Now thatNew Pokemon Snapis out in the world, fans have been able to experience the highly-anticipated sequel to 1999’sPokemon Snapon the N64. As players explore the Lental region inNew Pokemon Snap,an island archipelago similar to Alola, they will be able to snap photos of Pokemon in the wild. While the actual gameplay is pretty straightforward, the game still boasts a few secrets and surprises
Unlike the original 1999Pokemon Snap, which could only draw on Pokemon from the Kanto region,New Pokemon Snaphad the ability to draw on almost 900 Pokemon across eight generations of games. There areover 200 Pokemon inNew Pokemon Snapranging from franchise mascot Pikachu to the recent starter Pokemon from Galar. One surprising Pokemon addition for many was the primary Legendary Pokemon that appears at the end of the main game. For those that wish to avoidspoilersaboutNew Pokemon Snap’s Legendaries and plot, a warning that some will follow.
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Xerneas Makes Sense In New Pokemon Snap
There are multipleMythical and Legendary Pokemon inNew Pokemon Snap, but it is the mascot Legendary from 2013’sPokemon Xthat caps the main story for the game. Xerneas, the Life Pokemon, is one part of the Aura Trio that also contain Yveltal and Zygarde. According to legends, the Fairy-type Xerneas can share eternal life, though if it uses too much energy it will transform into a tree and sleep for a thousand years. InNew Pokemon Snap, Xerneas appears in the Ruins of Remembrance on Aurus Island.
Many players might have been surprised to discover the game’s last big Pokemon is Xerneas. Since the originalPokemon Snaphad Mew as the game’s main Pokemon at the end, some players may have expected another Mythical Pokemon to appear towards the end, especially sincethe Mythical Pokemon Celebi was already confirmed. Plus,Pokemon XandYcame out almost a decade ago, and that generation isn’t held inthathigh regard by many fans. It is a bit odd that Xerneas was chosen to be the final encounter in the main game. However, when looking at the story forNew Pokemon Snap, Xerneas makes a lot of sense.
Throughout the game, players discover that in the past,several Illumina Pokemonprotected the Lental region from a falling meteor. As players first find Xerneas resting in its tree form, it is clear that Xerneas is the final piece of the puzzle, the sixth Illumina Pokemon that protected the Lental archipelago thousands of year before. Since Xerneas is a powerful Life-giving Legendary Pokemon, it fits right in to the story in context. Xerneas is also a protector, modeled after several deer-god-like forest spirits in folklores around the world.
It is clear that the developers onNew Pokemon Snapwanted to do as much as they could to up the ante on this highly-anticipated sequel. While other Legendary Pokemon appear in the game, Xerneas clearly has a huge impact on the story. Also, as many Pokemon fans may agree, Xerneas is one of the most elegant and beautifully designed Legendaries around. WithNew Pokemon Snapbeing all about photography, catching a glowing Xerneas on camera is a visual treat.
While Xerneas makes sense, there are other options for the primary Legendary inNew Pokemon Snap. Even when looking at theAura Trio that Xerneas belongs to, other options begin to present themselves. Yveltal clearly wouldn’t have worked, being the Destruction Pokemon, but Zygarde could have been an interesting choice for the game. Especially in Complete Forme, Zygarde would have been powerful enough to protect against a falling meteor, and its 50% form could have been cool for photography.
Looking at other games, the deer-like Virizion fromPokemon BlackandWhitemight have been another fun choice. However, if Virizion was included, then players might wonder why the other Pokemon from the Swords of Justice group don’t show up. If the developers wanted to pull from the more recentPokemon SwordandShield,then Zarude could have been an interesting addition. Though not a Legendary,the Mythical Pokemon Zarude does reside in the jungle. Unfortunately, it is often hostile to those it doesn’t recognize, so that probably wouldn’t have fit in withNew Pokemon Snap’s relaxed vibe.
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Another big reason certain Legendary Pokemon may not have been chosen to appear inNew Pokemon Snapis for lore reasons. Many Legendary and Mythical Pokemon are directly tied to their respective regions in lore, such as Galar’s Zacian and Zamazenta, or Calyrex and its steed. Other Pokemon are more free to wander, so to speak. IfNew Pokemon Snapchose to have the final coursein a different area, then the final Pokemon might have changed as well. If the final level was set in the volcanic area, Heatran or Moltres might have been chosen, or if it was an underwater level, it might have been Kyogre.
Regigigas, leader of the Legendary Titans, is a very powerful Pokemon with enough strength to move continents, and could have been a good alternative to Xerneas. Even though The Pokemon Company is putting a big focus on the Sinnoh region recently with theDiamondandPearlremakes andPokemon Legends: Arceus, it probably didn’t want to oversaturateNew Pokemon Snapwith another big Sinnoh Legendary.
Overall, Xerneas might seem like an odd choice, but ends up making sense when looking at other possible options. There are already multiplesigns pointing toNew Pokemon Snapgetting DLC, so it’s fully possible more Legendary or Mythical Pokemon are on their way, too. In any case, Pokemon fans can finally enjoy a new installment in the Pokemon photography series.
New Pokemon Snapis available now on Nintendo Switch.
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