聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Well like anyone my age who grew up with Pokemon, no I didn鈥檛 actually have a Gameboy or really play the game as a youngster, but it was all the rage. So, when a new app was created by Nintendo that took the real world and laid down a Pokemon game map over top to encourage kids and kids at heart to go walk around looking for Pokemon, I thought I鈥檇 give it a go.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It鈥檚 kind of interesting because the world is apparently set up so you go to areas you think you鈥檇 find certain Pokemon, such as near a body of water for a water based Pokemon, and wander around looking for something to pop up to catch. It was kind of neat other than I felt like an idiot having to stop and try to catch one, standing there with my phone up pointed at the Pokemon and swiping up to send pokeballs at it.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I think I鈥檇 rather a different kind of adventure game to get me moving鈥� or I鈥檇 be happy just listening to music and getting some exercise, but it is kind of fun鈥� except I can see my pokeballs running out and I鈥檓 cheap so I鈥檒l be done with the game if I it prompts me to do any in app purchases. You can apparently get more at pokestops on the map, which are typically public, historic places鈥� in Carlyle this includes places like Centennial Park, the library, the town office, the museum, and there鈥檚 more out there but just to name a few. However, as I鈥檝e walked around, these pokestops always seem to be empty
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 To me it鈥檚 definitely more of a city game because they鈥檒l have more stops, which means more pokeballs and a cheaper way to play the game. Rural people seem to be hooped, I was talking to someone over in Manor and they only have two Pokestops so not many pokeballs out of the deal. That means it鈥檚 definitely easier for kids in bigger centres to play, but it is a neat idea鈥� use the real world to create a world of exploration for those that are engaged by video games. It is a way they鈥檙e getting kids up and out of houses encouraging them to become more active.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It sounds like you level up by walking around and it鈥檚 set so you can鈥檛 have the app open while you鈥檙e driving around, you have to be going slow enough it knows you鈥檙e getting exercise of some kind鈥� so it does promote getting active鈥� although I guess for the really lazy you could hop in a car and putter along.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Obviously it shouldn鈥檛 interfere with work, school, and chores; but, I do think it鈥檚 a fun idea for youth as long as they follow the rules of the road and pay attention to the world around them. The other day I had to step off the sidewalk and go around this group of kids trying to catch something, which I thought was rude of them, but they were out and about playing together which is a good thing. They better remember to check both ways before crossing the street though.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The biggest thing I think is neat about the game however is that in addition to Pokemon being near places they鈥檇 be in the real world with the Pokemon map overlaid on the real world is that apparently you鈥檒l have to travel the world to 鈥渃atch 鈥榚m all鈥� because certain rare Pokemon can only be found in certain areas around the world. It鈥檚 kind of neat that at the same time it鈥檚 getting kids up and moving, it鈥檚 encouraging them to travel, and each of the pokestops have a description which means they鈥檙e learning about that point of interest in the real world too.
