The craze is alive and well across our nation. Just taking a quick walk downtown or turning on your local news channel will show just how massively popular the new Pokemon GO app has become. For those of you who may have somehow missed it, Pokemon GO is a virtual reality app that allows players to capture Pokemon (pocket monsters) in programmed locations around their city.

Pokemon GO hasn't been without negative publicity. The game has garnered its fair share of critics who have noted the various safety concerns that revolve around the idea of people, particularly children, mindlessly wandering around parts of their city where they might not otherwise travel.

Gimmicky at times and far from perfect, I am still under the belief that Pokemon GO is exactly the breath of fresh air we needed here in 2016. Here are some reasons.

1. Getting out into the great outdoors

Because let's face it, catching virtual monsters was the only thing that would actually get us into this summer heat. It's actually overwhelming to see just how many people are out roaming the sidewalks and parks looking for their next monster. Pokemon GO has even received a friendly reminder from the National Park Service's twitter page to make sure to stay safe and look up from their cellphone every once in a while.

2. Quality Exercise

A Pokemon tracker in the app gives you an estimate on how far you are from the nearest wild Pokemon. One paw print meaning a monster is nearby, two a bit further and three being a good distance away. The game also features eggs that will only hatch once you've walked a certain distance. What happens when that elusive rare Pokemon is three paw prints away or you've got an egg that needs hatching? Lace up a comfortable pair of shoes and prepare to burn some calories out there.

3. Boom for local businesses

Virtual locations are also a key component to the the Pokemon GO universe. The games features PokeStops for picking up supplies and Gyms where you can battle your fellow trainers. These locations are strategically placed on landmarks and places of interest in your city. I'd noticed in my own hometown that many of those locations are locally owned establishments. Seriously, what's better than your favorite local food joint combined with battling virtual monsters?

4. A blast of nostalgia

The first Pokemon Game Boy game was released in the U.S. back in 1998. That's 18 years of Pokemon goodness here in the States! The nostalgia was real when I first loaded up the app and selected my starter. What's so unique about this particular edition to the Pokemon gaming family is the level of immersion. Never before have we been able to dive so deep into the Pokemon universe. The game is not only groundbreaking for the Pokemon franchise, but video games in general. Whether you're a Pokemon veteran or a new-comer to the party, Pokemon GO offers endless entertainment.

5. Uniting the masses

In a time of great political division and inequality, it's always encouraging to find common interests to unite us as human beings. Sure this is merely a video game that will one day be deleted from our iPhones to make room for the next big thing, but right now it is so much more than that. Players of all backgrounds are uniting for the common cause of "catching 'em all." The only real dividing line in the game is deciding upon which of the three teams you will join (Team Valor being the best, of course.) Those strangers you'd pass on the street are now your loyal allies.

I don't know what the future holds for Pokemon GO or just how long it will have us all in a frenzy, but I do know that for a few fleeting moments, we all have the opportunity to be kids again. Maybe, just maybe, that's exactly what we've so desperately needed.