If you don't already have "Pokemon Go," it's likely you know at least a few people who do. And with stories flying around about all the pros and cons of the new Nintendo app, sometimes it's nice to consider the littler things.

I downloaded "Pokemon Go" on Wednesday when it launched and was very quickly faced with confusion as to how I could progress and frustration at long loading times and downed servers. Every so often I'd open the app, struggle with it for a minute or two, and then give up. That was until I booted it up tonight.

I had to run to Mansfield Crossing, a local outdoor mall, to pick up some stuff. It's a place I've been to countless times before; it's where I buy my video games and pet supplies as well as a place to go on dates or with friends. So while there tonight, I figured I may as well boot up "Pokemon Go," and what I got was something very different.

Suddenly, everything worked smoothly. My character was walking in sync with my real world steps and there were Pokemon all around me and I quickly began flicking Pokeballs in their direction. I captured quite a few monsters before I noticed something else on my map. There was a checkpoint, known in-game as a Pokestop, down by the pond. In all my years of going to Mansfield Crossing, never once had I gone down by the river. That changed because of "Pokemon Go." I followed the app down a little dirt path, and when I glance up from my screen I discovered something more than just new animated creatures to collect. I saw a little pond that looked quite beautiful with the setting sun reflected on its surface. I even saw a bunny (a real, live one; not a Pikachu) hop across the path before me.

"Pokemon Go" may be another type of video game, but it is one that opens up some interesting possibilities. I never knew what a nice sight I was missing out on, and "Pokemon Go" was the key to rectifying that. For those willing to immerse themselves in the app, it is quite possible that they will wander into unfamiliar parts of unfamiliar areas. As folks discover new types of Pokemon maybe, like me, they can also make some real-world discoveries too. The unique style of gameplay in "Pokemon Go" really brings the real world into the game and encourages people to do some real-life adventuring and exploring.

Of course, there will be stories about people distracted by their phones, but smart players should be able to balance the gaming world with the real world and maybe find some secrets in their own backyard to go along with that hard-earned Dragonite.