If you’re a child of the 90’s and early 2000’s chances are pretty good that you’ve spent some time with a Pokémon game or two. Or, perhaps you’ve watched the cartoons or collected various toys. Well, today’s the day you get to start collecting Pokémon in the real world.
Niantic, the guys behind two of our favorite Android apps over the last few years (Field Trip, Ingress), has launched an official Pokémon title. Called Pokémon GO, it tasks players with the goal of locating and capturing Pokémon from all over the globe. Yes, it is an augmented reality game that uses maps and the world around you.
Indeed, certain Pokémon will be found appear near their native environments; water-type Pokémon will be found by lakes and oceans. PokéStops, which are found at museums, art installations, historical markers, and monuments, will let players stock up on Poké Balls and other items.
In-app purchases will be available for players who would like to enhance their Pokémon GO experience. Players can purchase PokéCoins, the in-game currency of Pokémon GO, which can then be exchanged for power-ups and extra items.
An optional Pokémon GO Plus accessory pairs via Bluetooth and will notify players about events in the game using an LED and vibration.
Pokémon GO is available for free in the Google Play Store and requires Android 4.4 or later. For a list of known compatible devices, check out this website.
