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This is really outside of my comfort zone. But after seeing 2 good friends and a co-worker pretty much sell me on this like it was the cure for Cancer, I had to clear some data on my cell to download this son of a bitch! So without further adieu, here’s my review on Pokemon Go!

Now a lil history on this app itself. It was originally announced last year at both E3 and San Diego Comic Con by Nintendo and The Pokemon Company as the big game to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the multi-billion dollar franchise that is Pokemon [Pocket Monster’s in Japan if anybody wants to get technical]. The global trailer was released shortly after to the public showcasing what it’s like to catch Pokemon….in real life!

That’s the actual catch phrase of this entire app/game in general. This uses your phone’s data and wifi capabilities as well as the GPS built into your phone to find and catch Pokemon literally in real life, using augmented reality.

Once you get the app, you’ve gotta than go ahead and register by either using the Pokemon Club or your Google or Apple ID. You can then customize your avatar for the game.  From there you can go right to work becoming a real-life Pokemon trainer. As you can see with the images above, there’s the augmented reality option which is mainly used in bigger cities like New York and Los Angeles.  Then there’s just a 3D map layout. What I like about this game right off the bat is that the GPS function has the map all layered out. This was the coolest thing!  I’m still flabbergasted at how well-mapped Niantic has this all planned out. This is my neighborhood in Petoskey, Michigan. HOLY CRAP!

Another cool function they have is that there are selected areas (or domains as most gamers would call it) where it’s set up as a Pokemon Gym. These work by defeating the gym leader or the Pokemon left at the gym. That becomes yours. Now when you leave, you’ve gotta leave a Pokemon there to guard the gym. It repeats from there…pretty cool.

Now with awesome AR apps and games for mobile, there are a few downsides. There have been a few reports of car crashes in California, as well as a few accidental hit and runs in Australia have prompted for laws and guidelines for safety reasons. There have even been notes left for employees by companies saying “catch em all, but on your own time. You do it at work. You can than go catch ’em all, on the Unemployment Line”. So already there’s some stale news. To top it off, within the first 24 hours, the US servers for Pokemon GO crashed. It’s one of the reasons why I waited to check it out and review this bad boy.

All in all, this is a really fun app to play with. There are a few bugs and glitches, yes, but it’s also very new.  It’s a work in progress, but they’ll eventually get all of the wrinkles out. Other than that, it’s really fun!  Think about it. Children and adults alike get to live out a 20 year old childhood fantasy that I’m pretty sure most of ya’ll [mainly 90’s/early 2000’s kids] have had. YOU GET TO FUCKING CAPTURE POKEMON…. IN FUCKING REAL LIFE!!!!!!!! Seriously. You can catch like a Pikachu in your own backyard while sitting on the patio sipping on an ice cold drink during a warm summer day.

But on a serious note, For those that do get this app/game. Please do it safely.. That’s all I ask. And that’s how I’m going to end this review.

Special thanks to the following people who suggested this and helped me out: Brittney Noelle, David Johnstone, and Lee Alexander.