This game is everything a sequel should be. It expands on just about everything the original Pokemon Snap does in all the right ways. Research levels that change things about the course and add new stuff between playthroughs keep the game fresh, alternate routes in courses demand replays, and filters and album management appeal to the hobbyist photographer bound to be lying dormant in a lot of this game's players.

Quite unlike recent Pokemon games, this one doesn't feel the need to pander endlessly to nostalgia. It shows off countless Pokemon from all generations in charming ways they've never been seen before. A pair of Clawitzer get into a fuckin' underwater shootout in this game, it's badass.

It's not for everyone, New Pokemon Snap's gameplay is as slow-paced and rudimentary as the original, but for long-time Pokemon fans or nerdish wildlife enthusiasts like myself, it's everything you could ask for from a game like this. I fear lots of people will overlook this game critically due to its arcade-y nature and simple premise, but you have to ask - what more could a game about photographing Pokemon do? The answer for me, is not much.

I can't tell if saying this makes me sad or not, but this is the most charming and enjoyable Pokemon has been in about 10 years.