Pokémon Snap
Pokémon Snap

Unlocking Items

Acquire Professor Oak's research items in Pokémon Snap to unlock new interactions and photographic opportunities.

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Unlocking Items

As a budding Pokémon photographer, you'll quickly discover that your initial toolkit is rather limited. To truly capture those elusive, high-scoring shots and uncover all the secrets of Pokémon Island, you'll need to unlock Professor Oak's specialized research items. These tools are essential for interacting with Pokémon, revealing hidden pathways, and coaxing out unique behaviors. The good news is that unlocking them is a straightforward process tied directly to your progress and photo scores.

The Pester Ball

The Pester Ball is your first unlockable item and arguably one of the most versatile. It's a throwable item that, when it hits a Pokémon, can elicit several reactions – from startling them into a new pose to knocking them out of hiding. It can also be used to trigger environmental changes, making it invaluable for uncovering secrets and manipulating the environment.

  • How to Unlock: To earn the Pester Ball, you simply need to achieve a cumulative score of 75,000 points across all your submitted photos. This means consistently taking good pictures and submitting them to Professor Oak for evaluation.
  • Strategy: Focus on getting clear, centered shots of Pokémon, especially those that are close up. Don't be afraid to experiment with different angles and expressions. Revisit earlier courses like the Beach to easily rack up points from common Pokémon like Pidgey and Doduo. Once you hit the 75,000 point threshold, Professor Oak will present you with the Pester Ball before your next expedition.
  • Key Uses:
    • Beach: Hit the Scyther hiding in the tall grass near the end of the course to make it jump out for a photo. You can also hit the Kangaskhan to make it turn around, revealing its baby.
    • Tunnel: Dislodge the boulder blocking the alternate path by hitting it repeatedly. This opens a shortcut and reveals new Pokémon. You can also hit the Electabuzz to make it charge up, creating a unique photo opportunity.
    • River: Knock the sleeping Bulbasaur off the ledge near the beginning to make it fall into the water, leading to an interaction with a Poliwag. You can also hit the Vileplume to make it spin around, which can sometimes lead to a Bellossom appearing.
    • Volcano: Hit the Magmar to make it charge at you, or hit the Growlithe to make it bark and reveal a hidden Arcanine.
    • Cave: Hit the Koffing to make it explode, clearing gas and revealing other Pokémon. You can also hit the Zubat to make them fly in a swarm.
    • Valley: Hit the Mankey to make it fall from the tree, potentially startling other Pokémon.

The Poké Flute

The Poké Flute is a magical musical instrument that can awaken sleeping Pokémon or encourage others to dance and perform. It's crucial for triggering specific events, revealing hidden Pokémon, and capturing rare poses that are otherwise impossible to obtain.

  • How to Unlock: The Poké Flute becomes available once you've achieved a cumulative score of 150,000 points. Continue to refine your photography skills and aim for those 10,000-point photos!
  • Strategy: By this point, you should be familiar with the courses. Revisit areas where you know you can get multiple Pokémon in a single shot or capture Pokémon in interesting interactions. The River course, with its abundance of Pokémon, is an excellent place to boost your score. The Pester Ball will also help you set up new photo opportunities.
  • Key Uses:
    • Beach: Play the flute near the sleeping Snorlax to wake it up, allowing for a unique photo. You can also make the Pikachu dance on the stump.
    • Tunnel: Wake up the sleeping Zapdos near the end of the course. This is essential for getting a good shot of the legendary bird.
    • River: Play the flute near the Vileplume to make it dance, which can attract a Bellossom. You can also wake up the sleeping Slowpoke.
    • Volcano: Play the flute near the Magmar to make it dance, leading to a better photo score and potentially attracting a Charmander. If you play it near the three sleeping Charmander at the end, they will wake up and evolve into Charmeleon, and then Charizard, if you hit them with an Apple.
    • Cave: Wake up the sleeping Articuno, allowing you to get a clear shot of this legendary Pokémon. You can also make the Jynx dance.
    • Valley: Play the flute near the sleeping Graveler to wake it up, or make the Sandshrew and Sandslash dance.

The Dash Engine

The Dash Engine, also known as the "Speed Boost," allows your ZERO-ONE vehicle to temporarily accelerate. This is invaluable for reaching certain areas faster, catching up to quick Pokémon, or simply getting a better vantage point for a shot. It's also critical for triggering time-sensitive events and accessing hidden paths.

  • How to Unlock: The Dash Engine is awarded after you've achieved a cumulative score of 250,000 points. This is a significant milestone, indicating you're becoming a true Pokémon Snap master!
  • Strategy: To reach this high score, you'll need to be consistently submitting high-quality photos. Focus on getting all six Pokémon in a shot, capturing rare poses, and using your previously unlocked items to create unique photo opportunities. revisit earlier courses with your new items to discover new interactions and higher scoring potential. The Dash Engine will open up many new possibilities.
  • Key Uses:
    • Beach: Speed past the initial section to catch the Pidgey and Doduo in flight, or to get ahead of the Lapras for a better angle.
    • Tunnel: Dash through the dark areas to get better shots of the elusive Pokémon within, or to reach the end of the course faster to catch Zapdos in a specific pose.
    • River: Speed up to keep pace with the fast-moving Starmie or to get ahead of the Gyarados for a full-body shot.
    • Volcano: Dash through the lava areas to get closer to the Fire-type Pokémon or to catch the evolving Charmander sequence before they disappear.
    • Cave: Quickly navigate through the dark areas to get better shots of the elusive Pokémon within, especially the Jynx and Articuno. You can also use it to reach the end of the course faster to get a better angle on the legendary Pokémon.
    • Valley: Speed up to catch the Dodrio before it runs off the path, or to get ahead of the Goldeen and Seaking in the water for a better photo.
    • Rainbow Cloud: Position yourself perfectly for shots of Mew as it zips around. The Dash Engine is essential for keeping up with its erratic movements and getting those high-scoring close-ups.