If you've been paying attention to social media in the past week, you'll know why you're seeing so many kids walking around outside. In what I would call Michelle Obama's dream come true, a new craze has taken the millennial generation by storm. After a long period of waiting, "Pokemon Go" was finally released.
"Pokemon" was originally created in 1995 by Satoshi Tajiri. The franchise centers around "pocket monsters," or, "pokemon." These creatures roam around in the wild, and trainers use pokeballs to catch them, in hopes of training them to become stronger and evolve into more powerful forms. It took the world by storm, and I know people who run the game from middle school to working class citizen who are obsessed with it. It's not difficult to see the appeal: there's such a variety in pokemon, of course we want to catch 'em all, and be the best like no one ever was.
Besides the long-running television series, the franchise has also released video games that consume hours of the day. It's always been an adventure among my friends to crowd around with the Nintendo DS and try to catch pokemon as they wandered around in this virtual reality. However, this was a time where video games were seen as a problem by many people, because they kept children inside and inactive, and it's still an issue to this day.
This is where things get interesting, and why I believe the newest addition to the Pokemon universe will change the way we play video games. "Pokemon Go" takes the game we all know and love, and adds a sorely needed element of reality to it. Unlike the DS versions, where you roam around in the game and the virtual world, "Pokemon Go" requires actual physical activity to catch pokemon. You create a character, like you would any adventure game. However, the character doesn't move around unless you do. You actually have to physically move in order for your character to move on the map. Yes, that means you will have to step outside and go for a walk if you want any pokemon.
Of course, this isn't exactly revolutionary. Many gaming platforms have already attempted to mix exercise and video games together, to varying degrees of success. "Wii Fit" is the one that pops into my head immediately. With the Wii remote, you have to stand and move your body like you were actually playing a real game of baseball or golf. I personally enjoyed it, but there was something still missing. There wasn't an element of excitement to "Wii Fit," which is where "Pokemon Go" comes in.
"Pokemon Go" does everything "right." It is a game for a smart phone, so it's always going to be with you, since most of us carry our phones wherever we go. Phones have become such an integral part to how we communicate in this day and age, and with the hustle and bustle of the world, it's convenient to be able to pull your phone out and check for any pokemon in the nearby area. It's also not a difficult game to get a grasp of. Even if you aren't familiar with every single pokemon, or you aren't familiar with the series, the game is still enjoyable, and you don't need to know too much of the lore to understand what's going on. This makes it accessible to a wide audience, because anyone can jump into it and enjoy the adventure.
The sense of adventure is one of the most important ingredients in the appeal and success of "Pokemon Go." For me anyway, I feel like I'm actually engaged with the world, and engaged in the adventure of hunting down pokemon, because you get to be the trainer instead of just an 8-bit character on a screen. This is something I personally felt was missing with the other games in the franchise, and a reason I couldn't get into it for years.
This sense of adventure is why I believe the game is going to change the way we play video games. This engagement with the environment around you allows an immersive experience. You can go hunting for pokemon with large groups of people, you engage with other people when comparing what you've caught so far, there are so many ways "Pokemon Go" breaks the norm.
Of course, there's one thing "Pokemon Go" has that other games won't have that adds to the appeal: the fact that it's Pokemon. Pokemon is a cultural staple in my generation, and it's often something that comes to mind when I think about my age group. Pokemon has generated such a large fanbase, it's no surprise that millions of people would willingly go walk around in the heat just to catch some pokemon. However, imagine this type of engaging adventure applied to another series. "Kingdom Hearts," "Final Fantasy," the list goes on for franchises that could work for this type of gaming, and the more options we have, the longer we'll be out and about.
"Pokemon Go" is doing something that motivational speakers, trainers, doctors, have all tried to do and have had varied success with. "Pokemon Go" is encouraging people to be active, while having fun. While it certainly has its issues, it's a step in the right direction for the future of video games, and integrating them into everyday life. I look forward to seeing what the future brings for "Pokemon Go," and for adventure gaming.
