Everywhere I turned this past month of July, I saw children and adults glued to their phones in the middle of public places running after something. I saw people walk into Target, stand there for 10 minutes staring at their phone, and then leave, without even looking around at any merchandise. I had no idea what the heck everyone was doing until I discovered Pokemon Go for myself.
For those of you who live in a box, here is an extremely brief summary:
Pokemon Go is an interactive game that was released in July. This app allows players to use their phones to capture various Pokemon creatures that are roaming around the earth.
I must admit, I wouldn't consider myself a gamer at all. I never get into things like this. I only used it for three days because the battery life on my phone died too quickly and I am way too busy to keep up with it. However, I did enjoy my time with this app. For a solid 72 hours, I was looking up the nearest poke ball stops, googling the different creatures, and running around the world.
To sum up my experience, here are 5 reasons why I think the game Pokemon Go is absolutely brilliant:
1. You didn't have to grow up watching the show Pokemon.
Although having prior background information of the TV series and the different creatures probably makes this process more enjoyable, it is not necessary. I never got into Pokemon as a child, but I still had a great time using this app. However, if you have been a fan of Pokemon for a long time, your dream probably just came true.
2. It requires users to actually go outdoors.
Wow! It is 2016 and children are playing outside? Unfortunately, this type of activity isn't exactly the norm for children of this day and age. However, this app allows children (and adults) the pleasure of exploring the great outdoors. Traditional video games and apps are usually played sitting down starring at the screen, but not Pokemon Go.
3. Physical activity somehow happens.
You might either be running. You might be walking. You might be skipping. You might be jumping. Whatever you need to do to catch them all! Really the only action required is walking, but I have seen many children running through my neighborhood because they are so excited about it. It is great to have a modern day video game that excites you to the point of getting up and moving.
4. The app allows you to capture the moment.
The other day I was having a nice romantic dinner with my boyfriend at Olive Garden, when suddenly a Pokemon creature appeared on our table! So naturally we took a picture of the hilarious moment. Users can do this just by switching to the camera setting on their phone. So many great moments have been captured because of this app! It's great to have these memories that can last us for a life time.
5. Most people like to play it with another person.
Comparing which creatures you've caught to others is another great thing about this app. You can go hunting in groups! Not only is it more fun, but it is definitely more safe when you decide to go searching when it is dark outside! This also makes for great memories that are going to outlast just the casual trend of this app!
So no matter if catching wild Pokemon is your thing or not, just take time to enjoy the trend! The memories we make from Pokemon Go are stories we are going to tell for years and years to come.
