Topic: Masuda: Game Freak Waiting for 'New Ideas' Before Making New Pokémon Snap

[bluelander]

Pokémon Snap on Wii U could be possible.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/35503

In a recent NWR interview with Game Freak Director Junichi Masuda that will be releasing later this week, Masuda spoke about the probability of Game Freak making a new iteration in the Pokémon Snap series on the Wii U.

When asked if he had considered a new Pokémon Snap title that uses the GamePad, Masuda said that "at the Pokemon brand we’re always challenging ourselves to try new things, to come up with new ways to surprise our fans and come up with new ways to play the game."

He went on to say the following: "…with Pokémon Snap I don't think doing the exact same thing on Wii U would be the right way to go. We'd really have to come up with some new ideas to make it surprising and interesting for players. If we were able to do that, then yes, I think we'd have something to announce."

[Disco Stu]

Yes, because if there's anything the Pokemon series is known for, it's for wild innovation between each new title.

[Ian Sane]

New ideas for Pokemon Snap would be easy.  The first game was on rails and didn't even have every Pokemon in it.  Just update the graphics, get every Pokemon in there, and make the areas full 3D where the player can just walk around.  Both Majora's Mask and Wind Waker have full 3D camera mechanics that can be ripped off.  This isn't even taking into account the Gamepad.  Pokemon Snap is an old ass game with no sequels and there is a lot that can still be done with the concept.

Though ultimately I think the ideal direction for Pokemon Snap is as a sidequest in a proper full 3D Pokemon RPG.  Why couldn't you just make taking pictures of Pokemon as optional content like they've done with Zelda?

[xcwarrior]

I have a great idea that uses the Gamepad, and WIi U already does - panaremic view!

Imagine going through a jungle area, the big TV is the straight on view, but your camera-the game pad, can look off screen and search for the pokemon, then you take the shots.

How is this not obvious?

[Mop it up]

I think even the Wii offered plenty of ideas for a Pokémon Snap game with the pointer and all, but the Wii U is even better. If they can't think up good ideas now, then they're not even trying.

Just update the graphics, get every Pokemon in there, and make the areas full 3D where the player can just walk around.

I think allowing free movement would mess up the high score aspect of the game, which I wouldn't want. They could maybe allow you to move a little bit, like, left and right or something, similar to Star Fox, but free movement would allow you to just stand in one place and take a photo of the highest-scoring Pokémon over and over.

[Ian Sane]

I think even the Wii offered plenty of ideas for a Pokémon Snap game with the pointer and all, but the Wii U is even better. If they can't think up good ideas now, then they're not even trying.

Just update the graphics, get every Pokemon in there, and make the areas full 3D where the player can just walk around.

I think allowing free movement would mess up the high score aspect of the game, which I wouldn't want. They could maybe allow you to move a little bit, like, left and right or something, similar to Star Fox, but free movement would allow you to just stand in one place and take a photo of the highest-scoring Pokémon over and over.

Yeah, I wasn't thinking about it from a high score perspective.  Frankly, it's been so long since I played that game I didn't remember that that was how it worked.  I was thinking more like the goal being to "snap-them-all", where you beat the game by finding every Pokemon and taking a decent picture of them.  Naturally some Pokemon would be more comfortable with you taking a picture of them while others would run away if they noticed you which would make it hard to take multiple good photos of a rare Pokemon.  In real life nature photography it isn't always easy to just hang out and take a bunch of great pictures of animals without scaring them off.

I find the on-rails nature of the original game made it too damn short.  A full 3D update of the concept would make for a bigger game.

[Mop it up]

Hm, well, I think they could do both. They could have a "free mode" where you can walk around the environments just to explore and see what Pokémon you find, and there your goal could just be to get a good shot and find every Pokémon. And then they could have a different mode where you ride on-rails through the same various environments and are scored based on your shots just like the original game. That would help keep it true to its roots but also expand upon it.

Of course, that sounds like too much work for the amount of effort they typically put into Pokémon spinoffs, which is a shame as I usually think they have good ideas, just not used fully.

[Shaymin]

Nothing but Jynx using Flash.

[pokepal148]

having an AR based version would be interesting if they can pull it off.