Pokémon Go Crazy

The game seems like complete nonsense to most people; because it is. Pokémon Go is addictive mobile game where players catch virtual Pokémon by walking distances. 

Pokémon Go is a RPG exercise mobile game based on the long running Pokemon Franchise developed my Niantic. Pokemon Go features 150 Pokemon from the 1st generation. You acquire the Pokemon by random spawn or by evolving.

Pokemon typically spawn  in areas that share that the with the neighboring area. Like a Magikarp(Water Type) will spawn near a beach. Pokemon also spawn in more areas with more players like an metropolitan area. 

Evolving a Pokemon is a bit of a hassle, to level up or evolve you need to catch multiple of the same Pokemon you are trying to evolve to acquire candy that you need a certain amount. (It varies based on Pokemon trying to evolve.) Which can quickly become tiresome.

For a mobile game it has a lot of depth to it  Gym Battles and PokeStop gathering. Gym Battles are unlocked once you hit the level 5 barrier where the majority of the game is officially unlocked. After you reach level 5 You are given a module which you can place to lure Pokémon to your location for 30 minutes. After entering the gym you must choose a team to join: Valor, mystic, or instinct. By choosing one you unlock the ability to train Pokémon at that designated teams gym. Gyms can be taken over by the other team so I suggest picking a team with your friends before deciding. 

PokeStop are points of interest in your area. By visiting them you can receive pokeballs which are used to catch the Pokémon. A PokeStop gathering is where players will farm multiple close proximity PokeStop by placing modules on them. Which also draws a crowd of players to that location as well. 

Pokemon Go is a Free-to-play game but does feature microtransactions which can help players by giving them the ability to buy more pokeballs or modules. The microtransactions don't limit the game by forcing you, it stands by itself without affecting the game.

From a technical standpoint the game is a modern masterpiece for a mobile game. It uses a AR camera function which uses your outward facing camera on a phone to place the Pokemon in the view of your phone. Pokemon Go also uses GPS satellite function to pinpoint and track your speed; So driving in a car to avoid walking doesn't really work and is really dangerous. Also the real amazing result of the game is people socialize over the game, making new friends that will hopefully will stand after Pokemon Go is long gone. 

Nintendo and Pokemon licensed the use of Pokemon to a subsidiary company, Niantic a San Francisco based game studio that Nintendo acquired from Google's ABC program. After the games release Nintendo stock jumped 25% It is the largest increase in their stock since the Famicom game console launched in the 1980's.

Before I began playing Pokemon Go I looked down on the adults playing the game because they aren't twelve year olds. Playing it for the past week I quickly became addicted going anywhere I could in hopes of catching Pokemon.