For anyone my age, the late 90s had a lot of memorable bits and pieces, but let’s be real, the name of the game was Pokémon; from trading cards, to the cartoon without forgetting the Game-Boy games. Since then, we’ve kept that stuff in our closets and in the back of our minds unless someone brings it up while drinking because they still believe the 90s were the best years of their life, even if they were only 7 years old.
Now that we’re a lot older and technology has evolved a ton, our savior, a mix of nostalgia and active playing, has emerged from the depths of Japan and the App Store. I had heard of the existence of this game about a year ago and now that it’s here, I can’t stop looking at my phone for any PokéStops or Jigglypuffs. This is when most would say: “You’re not going to do anything but play on your phone.” Wrong! We have to move around, just like in the game, to get anything done. This is where my sport science/tech mind starts being hopeful.
This game is a perfect balance of virtual gaming and reality. Of course moving gets annoying after a while, but just like in the game you have to move from one place to another. Actually, you can walk, bike or drive, but no Pidgeotto to fly you anywhere. I know after a while it seems ridiculous to walk around downtown looking for invisible angry little Japanese animals, but for once people can truly play a game while being outside and being active. Didn’t we all wish 15 years ago that we could live in a world where we could catch them all? Here you go.
Personally, I was just in a coffee shop the other day waiting for the overwhelmed servers to let me play the game and once it allowed me back on, I started walking around with my phone in one hand and my coffee in the other. I believe that in larger towns and cities, where walking is a more accessible practice, that this game will push people to get out of their rooms and onto the streets. I’m not saying this will make you lose 20 pounds or fight obesity, but it might be a start.
I’m kind of looking forward to walking down the street and see a fellow trainer stopping in the middle of the crowd to catch a new Pokémon. Even if all the girlfriends/boyfriends are getting annoyed with us, this game is revolutionary. We don’t need to wear VR headsets and it’s free! Similarly to most games, the hype will die down and most of us will forget our little friends in the back of our iPhones, but for the true fans, the game will only be starting.
Until then, stay patient with the servers and remember you’re living your childhood dream. Get out there and catch’em all!
Also don’t drive and play, just ask your friends to drive you around!
