Pokemon Go-ddamn

My experience with the game that’s taking over the world

By Bigoa Machar

From the hoards of people walking around the streets of downtown glued to their phone screens to the keyboard warriors of Facebook, everyone has boarded the Pokemon Go hype train. The game, which involved walking around to real life locations to catch the cute little creatures on your phone, has been out for just under a month and is already the most downloaded mobile game of all time in the United States. The concept is so simple, yet this game is so unbelievably addicting. Adding elements of Virtual Reality, GPS mapping and the sweet taste of nostalgia, Pokemon Go is the most fun I’ve had playing a mobile game in a very long time, and it looks like the majority of Calgary players can say the same.

I’ve seen some of the most ridiculous things in the past couple of weeks playing Pokemon Go. From the formation of large Facebook groups to hundreds of avid trainers walking around Prince’s Island Park until 4:00 A.M. trying to find that ever elusive Dragonite, I have never seen a game influence such a large amount of people in a short amount of time. I even saw some guy jump into the fountain at Prince’s Island because he saw a Blastoise pop up on the map. He was drenched and escorted out of the park, but he did end up catching said Blastoise, which he said was definitely worth it.

One of the reasons why I’m such a huge advocate for the game is that it promotes physical activity and rewards players for getting active. The egg hatching system gifts players certain types of Pokemon for walking a set amount of distance, ranging from 2km to 10km, depending on the type of egg.

But what I love most about Pokemon Go is the social aspect. I’ve made many new friends across the city playing this game, whether it’s us helping each other chase down a rare Pokemon or people asking for tips on how to find better ones. Niantic, the developers of the app, said they wanted to create a fun, social experience that everyone can enjoy, and I feel that Pokemon Go is just that.