Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO was first introduced in 2016 and immediately became a cultural phenomenon. The game is designed to be played on mobile devices and is available for both the Android and iOS platforms.
- Hunt down Pokémon wherever you go
- Capture and train Pokémon for battles
- Join with others to participate in team battles
- A cultural phenomenon that encourages social activity
- Free to download and play
- Can be played solo or as part of a team
- Has caused some players to become distracted and have accidents
- In-app purchases are costly
- In-game tracker performs poorly
No mobile game has affected the world like Pokémon GO. Players were first introduced to the game in 2016 and immediately began a worldwide craze as they searched for rare Pokémon in their neighborhoods and favorite locations. The game became so popular that it was regularly featured on major news networks. Niantic developed the popular game in collaboration with Nintendo. It is a location-based augmented reality game that is offered as a free download in the App Store and the Google Play Store. Like many games of this nature, there are in-app purchases offered which are often necessary to experience game elements. The basic premise of the game is simple. Players open up the game on their mobile device. The game uses a player's GPS to reveal the location of Pokémon, virtual monsters that can be captured and trained for battle. The monsters can appear in any real-world location that the player happens to visit. Players often go in search of Pokémon that are considered rare. Unfortunately, this has stirred up some controversy. Some players have been involved in automobile or pedestrian accidents while searching for Pokémon. A player begins by establishing a gaming account and choosing an avatar. A virtual map then appears that corresponds to the coordinates of the player's actual location. There are Pokémon Gyms on the map as well as PokéStops. It is possible to place lures or traps at PokéStops in an effort to capture the rarest creatures. Pokémon that are caught can then be trained and used to compete in battles with other players. Players also gain experience as they play the game, and greater experience opens up more features of the game in addition to unlocking rare Pokémon. Pokémon GO has now been given a second generation release, and the game seems to be as popular as ever. One of the main issues players report with the game is that the in-game tracker isn't always accurate. This can cause players to miss out on very rare specimens. The in-app purchases can also add up quickly if a player isn't careful.
Alternatives to Pokémon GO
Geocaching
Ingress
Shift
Layar
Parallel Kingdom
Parallel Mafia
Blippar
Aurasma
Landlord
