Pokemon Go! The hottest, newest app for Android and iPhone allows those of us who grew up in the "Golden Age"- when Ash was first shocked by Pikachu- to finally be able to catch our own Pokemon! If you listen closely you can still hear the 90's babies all screaming internally... and out loud.
First things first, what is Pokémon Go? According to our dear pal Wikipedia "The game allows players to capture, battle, train, and trade virtual Pokémon who appear throughout the real world." By real world, they do mean real world! Your character you create at the beginning is directly synced to your physical location. So, location service is a must have. The character walks where you walk, also having a virtual maps of the streets and parks near you. The app's map also displays special places around real world landmarks. These are places where a shop or special items can be located. Each gameplay will be different as locations vary. Water types will be near water, normal types will be in urban areas, and dark types you can catch at nighttime. The game overall has a pretty good accuracy and immersion rating.
As a child growing up with Pokémon and Digimon, I was very excited to see that there was a way to bring all my childhood fantasies of catching and training Pokémon to life. As soon as I heard that the app had finally launched, I downloaded it as fast as possible. At first, Professor Willow threw me off, but after going through the basics of "Are you a boy or girl?" and "What do you want to be called?" I felt like I was 7 again, stealing my sister's GameBoy Advance and playing the game for hours on end.
At first, when I was trying to flick the PokéBall at Squirtle, I was frustrated. Because I have no aim whatsoever. But after the ball clasped and wiggled three times, I was satisfied. And then came the scary part. Having to walk around in the "real world" to catch all the Pokémon around me. Most, if not all, of which are Rattatas.
Number 1. Don't go out alone.
There are some shady people walking around, especially at night, be careful not to go alone. And if your friends are on different teams, find new friends. (I'm kidding. #teamharmony)
Number 2. WATCH YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
That cute little warning at the loading screen isn't telling you to watch your surroundings in game (like I originally thought) it's telling you to watch you Real Life surroundings, especially if you aren't familiar with the area. The Game can only do so much direction wise.
Number 3. Invest in a backpack and battery pack.
Whether you plan on being out all day or all night, have a pack of some kind to store water and a battery pack, you'll thank me later, because this game eats up data and battery like Pikachu eats up our hearts <3
Number 4. Swipe-Tap-Swipe-Tap-Tap-Long Hold
If you go into a Gym to take it over, remember that by swiping, you CAN dodge the real-time attacks of the Pokémon defenders. And, once the blue bars under your health are filling up or full, you can use your special attacks by holding for just a second longer.
Number 5. Have fun.
This is definitely the hardest to do when your best friend on Team Valor keeps swooping into the gym and taking over, so you have to jump in with a Starmie and take out their Flareon to crush their dreams- That's off topic. But seriously, this game was made to bring people together, Don't take it too seriously, and just have fun!
Stay safe Trainers!
