I grab the Game Boy Color from its cradle on the shelf. The box for the new Pokémon Snap game is in front of me, cover art bright with pictures of cute little Pokémon jumping and snapping photos. I slide it out and lay it flat on the TV tray.

The instruction manual sits neatly next to a couple batteries. I click the box open and take out the cartridges, lining them up like toys before sticking one into the Game Boy. The screen lights up, green and yellow—like a bright morning in Viridian City.

I press Start and the game loads quickly. Pikachu wiggles his tail. “Pikapi!” he chirps. A camera icon appears on screen. I pick it up with my thumbs. The lens focuses on a tree. Tiny, colorful Pokémon dart through the branches. I click the shutter button and a picture snaps.

I change to another camera mode and zoom in tight. Pikachu’s ears are tiny circles. A Meowth’s tail is like a fluffy mohawk. I move to different spots and capture more shots—Pokémon hopping, playing, napping. The screen flashes with new scenes: forests, caves, mountains. Each has its own special Pokémon.

After an hour of snapping pictures, my camera roll fills up. I scroll through the photos, admiring each one. Some are blurry, others sharp. Pikachu’s tail is always the same tiny circle. A Squirtle’s shell looks like a little castle.

I save them to my PC and load the next area. The Game Boy’s screen glows bright, full of new adventures waiting just for me. I stick it back in its cradle, camera cartridge safely tucked away. Time to catch more Pokémon.