Grab your back packs, put on some sunscreen and spin your snap back around; Pokemon GO is officially here.
As many Millennials will agree, Pokémon is one of the biggest and most influential parts of our early childhood. If you weren’t playing the card game, searching for the best decks or playing the Gameboy color to level up your team, then you were watching anime and buying the poke balls with gold plated Pokémon inside. Pokémon is one the biggest cultural phenomenons of the 90’s that has continued into today. Every poké fan has waited for their moment to become a trainer, and now Pokémon has answered our prayers.
The game interface is a lot different than that of the Gameboy color, DS of old. Now, instead of fighting wild Pokémon, you simply just catch them. The game itself currently only goes up to the first generation of Pokémon (aka the Kanto Region) which is 150 Pokémon. Pokémon show up based on location, time of day and weather; this is the reason I’ve caught 1000 Pidgey’s and some people get to catch Vulpix’s in other parts of the country…but I digress.
Pokémon GO also gives you the option to battle gyms that are set up at local landmarks everywhere. Each person must pick one of three teams to battle under, there is Instinct (yellow), Mystic (Blue) and Valor (Red). Go Team Mystic!
You will find, at least on UNCW’s campus, hoards of people crowded around the local gyms battling each other. It’s fun and honestly hilarious, the Clocktower has never been more popular. I’ve watched people sprint down chancellors to catch a Dratini and a Pikachu. This game is intense. The game also requires you to constantly be on the move, I’ve made my 10,000 steps every day with this app.
So does this game have a downfall? Not really unless you count how obsessive it can make you. I’ve watched people whip into a parking lot just so that they could catch a Krabby. Krabby isn’t even that cool! Imagine if it had been a Snorlax. I myself roamed and scoured the woods behind campus for nearly two hours to find a Drowzee. I never did find it but I did find a stop sign to give to my friend for their birthday. So it could have been worse.
There have been interesting stories coming out about players like the girl who found a dead body and the guy who has a gym over his house and just can’t seem to get kids to leave. People are incredibly dedicated to this game and it makes the experience even more enjoyable.
This game is fun for all ages, though mostly adults are playing it right now. it is something that can bring people together. I’ve watched more strangers become instant friends because they ran into each other hunting Pokémon this week than I have in my entire life. This game has built a community of people who just love nostalgia and want to have fun with it. Pokémon GO isn’t just a game on your phone, it’s an experience with a community of people who love it as much as you do. In a time of so much pain and heartbreak going on in our country and around the world, Pokémon GO is a welcome distraction and serves to remind people that people are still good. So go out and catch them all, it’s your time to shine.
