Twenty years ago when Pokémon was first released, it’s doubtful that anyone knew what kind of cultural phenomenon it would birth, and how it would go on to be one of the biggest franchises in the history of games/anime. Pokémon is so popular that you could release a game for mobile phones that’s barely a game and it would still be the most downloaded app of the time.
This is happening right now with Pokémon Go; a game, that’s barely a game, but is still a game that nobody can put down… including me.
The Pokemon franchise has come on a long way since the release of its first game, Pokemon Red
Since it came out in the UK, Pokémon Go has been the only thing that I actually use my phone for. Its blend of augmented reality mixed with GPS based Poké-hunting is not only an interesting premise but also a massive use of battery for any device you use – so much so that as of right now, I probably charge my phone up at least 4 times a day just so I can keep it going. Of course, this is to be expected of an app that utilises so many different functionalities of a phone and honestly, I find myself letting it off, as to have a Pokémon game on my phone where I actually get to go out into the real world and catch Pokémon, battle gyms and raid Pokéstops for items. It’s something that I’ve wanted since I played the original Pokemon Red back in 1999.
So far, I’ve sunk countless hours into the game, amassing a team that I’m fairly happy with (still no Snorlax, Scyther or Pinsir though), walking miles upon miles to chase down a rare Pokémon, to find a gym to take over or to get those extra miles together so I can hatch another egg. In my travels, I have seen countless other people doing exactly the same as me. So much so, that whenever I see anyone with their phone out in public, I instinctively think they’re playing the game and I find it strange if someone’s using their phone to do anything else. Having said that though, you can always tell when someone’s playing it as they stop to swipe Pokéballs every few steps.
This, for me, is where Pokémon Go really shines. Right now, the game doesn’t really have much to it. You go out and catch and every now and then, you’ll get something new or rare and you might hatch an egg or evolve something. But what it does do well is bring people together because of a common interest. For something like a mobile game to transcend to a level where it isn’t just about the game but about interactions with other people sharing your discoveries and catches, talking about where’s good to go or just nodding at a stranger as you both realise you’re hunting for the same Pokémon. This camaraderie is exactly what, for me, the games were always all about. Pokémon was a game that I played around friends before the rise of online gaming became a massive thing, back when if you wanted to play a friend you had to each have a Game Boy, a game and a link cable to physically connect them. Although Pokémon Go doesn’t have that level of physical connections, it does create the same personal connections and so perfectly encapsulates what Pokémon really stands for.
Or maybe that’s just me being drawn in with extreme levels of nostalgia, because like I said, Pokémon Go isn’t really much of a game. Right now, it’s more like a Beta that isn’t fully developed. It’s currently in version 0.29.3 – it hasn’t even reached version 1, which would be considered a full game. So I’m hoping that there’s still a lot to come from Pokémon Go. One thing is for sure though, even if this craze does eventually die down, for me and many others, it has awoken a lost love for Pokémon that will see me buying the latest Pokémon Sun/Moon games on their release and possibly getting into the card game as well.
Pokémon Go is something I feel like everyone should try at least once, and with it being a free app, there really is no excuse for not at least testing the water. It’s not a perfect game, but it’s one that I think over time could grow into something exceptional.
Author: Hal, Plymouth store
