A forgotten piece of Nintendo DS history has emerged from the shadows. EA Create: Snap, an unreleased photography game developed for the Nintendo DSi back in 2009, has been dumped and preserved by dedicated gaming archivists. The prototype offers a fascinating glimpse into what could have been a unique addition to EA’s Create series, designed specifically to take advantage of the DSi’s built-in camera.
What Was EA Create: Snap
EA Create: Snap was developed by Barking Lizards Technologies, a Texas-based studio that worked on various handheld titles during the 2000s. The game was meant to be a portable photography studio that leveraged the Nintendo DSi’s camera functionality, which was introduced when Nintendo released the upgraded handheld in 2009. Unlike standard DS and DS Lite models, the DSi featured two cameras, opening up possibilities for photo-centric gameplay that hadn’t existed before on Nintendo handhelds.
The game was part of EA’s Create franchise, which focused on creative, accessible titles aimed at younger audiences. While other games in the series like MySims Camera eventually made it to DSiWare, Create: Snap remained locked away as an unreleased prototype, never making it past development stages.
How the Game Was Preserved
The prototype was dumped and preserved in early 2025 by game preservationists, with gameplay footage appearing on YouTube in March 2025. The gaming community got its first real look at this lost piece of DS history when Hard4Games shared details about the preservation effort. According to their coverage, the prototype represents an early build of what was intended to be a full retail release for the DSi.
The preserved ROM has since been made available through Hidden Palace, a website dedicated to archiving video game prototypes and unreleased content. This allows researchers, enthusiasts, and curious gamers to experience a piece of cancelled gaming history that would have otherwise been lost forever. The prototype showcases various photography features and editing tools that were planned for the final release.
Why DSi Camera Games Never Took Off
The Nintendo DSi’s camera capabilities seemed promising when the console launched, but camera-focused games never quite found their audience. Part of the problem was that DSi-enhanced games had to remain backward compatible with older DS models, which meant core gameplay couldn’t rely entirely on camera functionality. This created a design challenge where developers had to build games that worked on all DS systems while offering enhanced features for DSi owners.
EA did eventually release MySims Camera as DSiWare, but the market for these types of experiences remained niche. The relatively low quality of the DSi’s cameras compared to dedicated digital cameras and emerging smartphones also limited the appeal. By the time the 3DS launched in 2011, the focus had shifted to stereoscopic 3D rather than photography features, and camera-based gaming on Nintendo handhelds faded into obscurity.
The Fate of Barking Lizards Technologies
Barking Lizards Technologies, the studio behind Create: Snap, was founded in 2001 and based in Richardson, Texas. The company developed games across multiple platforms including PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP, and Wii. They worked with major publishers like THQ and Activision, utilizing their proprietary Whiptail game engine designed specifically for handheld development.
The studio’s closure meant that projects like EA Create: Snap were abandoned, with prototypes sitting on development hardware for years. The recent preservation effort ensures that at least some record of their work survives for gaming historians and enthusiasts to study.
FAQs
Can I play EA Create: Snap on my Nintendo DS?
The preserved prototype can be played on a Nintendo DSi or 3DS through homebrew methods, or via DS emulators on PC. However, it requires the DSi camera functionality to work properly, so it won’t be fully playable on original DS or DS Lite systems.
Why was EA Create: Snap cancelled?
While EA never officially announced why the game was cancelled, it likely came down to market viability. DSi-enhanced games had a limited audience since they required the newer hardware, and camera-based gaming proved to be a hard sell for consumers.
What other games were in the EA Create series?
The EA Create series included several titles focused on creative gameplay, such as Create (2010) for various consoles, MySims Camera for DSiWare, and other casual creative titles aimed at family audiences.
Is game preservation legal?
Game preservation exists in a legal gray area. While archiving unreleased prototypes helps preserve gaming history, copyright laws still apply. Organizations like Hidden Palace focus on documentation and preservation for historical and research purposes.
What happened to Barking Lizards Technologies?
Barking Lizards Technologies was an American game developer based in Richardson, Texas, that worked on various handheld and console titles through the 2000s. The studio eventually closed, leaving projects like EA Create: Snap unfinished.
Are there other unreleased Nintendo DS games?
Yes, numerous DS and 3DS games were cancelled over the years, including high-profile titles like Mega Man Legends 3, Assassin’s Creed: Lost Legacy, and various other projects from both major publishers and indie developers.
How do game preservationists find unreleased games?
Preservationists often acquire prototypes through former developers, private collectors, and occasionally from discarded development hardware found at auctions or online marketplaces. Once obtained, they dump the ROM data and make it available for research and historical purposes.
Conclusion
EA Create: Snap represents a fascinating what-if scenario in Nintendo DS history. While it never became the photography powerhouse EA might have hoped for, its preservation allows us to understand the creative risks developers were willing to take with the DSi’s unique hardware. The game serves as a reminder that for every successful release, there are dozens of cancelled projects that pushed boundaries and experimented with new ideas. Thanks to the efforts of game preservationists, this particular piece of gaming history won’t be lost to time, even if it never made it to store shelves. For enthusiasts of handheld gaming and Nintendo history, EA Create: Snap offers a unique window into the experimental era of DSi development, when studios were still figuring out how to make the most of Nintendo’s camera-equipped handheld.