Explorers, get your Pokédex ready! Pokémon has entered the real world, right here in Marshfield!
Since its creation by Satoshi Tajiri in Japan in 1995, the Pokémon franchise has been captivating the imaginations of boys and girls young and old throughout the world. Featuring a world of fictional species, Pokémon (short for “pocket monsters) is a game where you collect, explore, and duel opponents in order to “catch them all”. What began as a pair of video games for the original Game Boy now includes video games, trading card games, animated television shows and movies, comic books, and toys.
Bringing Pokémon to the next generation of kids (and kids-at-heart), the newly released Pokémon Go in an interactive app that allows players to capture, battle, train, and trade virtual Pokémon who appear throughout the real world.
Using a phone’s actual camera and location services, the app provides a player the opportunity to first create an avatar. Then, the app places the avatar in the player’s real-world location, highlighting nearby features and Pokémon to catch. Players can interact with other fans in the real world at commonplace locations (“Pokéstops” or “Pokémon Gyms”) such as a library, park, zoo, or school, each of which are highlighted on the virtual map.
While out and about in the real world, players can throw virtual Pokéballs at the creatures to catch them and add them to their collection. By providing a common place to meet other Pokémon fans and providing these interactive elements, the app encourages players to get outside, explore the world around them, and visit landmarks in the City for opportunities to win (virtual) items and make new friends.
In today’s world, where too often playing videogames means sitting in front of a screen, this app allows gamers to not only play a game, but be the main character while actually getting outside and exploring their city.
Explorers, here is a special hint at where you can find a Pokémon (see the video) and an example of what the app looks like, courtesy of a Marshfield fan!
