Pokémon Go: Where Reality Meets Fantasy
The mobile gaming industry is really growing at a fast pace, especially with the invention of sophisticated software and programming used to create great games. Pokemon Go is one such game. It is designed and built with high technology in such a way that it reflects reality. The game practically uses mapping technology to create reality.
This post is meant to expose you to the world of Pokemon Go and what makes it a great game.
What is Pokémon Go?
Pocket Monster (Pokémon for short) is a free mobile game franchise from Nintendo invented in the 90’s under Gameboy. Pokémon is a game centered around fictional anime characters known as Pokémon, which you, as a player (Pokémon trainee), have to catch and train to fight each other.
The Japanese gaming franchise is very popular with many global players, mainly due to its captivating graphics and characters. And it has grown to become a successful franchise that extends across TV, trading cards, toys, and comics. Just about two decades later, Pokéman has been developed into a location-based mobile game.
How to Play Pokéman Go
When you open the Pokémon game, you are introduced to a real-world scene where you walk around in search of Pokemon. Pokémon will appear at different locations on the world map, so to capture them when you come across them at close range, you are to throw pokémon balls at them.
The goal is to capture as many Pokemon as possible. The maps are actually anime-styled, like a real-life map, with Pokémon buildings, streets, stops, and landmarks. Pokémon stops in the game are real-life locations where you can collect pokemon balls used in catching pokemon. One other feature one can find at the stops are pokémon eggs, which can be hatched into pokémon and added to the collected pokémon.
Signing Up
The first thing you need to do is install the game from the Playstore or Appstore . Next, sign up using your Google account. As an alternative, you can also sign up for a Pokéman Trainer Club account, which often comes with lots more benefits, including newsletters and gaming codes.
When you are done creating an account, sign in, create your profile and username, and start playing.
Does Pokémon feature a multi-player mode?
This is obviously a question that any player may want to ask. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The reason being that it is specifically structured to accommodate only a single player; perhaps in time, the mode may be integrated.
However, there’s a feature that allows users to go to the gym to train in a bid to battle other Pokemon. When you’ve reached a certain level in the Pokemon game, you are allotted the Pokémon you’ve captured to open a gym. You have to travel down to the location to use it. If the gym is the same color as your team’s, then you are free to use it. But in case it’s not, you have to fight another team for control over the gym.
How do I train my Pokémon?
The Pokemon game involves fighting pokémon, so to prepare your pokémon to battle other pokémon, you need to give them candy and stardust. Both items are caught alongside the Pokémon you caught.
One thing to note is that the amount of candy Pokemon need to build strength differs. For example, a squirtle might need to consume up to 20 candies, while a pidgey might need only 10. Every pokemon caught comes with a certain quantity of pokémon, which most times is not enough to power it up.
Candies actually go with the species. You can only strengthen a squirtle with candy caught with a squirtle. Stardust, on the other hand, is totally opposite. Both are actually required to boost the combat points of a pokémon. The higher the CP, the better the chance of winning a battle.
Often times, players make emphasis about owning a Pokémon Go shiny account which is believed to come with lots of benefits. To clear the air, it actually doesn’t necessarily mean shiny pokémon are superior, unless the gold or silver Pokémons.
Cost to play Pokéman Go
The game is actually free to download and play, with no need for a premium subscription for additional features. However, it has an option for in-game coins known as poke coins. Basically, the use of Pokémon Go coins is to buy additional poke balls. As a user, it’s not even necessary to buy poke balls to play.
Just like most other games with similar features, using poke coins as gaming currency makes the game easy to play; it’s not mandatory. Since the Pokemon game is mostly played by children and young people, it comes with a feature that allows parents to restrict purchases on the app. You can actually do this by clicking a few buttons in the settings.
Why the Pokemon game is popular
Pokémon is a Japanese practice that has been in existence as far back as 90’s and dated back as the 00’s. Moreso, this is actually the first time real-life-like games is developeed. It’s features and graphics are nostalgic as well as captivating, which makes it catch the attention of young people who have been yearning for a gaming experience that incorporates the characters of animated pokémon into the real world.
Another reason is that the game is free to download and very easy to play. There’s no premium feature users are asked to pay for except Pokemon coins, which are not even necessary.
