Explained: What is Pokémon Go?
Pokémon Go is a free smartphone app that combines gaming with the real world. The game uses location tracking and mapping technology to create an ‘augmented reality’ where players catch and train Pokémon characters in real locations. In this article, we look at how Pokémon Go works and answer some frequently asked questions from parents.
What is Pokémon?
Pokémon (short for pocket monster) is a franchise owned by Nintendo and began life in the mid 90’s as a game for the Game Boy. The game centered on fictional characters know as Pokemon which humans (Pokémon Trainers) catch and train to battle each other. The Japanese franchise became well known for its unique graphics and cute characters. The popular game grew into a successful franchise which spanned TV, trading cards, comics and toys. 20 years later Pokémon has made a big come back in the form of a location based smartphone game.
How does it work?
Pokémon Go As users walk around the real word, Pokémon characters appear on the game map. When users come within a close enough range the Pokémon will appear on the device screen and users throw Poké Balls at them to capture them. The aim is to collect as many different characters as possible. The map is an anime-style version of Google maps that replaces real street names and landmarks with Pokémon specific buildings.
Another feature of the game are Poké Stops which are real life locations where users can usually collect free Poké Balls (used to catch Pokémon). Players can also find Pokémon eggs that hatch into Pokémon and can be added to a user’s collection