Daniel Islanders join the Pokémon Go craze

Brittany Tait

britt@thedanielislandnews.com

Last Tuesday evening, just five days after Nintendo released its Pokémon Go game, Smythe Park was filled with kids, teens, and adults looking to battle Pokémon in this card and video game turned into virtual reality.

Jackson Hammett was in the park with his parents when his app notified him of an opponent ready to do battle. He asked a nearby teenager, “Is that your Pokémon?” After receiving a “yeah” in response, Jackson warned, “Well, it’s going down!”

Another teenager and member of the Flying Fish swim team, Ike Berenyi, explained that he walked over 30 kilometres since he downloaded the game to his phone only a few days prior, and was already on level 15. “Normally I’d just be sitting around at home, but this has gotten me out of the house and much more active,” Berenyi said.

For many, the exercise component is a very attractive part of the game. The app includes various statistics, including how many kilometres the player travels while playing the game. The game seems to address the common complaint that the younger generation needs to go outside more and not stare at a screen all day. The creators of Pokémon Go have come up with a way to get youth and their families’ active, even if they are still using screen time to do it. 

Hammett’s parents noted they use the game as a fun active family outing to the park while supervising Jackson as he plays.

The game allows players to be in the real world while trying to catch Pokémon in a fictional world. The gamers use actual landmarks as their competitive arenas to battle and catch their Pokémon. There are PokéStops which enable the user to gather Pokéballs and eggs which eventually grow into Pokémon. Unlike most video games, you cannot just sit at your desk and play. You must get up and go outside to play. 

The game has not been without controversy. According to published reports, a teenager playing the game in Wyoming wanted to catch water Pokémon and, while doing so, discovered a dead body on the riverbank. Additional concerns include criminal activity, insensitivity to location, and inattention while driving, walking, and biking. For example, people have been robbed as gamers use the lure feature to bring people to unsafe locations. Both Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. have had to ask people not to play the game on their property. And local governments have even had to post warning signs on roadways to remind drivers to not play Pokémon Go while driving.

It’s become clear that gamers need to be aware of the dangers around them as they enjoy the game. Nintendo agrees. As soon as you turn on the app, it warns the players to look out and be aware of their surroundings. If you do play this exciting new game, police advise you to try to play it with others instead of wondering around alone. 

Pokémon Go has a broad appeal to all ages. Island resident Alesya Macatol and her two daughters, Maribelle (age seven), and Dorothy (age four), have found a way to spend family time together while playing the game. Both the girls like the game because you “don’t have to stay in the house to play it” and because they get to “see actual landmarks.” 

As for the potential dangers, Alesya Macatol said, “I think as long as you use the same rules (as other apps) and use common sense, then you are fine.” This family loves the interactive nature of the game and, while they love playing it, the only downfall they see is that the phone’s battery drains very quickly! 

According to the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo, the maker of Pokémon Go, saw its stock value double, growing by more than seven billion dollars just one week after introducing the new game. 

Suzanne Detar also contributed to this article.