New Pokemon Snap star ratings guide: How to get 4-star photo score, ratings explained
The Pokemon Company / Bandai Namco StudiosGetting the coveted 4-star score in New Pokemon Snap for your photos isn’t easy – Professor Mirror is a real critic! There are specific things you’ll need to do in order for him to give you a high score.
New Pokemon Snap follows the format of the original Nintendo 64 game when it comes to scoring your photographs. Instead of Professor Oak giving his verdict, though, there’s a new judge in town. Prof. Mirror is the Lental region’s expert, and he needs help researching the strange Illumina phenomenon.
That’s where you come in. Roaming around the island in your NEO-ONE travel pod, you’ll snap pictures of various monsters to try and find out more about the weird trend. Taking snapshots isn’t as easy as it sounds, though – the scientist wants them to be perfect!
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The Pokemon Company / Bandai Namco StudiosNew Pokemon Snap Star ratings explained
Before finding out how to get a 4-star score in New Pokemon Snap, you’ll need to know what the star ratings are, and how they work.
The Lental region is home to many different habitats like beaches, an underwater ecosystem, and jungles. This means there is a whole plethora of Pokemon to snap, just like its 1999 predecessor. With these photos, there are ways to achieve a higher score for each picture you take.
At the end of a course, Professor Mirror rates your shots with a ranking between 1-4 stars, based on:
- How common the subject is.
- The pose of the Pokemon.
- The direction the Pokemon is facing and its placement.
- Whether other monsters are in the scene.
- The background.
When it comes to poses, ‘mon have a variety depending on when you take their picture. The poses change based on whether they’re interacting with another Pokemon, or if you use an item such as a Fluffruit or the Poke Flute. All these scenarios add up to a different score, and some poses are rarer than others.
- Read More: All Lental regions: location guide
After rating your snapshots, they’re stored in your Photodex. There, you can look back at them at any time and try and beat your score. Each Pokemon only has room in the Photodex for one photo of each star rating, though, so you’ll need to choose your favorites carefully.
To get all four slots filled, you’ll need to encounter a Pokemon at least four times, as you can only assign one photo per Pokemon at the end of every journey.
The Pokemon Company / Bandai Namco StudiosHow to get a 4-star score in New Pokemon Snap
As we mentioned, make sure to pay attention to all factors of the Pokemon within the image. For example, if the ‘mon is off to the side in the shot, Mirror will deduct points. The same will occur if the view is obstructed by another object.
Using Illumina Orbs on some ‘mon will also cause them to perform unique actions which, when snapshotted, will give you a significant score boost.
- Read More: Is there going to be DLC?
The more you run through a course, and the more your research level for that location will increase, you’ll start to notice some creatures acting differently. This is your chance to snap a rare pic for a better rating.
Photographing Mythical and Legendary Pokemon like Celebi will obviously also reap a better reward compared to more common ‘mon – if you can find them.
The Pokemon Company / Bandai Namco StudiosSo, there you have it. All you need to know about a 4-star score in New Pokemon Snap. Getting the rating isn’t always going to be easy, but follow these guidelines and you’ll soon be a New Pokemon Snap savant!
Also make sure to check out our guide on every ‘mon in New Pokemon Snap and where to find them to help you on your journey to snapping ’em all!