Shiny hunters have remained one of the Pokémon franchise’s most loyal segments of the fanbase ever since the introduction of Shiny Pokémon in Generation 2. The appearance of Shiny Pokémon added a new layer of collectibility to the franchise’s flagship creatures by introducing an alternate colored version of every Pokémon a player can encounter. This has become a mainstay feature in the series, but New Pokémon Snap misses out on a grand opportunity by not including Shiny variants of the franchise’s titular creatures.
While Shinies have been a consistent presence in the mainline titles, spin-offs in the Pokémon franchise have tended to omit them. The latest spin-off, New Pokémon Snap, follows this trend by placing most Pokémon in their default, original colors. Still, it seems like a missed opportunity.
The game’s focus on a Pokémon equivalent of wildlife photography makes the omission of Shiny Pokémon in Snap surprising. Shinies not being included in New Pokémon Snap leaves out a certain sense of mystery and discovery for longtime fans of the franchise that would be at home with the game’s photography-based setting.
New Pokémon Snap Needed Shiny Pokémon
Shiny hunters are a portion of the Pokémon fanbase that devote time to capturing various Shiny Pokémon with some going as far as to completing a full Shiny Pokédex. Various methods have been noted to increase the odds of encountering a Shiny Pokémon from its base 1/4096 odds with Pokémon Sword and Shield offering much easier manners for players to chase after their favorite Shiny Pokémon.
The lack of Shiny Pokémon becomes noticeable in a game built around photography. Shiny hunters not having the chance to take photos of their favorite Shiny Pokémon results in a missed opportunity in extending the longevity of the game. Shiny hunters have played older Pokémon titles far beyond the normal time it takes to beat the game as the hunt for the rare variants gives these players a new goal.
The current absence of Shiny Pokémon in New Pokémon Snap doesn’t necessarily mean that the game may never include these Pokémon types. Possible DLC could add them to New Pokémon Snap at a later time. In its current launch state, however, the game lacks what could’ve been an intriguing bit of mystery for the average player and an attractive addition to some of its more hardcore fans. Missing out on the inclusion of Shiny Pokémon means Shiny hunters will have to stick with the mainline titles of the franchise for now. In the meantime, fans of Pokémon will have to settle for the main installments of the franchise that are currently available as New Pokémon Snap‘s lens remains out of focus for Shiny hunters.
