3 Reasons Why Pokémon Go is Actually Fun | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

3 Reasons Why Pokémon Go is Actually Fun

Believe it or now, Pokemon Go, despite being completely broken, is actually kind of fun

174
3 Reasons Why Pokémon Go is Actually Fun
PC Advisor

Pokémon go has given people something to look forward to in times that have not been so great. Here are three reasons why:

1.) It Tricks You Into Exercising

When you reach level five in Pokémon go two important things happened. One, you learn about eggs -- which you must place in an incubator and then to walk certain number of kilometers to hatch them. On a side note, if this doesn't bring the United States into the metric system I don't think anything ever will. It is as this point I realized that maybe those theories about Pokemon Go being a secret government surveillance program might have some merit. But if it is, I'm pretty sure it was concocted by the department of health to get us off our lazy asses for a change. Nice try government! YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ME TO EXERCISE THAT EASILY!


2.) People Love Imaginary Rivalries

Two, you're asked to join a team. Much like how Iron Man was asked to join the Avengers, except if there were three different teams with three different colored Samuel L. Jacksons. You're not given much of an explanation as to why or what the benefits are to joining a team. Indeed, as far as I can tell, there isn any. Well, anyway, there are three teams to choose from: Valor, Mystic, and Instinct. The differences between the teams are pretty ambiguous. Valor claims to be all about power; Mystic is values wisdom; and Instinct... umm... likes eggs.

As I said before, the team you join doesn't have any actual affect on the gameplay, but that hasn't stopped players from turning it into a three-way rivalry that has completely overtaken the internet. While most people seem to treat it as a friendly rivalry, for some, it has become incredibly intense. I think the reason this works is because people love to be on a team. More importantly, people love to be on a team opposing other teams that aren't them. Doesn't matter who or why, just as long as there is a "them" to hate. I'm pretty sure that's the foundation of every sports league ever. So it's no surprise that people I've taken to the idea of being part of these teams even though it means absolutely nothing. It's actually a pretty nice analogy for the game, it's a feature that doesn't really mean anything but somehow works in some insane way no one could have predicted.

Pokemon Go is incredibly broken and dysfunctional, yet somehow cobbles itself into something that works. Like a car put together with spare parts or any kind of political ideology.

3.) It represents the best aspects of video games

So why is Pokémon go popular? It's terrible. But then again a lot of terrible things are popular. But I think it's a lot more than that. Pokémon go really isn't about the game. The game itself is simply just a gateway into the community. I think this is one the most powerful aspects of video games. When you find other people that like the game you play you become part of a secret club, a community that is yours. It's one of the reasons why there's so much intense competition video games. We all want to belong to something. And video games allow us to belong six bigger than ourselves. I finally figured out why Pokémon Go is special one night while I was observing some other players in my downtown area play. I noticed that but huge group gathered in one spot in front of the library doors.

When I went over to check it out I learned that someone had spotted A Wartortle nearby and that everyone was trying to figure out where to go on. People were talking to each other taking each other's phones laughing showing mutual frustration. None of these people knew each other, and yet they were all connected by this one event. It may seem strange and even a little silly for a bunch of people to be so intensely hunting down a virtual monster. But it's not really about the monster, it's about camaraderie between people. Pokémon Go does the one thing video games of always done better than almost any other entertainment medium, it brings people together.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
two women enjoying confetti

Summer: a time (usually) free from school work and a time to relax with your friends and family. Maybe you go on a vacation or maybe you work all summer, but the time off really does help. When you're in college you become super close with so many people it's hard to think that you won't see many of them for three months. But, then you get that text saying, "Hey, clear your schedule next weekend, I'm coming up" and you begin to flip out. Here are the emotions you go through as your best friend makes her trip to your house.

Keep Reading...Show less
Kourtney Kardashian

Winter break is over, we're all back at our respective colleges, and the first week of classes is underway. This is a little bit how that week tends to go.

The professor starts to go over something more than the syllabus

You get homework assigned on the first day of class

There are multiple group projects on the syllabus

You learn attendance is mandatory and will be taken every class

Professor starts chatting about their personal life and what inspired them to teach this class

Participation is mandatory and you have to play "icebreaker games"

Everybody is going out because its 'syllabus week' but you're laying in bed watching Grey's Anatomy

Looking outside anytime past 8 PM every night of this week

Nobody actually has any idea what's happening this entire week

Syllabus week is over and you realize you actually have to try now...or not

Now it's time to get back into the REAL swing of things. Second semester is really here and we all have to deal with it.

panera bread

Whether you specialized in ringing people up or preparing the food, if you worked at Panera Bread it holds a special place in your heart. Here are some signs that you worked at Panera in high school.

1. You own so many pairs of khaki pants you don’t even know what to do with them

Definitely the worst part about working at Panera was the uniform and having someone cute come in. Please don’t look at me in my hat.

Keep Reading...Show less
Drake
Hypetrak

1. Nails done hair done everything did / Oh you fancy huh

You're pretty much feeling yourself. New haircut, clothes, shoes, everything. New year, new you, right? You're ready for this semester to kick off.

Keep Reading...Show less
7 Ways to Make Your Language More Transgender and Nonbinary Inclusive

With more people becoming aware of transgender and non-binary people, there have been a lot of questions circulating online and elsewhere about how to be more inclusive. Language is very important in making a space safer for trans and non-binary individuals. With language, there is an established and built-in measure of whether a place could be safe or unsafe. If the wrong language is used, the place is unsafe and shows a lack of education on trans and non-binary issues. With the right language and education, there can be more safe spaces for trans and non-binary people to exist without feeling the need to hide their identities or feel threatened for merely existing.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments