I have never played Pokémon Go in my life. As a kid growing up, I was never a Pokémon player. I was not a child who liked to sit down, in fact it was a miracle if you could keep me in my seat for more than twenty minutes. Playing a card game or a board game just was not enticing to me. I definitely think if this version of Pokémon was around back when I was a child, I would probably have played this game. It’s active, I was always running around the neighborhood with my friends so this would have fit perfectly into our routine. The characters on this game can be really adorable, which appeals to me as an adult and animal lover, and most certainly would have appealed to who I was as a child. I can see how this game gets to be addicting. As a parent I would be nervous about my child’s safety; I would not want my child to be so distracted by the game that they would walk into traffic or ignore their surroundings. I would encourage my kids to play this game, but in moderation just like any other game. The augmented reality aspect of this game was super cool. When the Pokémon characters just popped up in the snow next to me or in front of me, it was kind of hard not to jump backwards or at least step away from it. It’s awesome that the game adjusts to the weather as well. I am really impressed with this game and will probably continue to play it throughout the semester.
Emily Hatch