New Pokemon Snap is expected to launch within the next few months, and Nintendo has been doing a great job keeping up the hype by sharing tidbits of information about the upcoming game here and there. Although there’s a bunch of new features and content heading to New Pokemon Snap, such as a brand-new region and the inclusion of Pokemon that weren’t in the original Nintendo 64 game, some familiar mechanics will be returning as well.
For example, the photo grading system in the upcoming Nintendo Switch-exclusive title will work similarly to its forerunner, such as posing and other factors. Not only that, its core gameplay loop didn’t undergo major changes as well, so players can still unlock new areas just by taking gratifying photos of various Pokemon.
Recently, Nintendo also revealed one other mechanic that fans of the original Pokemon Snap will find familiar. Nintendo of America posted on Twitter that players will be able to make use of fruit if they want Pokemon to stay still for pictures—just like in the classic N64 game.
The fluffruit is a tasty fruit found in Lental that Pokémon love! Throw one near a Pokémon to catch its attention or possibly watch it eat. It’s a great way to set up a unique photo opportunity! #NewPokemonSnap pic.twitter.com/f89VUlXKu0
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 25, 2021
More specifically, New Pokemon Snap will be introducing a brand-new fruit called the Fluffruit, and players will find it tucked away in their photo-taking arsenal at some point during their playthrough. Although, it’s worth mentioning that this new fruit looks very similar to the old fruit from the first game.
That being said, the existence of the Fluffruit doesn’t really come as a surprise, especially for long-time fans of this particular series. It was already expected that Nintendo would put into place some kind of gameplay mechanic that would not only distract shy Pokemon, but would allow them to stay put long enough for the player to take a photo.
As a matter of fact, even the game’s trailer briefly features the Fluffruit, although fans didn’t know what it was called until on Tuesday. While the concept of the Fluffruit is great and would definitely serve players well, its existence and how it was introduced into New Pokemon Snap’s canon is quite strange.
As previously mentioned, the Fluffruit looks exactly like the original Pokemon Snap’s fruit, which was basically only called Pokemon Food (Apple). Now, when both fruits are compared to one another, they have the same color, shape, and stem of an apple.
Not only that, apples already in existence within the Pokemon universe. For instance, Pokemon Sword and Shield have a food type called Sweet Apple Curry, which is mainly made from Fancy Apple. Pokemon Sword and Shield even have a Pokemon known as Applin, which can further evolve into a much-stronger Apple-like creature with the use of either a Sweet Apple or a Tart Apple.
The way Pokemon are named has been pretty obvious from the start, and most especially in the more recent entries in the franchise. Players could instantly know what kind of Pokemon or item is at hand just by its name. For instance, Rattata is basically a rat while Caterpie is a caterpillar. But Fluffruit, on the other hand, isn’t…fluffy. It’s just a fruit that looks very much like an apple.
Well anyway, we’re just being too particular and its name doesn’t really matter that much. According to Nintendo, the Fluffruit is a “tasty fruit” that can only be found in the Lental region, so it’s possible that this is the new region’s version of an apple. At the end of the day, what matters is that the Fluffruit does a great a great job at keeping Pokemon happy and relaxed.
