On July 6, Pokemon fans around the world were finally given what they had been waiting years to receive: "Pokemon GO," an augmented reality game which enables users to catch and battle Pokemon in the real world. By tracking your GPS location, "GO" follows users around their cities as Pokemon pop up in their paths. The game also has multiple spots, called PokeStops, for players to collect boosters. These spots encourage players to explore their surroundings, and are often placed at cool places, pieces of art and cultural spots around town.
As more users began logging on, the internet exploded with statuses, pictures and videos of their "Pokemon" experiences. And soon after, parents and grandparents became very confused.
Created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995, The Pokemon Company, which began with a set of games for the original Game Boy, has created trading cards, television shows, movies, and entertainment for over 20 years. Because of this 1995 creation date, "Pokemon" existed firmly in the childhoods of today's 20-somethings. Growing up with multiple forms of "Pokemon" in the world, millennials everywhere fell in love with the franchise. "Pokemon GO" is effectively bringing back the childhood love of "Pokemon" that thousands of young adults once had, and they are doing it extremely effectively.
"Pokemon GO" has many amazing qualities:
1. It's free to play.
Anyone with a smartphone can download and play "Pokemon GO" for absolutely nothing. While money can be spent in-game, it isn't necessary.
2. You have to go outside to play.
"GO" encourages activity. To find Pokemon, receive boosters, hatch eggs and basically do anything in the game, you have to move (and not just inside your house).
3. You meet people just like you.
A great spot to play is on campus, as there are many different types of Pokemon as well as PokeStops. As I walked around my own campus, I ran into at least 30 other people playing as well. We struck up conversations, introduced ourselves and ended up walking as a group.
4. You don't have to know anything about "Pokemon" to play it.
While many long-time fans are excited to see their favorite monsters lurking around their houses, you can enjoy this game regardless of your "Pokemon" expertise.
While many people may brush this game off as childish and stupid, it is much more than that. "Pokemon GO" is a game unlike any other. Encouraging exercise and socializing while still providing an enjoyable gaming experience, "Pokemon GO" is quickly becoming on of the most popular games in the App Store, and these stats are likely to continue to rise as time goes on. The future of "Pokemon GO" is still a little murky, but I definitely see a bright future for this one-of-a-kind gaming experience.