New Pokemon Snap: all locations | How to unlock the Research Camp, Lental Seafloor, and more
New Pokemon Snap is set across the various islands of the Lental region, a small archipelago which quite conveniently features an improbably diverse series of biomes.
On Lental's various islands you'll find temperate meadows, rainforest jungles, tropical beaches, active volcanoes, frozen tundra, and more!
However, New Pokemon Snap isn't designed to be progressed through linearly. Travel between the islands of Lental is instantaneous, which is convenient, because you're going to be going back and forth constantly as you gain access to new areas, stages, and research levels.
How to unlock all locations in New Pokemon Snap
Because of the game's piecemeal exploration, it can be tricky to gauge just when and how you can expect to unlock new stages. For example, it feels a little counter-intuitive that you can't actually explore the Research Camp which serves as your character's nominal base of operations until about halfway through the game.
To help you out, we've put together a cheat-sheet to each of the game's stages in roughly the order they become available, as well as the steps you need to take to unlock them.
| Stage Name | Island | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Florio Nature Park (Day) | Florio Island | No requirement — this is the game's first stage. |
| Florio Nature Park (Night) | Florio Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Florio Nature Park (Day). |
| Florio Nature Park Illumina Spot | Florio Island | Take a photograph of the glowing Illumina Bulb on Florio Nature Park (Night). |
| Founja Jungle (Day) | Belusylva Island | Reach Research Level 2 on all Florio Nature Park stages and photograph an Illumina Meganium. |
| Founja Jungle (Night) | Belusylva Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Founja Jungle (Day). |
| Blushing Beach (Day) | Maricopia Islands | Reach Research Level 2 on both Founja Jungle levels. |
| Sweltering Sands (Day) | Voluca Island | Reach Research Level 2 on both Founja Jungle levels. |
| Maricopia Reef (Day) | Maricopia Islands | Reach Research Level 2 on Blushing Beach (Day). |
| Lental Seafloor | Maricopia Islands | Reach Research Level 2 on Maricopia Reef (Day). |
| Lental Seafloor Illumina Spot | Maricopia Islands | Reach Research Level 2 on Lental Seafloor, then replay the level and throw an Illumina Orb at the Clawitzer you encounter at the start. Scan and take the alternate path it reveals to unlock the Illumina Spot. |
| Sweltering Sands (Night) | Voluca Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Sweltering Sands (Day). |
| Fireflow Volcano | Voluca Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Sweltering Sands (Night). |
| Fireflow Volcano Illumina Spot | Voluca Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Fireflow Volcano. |
| Elsewhere Forest | Belusylva Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Fireflow Volcano. |
| Elsewhere Forest Illumina Spot | Belusylva Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Elsewhere Forest. |
| Research Camp | Florio Island | Unlocks once you have completed a single run of either Lental Seafloor Illumina Spot, Fireflow Volcano Illumina Spot, or Elsewhere Forest Illumina Spot. Completing the other two will unlock alternate routes. |
| Shiver Snowfields (Day) | Durice Island | Take photos of all four Illumina Pokemon on the Florio Nature Park, Lental Seafloor, Fireflow Volcano, and Elsewhere Forest Illumina Spots. |
| Shiver Snowfields (Night) | Durice Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Shiver Snowfields (Day). |
| Blushing Beach (Night) | Maricopia Islands | Reach Research Level 2 on Shiver Snowfields (Night). |
| Outaway Cave | Durice Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Shiver Snowfields (Night). |
| Outaway Cave Illumina Spot | Durice Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Outaway Cave and take the alternate route. |
| Ruins of Remembrance | Aurus Island | Reach Research Level 2 on Outaway Cave, then replay the level and take the alternate path. Scan and photograph the Ancient Ruins when prompted. |
| Ruins of Remembrance Illumina Spot | Aurus Island | In the Ruins of Remembrance, light up all Crystabloom with Illumina Orbs. |
| Maricopia Reef (Evening) | Maricopia Islands | Complete the main story. |
For more on how to make the most of your time exploring in New Pokemon Snap, check out our guide on how to get behind the waterfall in Founja Jungle.
Or have a look at our comprehensive list of how to complete all LenTalk Requests in Florio Nature Park.