An example of a snapshot in Brawl.
Snapshots are image files used to save certain moments of gameplay. They were introduced in Super Smash Bros. Melee; during a Camera Melee match, a player could use a virtual camera to take pictures. Taking a snapshot required one to enter Camera mode and use the controller in port 4 to control the camera. The snapshot would save to the GameCube memory card, leaving the feature rather limited; snapshots could be viewed in-game, but nothing else.
Brawl improves on the idea, and implements it in a much more useful fashion. Snapshots can be taken in any mode (except Training, Stadium and Wi-Fi modes, although it's still possible to take snapshots from their Replays), using the pause screen's camera. Snapshots can be saved either directly on the Wii or to an SD card. The amount of pictures is only limited based on the size of the memory storage location, and pictures can be sent to friends via Wi-fi.
Note that the snapshot files when saved to the SD card are encrypted (so that Brawl doesn't read every image as a snapshot like the Photo Channel) and thus will need to be decrypted before they can be viewed on a computer. Decrypted snapshots wind up in .jpg format and appear squashed when taken in widescreen mode.
The feature made a return in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. An SD Card was required to take snapshots. However, due to the photo limit on the Nintendo 3DS, snapshots couldn't be saved to the SD Card whenever the card's photo limit was reached.
Since the Nintendo Switch came with an album and the ability to take screenshots, the album feature was not added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. However, snapshot taking was added in the game's pause menu. Snapshots taken were added to the Switch's album, but, like the 3DS, had screenshot limits. The system itself was able to hold up to 1,000 screenshots, but using a microSD card, the card could hold up to 10,000 screenshots.
External links[]
- SSBB Snapshot files. We need to crack em! - the topic where much of the snapshot decoding went on
- BrawlSnapshots.com snapshot decryptor and community for snapshot sharing