Some time ago, I wrote about how Captain Toad Treasure Tracker was a potential Killer App for Labo VR. While that didnt end up happening, the game’s VR mode showed immense potential and really did change how you approached the game. Now with the news that Pokémon Snap is coming back as New Pokémon Snap, there is another opportunity to truly sell Labo VR with a game that is a perfect fit.
Pokémon Snap is a first person experience, which is already a perfect fit for VR, but more to the point, Labo VR would give you feel a truly intimate connection to the game world. A big part of the original game was how you had to interact with the world, and a VR recreation would allow you to truly appreciate everything around you. This would include both the visuals of the game and the interactions you undertake as you capture pictures. Bandai Namco has worked on VR games in the past, including with Labo VR, so this wouldn’t be as hard as you might think, and they could create something truly amazing this way,
This would not need to be a full game necessarily, but could follow what has been done with previous Labo VR titles, such a Smash Bros ( which they worked on), and the aforementioned Captain Toad. It could be a taste of what can be done with Labo VR and Nintendo games, and while Captain Toad demonstrated it well, that game did not have enough of a reach to make the difference. New Pokémon Snap will be different however, considering both how well Pokémon games sell as well as how many people have wanted a new Pokémon Snap game for years. This could be the point at which Nintendo is able to sell people on Labo and Labo VR.
Nintendo could even create a new Labo variation to be used with the Labo VR to make the game more interactive and give you that sense of complete control over the game itself. Whether it is taking pictures or using pester balls, the potential for a new form of Pokémon experience is here. Even if this is not done right away, I would encourage Bandai Namco, Nintendo, and the Pokémon Company to consider this down the line, as there is much to be gained this way.