic formula that won over so many fans in the late 90's.

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New Pokemon Snap Review Roundup

  • Eurogamer: Recommended - "New Pokémon Snap captures the strange joy of the original game without being derivative."
  • Polygon: Recommended - "New Pokemon Snap is video gaming’s equivalent of visiting Jurassic Park — without the whole eating-the-tourists thing — or landing a gig as a Planet Earth photographer."
  • EGM: 5/5 - "If the hobby of gaming has started to feel like a second or third job, then New Pokemon Snap might just be the vacation you need."
  • Game Informer: 8.5/10 - "New Pokemon Snap delivers all the thrills of the original game, but that throwback spirit isn't the only part of the experience that will give you a feeling of déjà vu."
  • IGN: 8/10 - "New Pokémon Snap is a photography game with occasionally clunky progression, but which is eager to show off its delightful subjects and let them surprise you."
  • GameSpot: 8/10 - "20 years later, taking photos of Pokemon in the wild remains as fun and exhilarating as it always was, and though it's been a long time coming, New Pokemon Snap was worth the wait."
  • VG24/7: 4/5 - "It’s a worthy successor to the beloved original; a comforting, gorgeous, lovely little thing that soars when it just basks in its core conceit and lets you at its content."
  • NintendoLife: 8/10 - "New Pokémon Snap brings back almost everything that made the original special and fleshes it out into a much more elaborate game."
  • TheGamer: 4/5 - "I’m not sure I’d recommend it to someone who can’t tell Bagon from Beldum, but if you’re a born and bred Pokemon fan, New Pokemon Snap could be your sleeper hit of the year."
  • The Guardian: 3/5 - "It’s a laid-back game and one that offers many hours of gentle photographic research to anyone drawn to Pokémon’s weird world – whether you’re a veteran of 90s Pokemania, or a nine-year-old newly captured by its charm."

If you're unfamiliar with New Pokemon Snap, it's a revival of a beloved Nintendo spin-off which originally launched all the way back in 1999. In both the original and the new iteration, you go around snapping photos of creatures, filling out your PokeDex in a slightly different way than usual, cataloguing creatures of all different shapes and sizes as you go.

New Pokemon Snap releases this Friday, April 30, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. If you're still looking to reserve your copy ahead of launch, you can head over to our guide on how to pre-order New Pokemon Snap for the cheapest prices around.

For a look ahead at what Nintendo has planned for the rest of the year, check out our complete guide to all the upcoming Switch games for more.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.