New Pokemon Snap star ratings checklist at the start

Four star ratings in New Pokemon Snap can be captured by following a simple set of rules. If you're playing New Pokemon Snap here at launch, in May of 2021, you'll have a relatively simple time of finding good snaps and ranking up with 4-star ratings. You'll need to start by finding rare Pokemon moments – basically anything strange!

New Pokemon Snap photo ratings are based on how rare the Pokemon behavior is. Capture a Pokemon dancing, running after one another, and pretty much any Pokemon VS Pokemon interaction. Capturing a beautiful shot of a single Pokemon might be just what you want for a 2-star rating photo. Capturing that same Pokemon spraying ink at an enemy Pokemon might be the shot you want for a 4-star rating photo.

You'll want to utilize Fluffruit to draw Pokemon in for an interesting shot. Multiple Pokemon in a single snap is worth more than a single Pokemon all by itself, and active pairs are worth more than two Pokemon in the same shot doing their own thing separately.

Professor Mirror will give each of your photos a score based on three factors – in addition to the rarity of the shot in the first place. The three factors for high star ratings are as follows.

Professor Mirror Pokemon Snap star ratings:

• Pokemon size – taking up a large portion of the photo

• Pokemon centered – as close to perfect center of your photo as possible

• Pokemon pose – weirdness counts for a lot!

If you're looking for a rating scale, look to the points. If you get less than 2,500 points, you'll see bronze stars. Silver stars start at 2,500, Gold starts at 3,500, and over 4,000 points will net you some Shiny Diamond stars.

Remember that your New Pokemon Snap experience changes as you level up – so feel free to visit places more than once, and head back after you've reached forward. Tossing a Fluffruit to a Pokemon at the start of a stage might make that Pokemon appear again later, and opportunities change based on every action!