Catching a Jigglypuff over lunch break or adding 鈥減ick up Pokeballs鈥� to your to-do list could soon become the norm for many Canadians.
, Nintendo鈥檚 much-hyped foray into smartphone gaming, has already launched in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Asia. And while there鈥檚 no official Canadian release date, Nintendo says the game is 鈥渃oming soon鈥� to Canada, Europe and South America.
The game, available for and users, takes the popular Pokemon franchise and translates it into virtual reality. Players can find and catch Pokemon outdoors using their smartphone cameras, hatch eggs and battle to become the very best (like no one ever was) at their local gym.
If none of the above makes any sense, or if you鈥檙e curious about what to expect from Pokemon Go, we鈥檝e compiled a handy guide to the soon-to-be-released game.
HOW DOES POKEMON GO WORK?
Pokemon Go is a smartphone-based game designed by , a gaming company that specializes in what they call 鈥渞eal world gaming.鈥� Niantic鈥檚 last game, Ingress, used GPS on a user鈥檚 smartphone in a 鈥渃apture the flag鈥�-style game.
Pokemon Go similarly taps into players鈥� GPS systems to position them within the real world, be it a local park or a city street. Players name and design their human character, with the ability to choose different skin tones and outfits. From there, players head outdoors to catch more than 100 different Pokemon -- a portmanteau for 鈥減ocket monsters鈥� -- by swiping Pokeballs on their screens when a Pokemon suddenly appears.
Geography and location are linked to different kinds of Pokemon roaming the area; for instance, players hanging out by the beach are more likely to encounter water-type Pokemon, such as Goldeen and Magikarp, while grass types could be found in a park.
Once a player gains enough experience points (called XP) and reaches level five, they become eligible to battle at gyms -- that is, real-life landmarks like art galleries and libraries that are chosen as virtual destinations for two players to fight their Pokemon.
And just like the original Gameboy games, there鈥檚 no definitive way to 鈥渨in鈥� Pokemon Go. The goal is to get players exploring the great outdoors to capture different Pokemon and to allow gamers to socialize in a real-world setting.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Pokemon Go is free to download, but there are several in-app purchases that can make the game easier or potentially more enjoyable.
Pokemon Coins (or PokeCoins) can be purchased with real money through the app and used to buy several different items. For instance, 鈥渋ncense鈥� can be purchased to attract Pokemon to a player鈥檚 area for 30 minutes, and a 鈥渓ucky egg鈥� doubles players XP to help them become stronger.
There鈥檚 also a portable, watch-like device called Pokemon Go Plus, which links to a user鈥檚 phone through Bluetooth and lights up when a Pokemon is nearby. The device is set to launch in late July, but it鈥檚 unclear how much it will cost.
WHAT ABOUT THE TOLL ON SMARTPHONES?
Early reports indicate that Pokemon Go isn鈥檛 a major leech on a phone鈥檚 battery life, but it does use Internet data to connect to the game. For those concerned about a big phone bill, it may be best to stay close to Wi-Fi connectivity and keep tabs on data usage during gameplay.
WHO IS THIS GAME GEARED TO?
Pokemon Go takes a fresh approach to the 20-year-old franchise, but it has a certain throwback appeal. The game contains more than 100 Pokemon from the original two Gameboy games, Pokemon Blue and Pokemon Red, and has music designed by the game鈥檚 long-time composer, Junichi Masuda.
WHAT ABOUT SAFETY?
Since Pokemon Go was announced in September 2015, speculation followed about whether roaming around town with your eyes glued to a smartphone was a good idea.
Aware of these concerns, Nintendo added a warning page as Pokemon Go loads to remind players to be safe and look up while playing.
Shortly after the game dropped in Australia, a police station in Darwin gained headlines for warning players to be cautious while playing, saying, 鈥淚t's also a good idea to look up, away from your phone and both ways before crossing the street. That Sandshrew isn't going anywhere fast."
WHAT DO REVIEWERS THINK?
For now, fans are mixed on Pokemon Go. Many have pointed out some major differences between the Gameboy games and the newest installation. Unlike the original games, Pokemon Go doesn鈥檛 allow a player to train and level up their own Pokemon, and Pokemon don鈥檛 learn unique 鈥渕oves鈥� within the game for battle. Instead, players themselves level up and gain strength based on their XP.
As well, some reviewers have been critical of the game鈥檚 in-app purchases, which give significant advantages to those who pay for items versus those who simply collect them through gameplay.
Others have expressed excitement over Pokemon Go鈥檚 inventive approach, which seems to breathe fresh life into the franchise while offering a dose of nostalgia for original fans.
