To be real honest, I was never a Pokémon fan growing up. I vaguely remember my sister having a stuffed Pikachu and maybe a Poké Ball, but I never got into the TV series or was a fan of the cards. Now that I live with two boys, I realize just how big Pokémon was for our generation when we were children.
Recently, Niantic released an “augmented-reality” game for iOS and Android devices named Pokémon Go. The game allows users to hunt, capture, battle, trade, and train Pokémon who appear in various real-life locations. Sounds level-99-nerdy, right?
When my boyfriend first came home and showed me the app, I was less than impressed. Not long after that, I noticed nearly all of the posts I viewed on social media in recent days were in relation to the game, and was baffled at its popularity after less than a week on the market. After the game began interfering with our relationship (my boyfriend would “capture” a Pokémon on my face DURING DINNER and be so proud), I decided to download the stupid app and see what all the fuss was about.
Big mistake.
My phone is never charged (just a little warning- this game will drain your battery life in no time), I've used all my data for the month in a single night, and I find myself walking around aimlessly looking for more Pokémon to capture. The first hour I downloaded the game, I racked up 7 Pokémon and visited two “PokéSpots”. I was a girl addicted. Addicted to a game about a subject I couldn’t be less interested in. Something about the fact the game uses your real location and your own phone camera to bring the characters into your own world really drew me in.
Another thing that Niantic should be praised for is the games unique framework. In order to “succeed” at the game (in order to capture more and more Pokémon) the users have to go OUTSIDE, WALK AROUND and BE ACTIVE. Finally, there is an app that is both highly addictive and fun, but also strongly encourages its users to get outside. To bike. To walk. To explore. To get off the damn couch. Niantic brilliantly created an epidemic that will actually help improve people’s lives, all while disguised as a game you wish were around when you were 10. Instead of spending my night at the bar dropping $100 and getting drunk, I was out exploring different parts of Omaha to level-up and catch up to where my roommates were. Genius.
For those of you who are in deep with Pokemon Go, I have some pointer and tips you may not know:
1. If you just downloaded the app (congrats-welcome aboard), ignore the first three Pokemon presented. If you walk away from the Pokemon four times, the next time they appear they will have Pikachu accompanying them. MAJOR YES.
2. The leaves rustling on your map are Pokemon "hiding"
3. Going out at night, or near water will bring out different types of Pokemon (Nocturnal and water-type)
4. The ring around the wild Pokemon you're attempting to catch? Pay attention to it. The smaller that ring is, the more likely you are to capture that Pokemon
5. The color of the ring lets you know how hard it is to capture the Pokemon. (Green=Easy, Yellow=Moderate, Red=Difficult)
6. The Pokemon menu (bottom right on main screen) shows you what Pokemon may be nearly...but the footprints below it also indicates how close said Pokemon is (one footprint-SUPER CLOSE)
7. Send your duplicates to Professor Willow to gain candy and make your Pokemon stronger, or evolve it
8. You can turn off your augmented reality if catching the Pokemon proves to be difficult (although come on--that's the best part!)
That's all I got for now--but hey, I'm only on level 7.
Love,
-A
