New app gets locals moving

Toni Walker

Editor

news@steelcountrybee.com

On any given evening, people are swarming both the Daingerfield City Park and Spring Park in downtown Hughes Springs. Now, there is no cause for alarm, as those hitting the parks are not doing any harm. Many of them are taking part in the newest gaming craze, known as Pokémon Go.

Americans have been fascinated with Pokémon since their introduction in 1998. They were originally introduced in Japan following their creation by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. The Pokémon craze has included numerous video games, anime television series, movies, and trading card games. The most recent addition to the craze is Pokémon Go.

According to Answers.com, “Pokémon are fictional creatures in another universe that are captured (using a Pokeball of some sort) and raised by humans to battle and protect them. Each Pokémon has a different ability and type (Electric, Water, grass, fire, etc.) and there are over 600 species (Raichu, Jirachi, Charizard, Mew, etc.). Some people use Pokémon to battle while others care for them as pets. A person who uses Pokémon to battle is often refered to as a Pokémon trainer, as Pokémon are creatures which can also grow (in levels), evolve (change form to become stronger) and develop in skills (which transfers to their types of attack).

The original idea for the Pokémon game came when Tajiri wanted to invent a game that involved trading insects - as was his hobby. Pokémon stands for “pocket monsters.” Each Pokémon has abilities like Water, Fire, Grass, Steel, Ice and so on. You can train, trade, and battle with them, or capture wild ones.

Pokémon Go has amped the level of the Pokémon craze, and has led to many of those who are hooked to getting up, and getting out. This video game is not of a sedentary design. Pokémon trainers (those playing the game) must go to various locations in order to “catch“ the Pokémon. The franchise’s theme of “Gotta catch ‘em all” is very evident in Go, as people will stay at locations where the characters can be caught for hours waiting on respawns.

Despite its popularity, there are some concerns with the game. In the few weeks since the game was released in the United States, there have been some interesting cases involving those playing the game. Cases of “trainers” stumbling upon murder cases, or walking off cliffs, however, seem to be the exception, rather than the rule.

Pokémon Go reminds players to stay aware of their surroundings each time the app is opened up. This, of course, is accompanied by a silhouetted trainer staring intently at their mobile device as they are unknowingly about to walk into the mouth of an evolved Pokémon. Although there is no possibility of this actually happening, as the characters are simply digital images only seen on the device, it is still important to remember to stay aware of ones surroundings. It is also equally important to not hunt Pokémon while driving. While it would be completely acceptable to drive to the location of a Pokémon, players are urged to remember that distracted driving, including playing the game, can have fatal consequences. It is also important to remember that children would be better off hunting Pokémon with an adult, as they would become easy prey for anyone wishing to do them harm.

Pokémon Go seems to be the next big craze in the Pokémon Universe. If everyone using the app remembers to stay aware of their surroundings, and take precautions as they “hunt,” it has the potential to be around a long time to come.