When I was growing up I absolutely loved Pokémon. I would wake up to watch the show every single morning. Once every week or so my parents would take my brother and I to the comic store downtown and let us each buy a pack of Pokémon cards. I had everything you could imagine: the trading cards, a Pokedex, all the Pokémon figures, and of course all of the Pokémon video games for Gameboy and Nintendo 64 (Pokémon Stadium is easily one of my favorite games to date).
Yes, I am 20 years old and a college student but I would be lying if I said I didn’t get ridiculously excited when I discovered that Netflix put all the original episodes of Pokémon on their website/app last year. I would also be lying if I said I didn’t watch every single episode once I had made the discovery. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up in more than one episode. Yet again, I would be lying if I said that throughout high school and even to this day I didn’t still play the Pokémon Gameboy games.
When I was little, being a Pokémon trainer sounded like the greatest thing in the world. Pokémon trainers got to travel the world and catch these cool little creatures, then battle other people in an attempt to be the best. Who am I kidding – being a Pokémon trainer still sounds like the greatest thing in the world.
Luckily for me and my fellow nerds/90’s kids – being a Pokémon trainer (or the closest thing we’ll probably ever get) in real life is actually happening.
Early last week Nintendo and The Pokémon Company announced their newest concept, Pokémon Go, which is set to release in 2016. Pokémon Go is a program that will allow us to discover Pokémon in the real world and in the communities around us. It consists of an app that is downloadable for both iPhone and Androids. There is also a device called Pokémon Go Plus - a wearable accessory that allows you to play while not looking at your smart phone. So basically if you’re out walking around and there is a Pikachu hanging out in your back yard the wearable would buzz and flash while the app will allow you to attempt to catch the Pikachu. You can battle other people and also trade Pokémon that you have previously caught. Although a ton of information has yet to be released, more information will be released over the next year.
One thing I love about this entire concept is that although it can be considered a video game, it requires you to move around and encourages you to stay off of your phone (by use of the plus accessory).
You best believe that I will be one of the first people in line for this. While I don’t think I’m going to drop out of college to become a Pokémon trainer, I do think this is an interesting concept that has great potential and I am looking forward to seeing what it is like.
I assume, much like myself, some of my fellow 90’s kids (who aren’t afraid to embrace their nerdy side) are going to relieve one of their first dreams and be on their journey to "catch ‘em all" too.
Here is the official website's video:
