Pokemon Snap N64

If your kids are into the Pokemon phenomenon, then you will already have heard of this game. My son (11) asked for it as a birthday gift after playing it at a video store. He and his younger brother (9) have been glued to Pokemon Snap for several days now, though it does seem to have stronger appeal to my younger child.

Nintendo introduces the game with 'Pika Pika Cheese!' and that's essentially what it's all about. Todd is on safari on Pokemon Island, home of 63 kinds of exotic Pokemon. Assist Professor Oak, by travelling around the island and taking photos - gotta snap 'em all!

Explore 7 different courses on the island in your trusty safari vehicle - it goes in the water, by land or through the air. Places include river, rainbow, beach, cave, volcano, tunnel and valley. There are 60 exposures of film in your camera. Keep snapping those Pokemon!

Then head back to the lab and pick out the best shots to show Professor Oak. He gives points for size (bigger is better), pose (what are they doing?), technique (centered), and catching more than one Pokemon in the photo. Fill up your PKMN report with the best picture of each of the 63 Pokemon. To win, you need one of each type. You also need to collect pictures of 6 Pokemon signs, for example Mount Dugtrio.

As on any safari, the Pokemon do not hang around waiting for a photo op. Luckily, Professor Oak arms you with special tools - apples to entice them out of hiding and Pester Balls to force them out, or to wake Snorlax up! As you progress in the game, Professor Oak lets you use a Poke Flute, to coax the Pokemon to do tricks.

Until November 23rd, 1999, Blockbuster (the video rental store) has Pokemon Snap Stations, where kids can print stickers of favorite Pokemon characters from the game. Players purchase a collectible Pokemon Snap smart card for $3, and can plug in their game to print out a sheet of 16 stickers featuring four Pokemon snapshots.

My kids enjoy the challenge of snapping all 63, and compete with each other to get better quality (higher points) photos of each Pokemon. In a couple of days they had filmed 90% of the Pokemon but, as in home renovation, that last 10% can take forever!

This game appeals to the same age range as Pokemon in general, but I expect the long lasting interest will be from the younger kids. One risk is that this game will create a bunch of budding photographers ready to snap 60 images at a time (at video game play speeds!). So if you're planning to buy them cameras, go digital or be prepared to buy tons of film!