Your Childhood Dream Is Coming True: Catch Pokémon IRL With This New Game
Pokémon are invading the real world. Their way in? Your phone.
If you grew up in the 90s, there's no way you missed out on the Pokémon craze. The first generation of 151 lovable, and more importantly, collectible monsters arrived stateside in 1998 with two games for the Gameboy Color, an anime and a collectible card game in tow. It didn't take long before elementary schoolyards and backyards across the country became the scenes of battles for Pokémon supremacy.
As kids, we dreamed of one day catching Pokémon in our own backyard. But our endless quest to fulfill the franchise's popular slogan to "catch 'em all" was limited to playgrounds, car backseats, and late nights spent under our covers, flashlight in hand, wandering through tall grass and, no doubt, ravaging our eyesight.
That's all about to change.
Our childhood dream of catching Pokémon in real life isn't too far off, thanks to Pokémon GO.
Pokémon GO is a new mobile game coming to iOS and Android next month, and it's unlike any Pokemon game you've seen before.
Pokémon GO makes use of your phone's camera and location data to create an augmented reality experience wherein you find, battle and capture Pokémon in real space.
Scan your real-life neighborhood with your camera, and you'll discover varieties of Pokémon consistent with the environment you're in. Headed to the beach? Bet on encountering a lot of water Pokémon. Spending a day at the park? Come prepared for a lot of grass types, and so on.
In addition to catching 'em all, players will side with one of three teams and vie for control of gyms, local landmarks, parks, museums and other public spaces.
Pokeballs and other items can be acquired by players at geo-located Pokestops, and items like eggs will make use of your phone's pedometer to determine when they hatch.
Additionally, at E3, Nintendo announced Pokémon GO Plus, a wearable accessory that adds some seamless functionality to your Pokémon GO experience.
The wristband, which will retail at $35, buzzes and glows to alert players to the presence of Pokémon in their vicinity and allows them to be caught with the simple press of a button.
Nintendo and partner company Niantec kicked off the game's US beta last month. If you didn't sign up in time, don't fret. While an official release date has not been set, Nintendo did confirmed that Pokémon GO Plus will be available for purchase by Jul
So dust off your fingerless gloves, because it's time to leave Pallet Town behind and become the Pokémon master you were always destined to be.