Lately, you might have come across many of the news and status updates about “Pokemon Go” and you might be thinking what the hell is this and why people are so obsessed about this. If you haven’t already explored these questions then I am going to explain about what is Pokemon Go and why it is so addictive.
What is Pokemon Go?
Pokémon Go is a free location-based augmented reality mobile game developed by Niantic and published by The Pokémon Company as part of the Pokémon franchise. It was released on 6th July 2016 for iOS and Android devices. The company has initially released the game in only a few countries like US, Australia, New Zealand and it breaks all the apps records and now it is about to become the most used smartphone apps ever; whereas the game is yet to officially release globally.
Pokémon Go follows the basic premise of Pokemon, a Japanese videogame and anime series where adventurers travel the world seeking “pocket monsters” to train and battle with each other. The app allows users to wander their neighbourhood in search of Pokemon characters who pop-up as if in real life (on your phone).
The game is free you can just download and start playing, it just needs to create a character an avatar but you will also have the option to use real money to buy in-game currency called PokéCoins. You can buy 100 to 14500 PokéCoins in ₹ 60/- to ₹ 6,200/- and those PokéCoins are used to purchase Pokéballs, the in-game item you need to be able to catch Pokémon.
How Does Pokemon Go Works?
First, you need to install the game and if the game is not yet officially available in your country then you can download & install through APK file which is available on APKMirror. After installing the game you need to create avatar/user, you will also have the option to customize the dresses and looks of the avatar; as soon as you will finish creating an avatar you will see an anime-like version of Google Maps where all street and area names will be replaced with Pokemon-specific buildings eg. PokéStops and Pokémon gyms.
The game works by using your phone’s GPS for your real-world location and augmented reality to bring up those cool-looking Pokémon on your screen, as you navigate the real world, their in-game character mirrors their movements and will randomly encounter Pokemon characters which, with luck, they’ll be able to capture and add to their team.
When you capture a Pokémon, it gets added to your Pokédex, a sort of Pokémon database, where you can personalize them later.
Factors in the success rate of capture include the right force, the right time and the type of Poké Ball used. After capturing a wild Pokémon, the player is awarded two types of in-game currencies: candies and stardust. The candies awarded by a successful catch depends on what evolutionary chain a Pokémon belongs to. A player can use stardust and candies to raise a Pokémon’s “combat power” (CP).
However, only candies are needed to evolve a Pokémon. Each Pokémon evolution tree has its own type of candy which can only be used to evolve or level up. The player can also transfer the Pokémon back to the Pokémon professor to earn one more candy and create room for more Pokémon.
Why It is So Addictive?
There might be countless of unique reason to like this game by different users but the scientific reason behind obsession about this game is Augmented Reality (AR). AR works by superimposing virtual elements – in this case, Pokemon characters that need to be collected – over real-life elements, It lets you virtually see your surroundings through your phone’s camera while you playing the game which is enough to make you curious what happen next.
A user can collect hundreds of varieties of rare Pokemon which can be thought of as virtual pets which users must train and take care of; players also join one of the global teams and battle for territory. Beyond the digital appeal, you can also enjoy how the app encourages you to explore their towns and cities and interact with others.
The Pokemon Go is initially released in the US, Australia and New Zealand on July 6th but now its also officially available in Germany, UK, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Expected to officially release in India soon, till then you can download it from APKMirror and play, its worth playing.
