If you grew up playing the first Red and Blue Pokemon games for the original Game Boy, chances are you now have kids old enough to play themselves. Still, when Nintendo and Niantic Labs announced their mobile Pokemon game, a lot of 90's kids probably paid close attention. Released on July 5th for select countries only, the game has yet to be made available for Japanese and North American customers. If you are impatient like me, you can simply make a new iTunes account with any Australian address (I used the address from a Surf shop in Perth) and you will be able to download and play the much anticipated new Pokemon Game. Same goes for Android users, a quick google search will reveal tutorials on how to download and play the game as a US or Canadian citizen. The game is free to play, but there will be some micro-transactions offered in game to purchase coins and various items to help you in your quest to become the very best.
So what is this Pokemon GO game exactly?
Well it's a Pokemon mobile game that uses GPS tracking, your phone's camera as well as localisation sensors and complex algorithms to transform your streets into fields full of Pokemons. Your local church is converted into a Pokemon Trainer Gym and various art pieces, sculptures and landmarks around the city become Pokemon stops where you can grab free items like Pokeballs and various power-ups. You need to be aware that since you will be moving around town, the game will use your phone's data, and it has been reported that the app itself is a serious battery drainer. The main focus of the game, apart from catching all the Pokemons, seems to be related to the various gyms you will encounter around town. Once you reach Level 5, you can go straight to one of the nearest gym, where you will be asked to join one of three ''teams''. Once you've made a choice between Team yellow, red or blue, you can then approach gyms and fight for their ownership. You can then elect one of your strongest Pokemons and become the resident Trainer of that particular gym. Other Trainers of the same team can also join the battle and help to protect the gyms like a stronghold, the more the merrier. Benefits of being a defender in a particular gym include various bonuses that you can collect once per day, consisting of coins and various rare items.
A Pokemon Stop, near an old bicycle painted yellow and chained to a stop post (it's art)
When you first log-on to the game, you will be asked to create an account, and you will then be greeted by a Professor Oak look-a-like. After a brief customization of your in-game character, you will be instructed to chose a starter pokemon between Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur (rings a bell?).
When you see a Pokemon appear on the map and you'd like to catch it, you simply tap on it and your phone's camera will launch a screen to let you know exactly where that little booger is standing. My squirtle was right on top of my keyboard. Pretty alarming and not very polite. Next you just need to throw pokeballs at the guy like you're making it rain in the strip club on a friday night. It took me a few dozen tries to figure out that you needed to hit the little bastard square in the face. I was trying the stealthy approach of throwing at it's feet, not gonna work.
Since the game has only been out for a day, and basically unavailable to North American customers, I would be hard pressed to find another Pokemon trainer on my trips around town. I will probably be crowned king of the land before anyone has the chance to catch up. Obvious downsides of the game include looking like a creep when you're trying to catch a Pokemon and pointing your phone's camera at houses or passerbys that will probably think you are a creepy person trying to take pictures of their genitals. Another problem may occur if you are sitting on the couch in your underwear and a Mewto appears on the other side of the street. You might not have enough time to put jeans on before it disappears forever and that might lead to some funny scenarios. I think someone ought to end up in jail playing this game one way or another. Always make sure you are wearing clothes and are ready to leap outside at any time when you play Pokemon GO.
I'm not taking pictures of the inside of your apartment, I swear!
So far I've managed to catch a few Pokemons and grab a few items at various stops. There is not much fighting to be done since I seem to be all alone on my island like Tom Hanks in Castaway, but I'm pretty sure the game will shine when the general release comes and Trainers start roaming the streets. I'll make sure to hit my local church (Pokemon Gym) when I reach level 5 to get some fights in, because at the moment, there's not much to do besides catching Pokemons and gathering ressources. Apparently, I'm not good enough right now.
Professor being a negative Nancy
I haven't been playing for long but it's already easy to see why this game will be a huge hit. Roaming my neighborhood at night, discovering cool spots, monuments and places I have never even thought of visiting before was a real blast. This game makes you become some sort of tourist in your own city, you just gotta make sure to keep your head up at all times and be aware of your surroundings. I nearly killed myself crossing a busy street without looking. For now, I think I'll just head back outside and try to find some cool shit.