You've probably seen adults and kids alike staring at their phones for the past couple of days looking like zombies. The reason behind that is that the popular Pokemon are back and better than ever. Pokemon was created back in 1995 and the '90s generation grew up on it, whether playing it on their Game Boy Advance or Game Boy Color, like I did. It was really popular back then, but now, it's becoming the next big thing in today's world with the creation of Pokemon GO.
This edition of the game uses your GPS to help you find Pokemon around you and find Poke Stops, where you can receive poke balls to help catch Pokemon among other cool items. There are also certain places that have gyms around them, and you can battle other Pokemon. Some are harder to find than others, so you have to go to all kinds of places to search for them.
One thing I've noticed is that even in the crazy world we live in today and all of the separation we have here in the U.S., people of all ages and races are coming together to play the game. I've seen this happen firsthand while searching for Pokemon on my college campus and seeing groups of people downtown searching for them. Honestly, I think that's one of the really good things about this game. It's bringing people together, and its players are meeting new people that wouldn't have crossed paths otherwise. A friend and I went to UL Lafayette's campus, and we saw at least 20 or 30 other people searching for Pokemon, just like we were. It's really cool to see all kinds of people playing.
Another thing the game is good for is exercising. With the old Pokemon games, you didn't have to search for Pokemon on foot, so you would just play in the car on a long road trip or play in your room. The new game forces you to travel to places around town and even other cities to find them. Some of the Poke Stops give you eggs, and in order to hatch them, you have to walk a certain amount of kilometers. They have three different amounts of kilometers: 2, 5 and 10, where the more rare Pokemon are in the 10 kilometer eggs. It actually gets you moving around, unlike most games and apps.
Businesses are also getting in on the fun. They have different deals going on as well as creating Pokemon related food. Some places are Poke Stops or have gyms near them and ask you to buy something inside if you are searching for Pokemon and some places even offer a discount. Some areas, such as college campuses and zoos, have tons of Poke Stops and gyms in them or around them.
One of the coolest things about the game is you never know who you will come across or what you will see. Some of the Poke Stops around you are really interesting or are near things you've never seen before. When my friend and I went to campus one night, we found out that one of the Poke Stops is actually a time capsule. It took us a little while to find it, but it was definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen and it's the first time I've seen it in the five years I've been a student.
A little word of advice, do not play Pokemon GO and drive. It is dangerous, and you could get injured. It's also illegal.
Geaux Team Mystic!
