Metanorn Plays Pokemon GO
In between blogging, we’re out there to catch ’em all
Overcooled// Have you heard of Pokemon Go? When it comes to talking about a game, I usually don’t like to assume a reader has heard of it, no matter how popular it is. After all, non-gamers are likely to be blissfully unaware of even the most high-profile video game releases. Pokemon Go is an exception. This is no longer a game – it’s a social phenomenon.
Pokemon Go has been winning over hearts all over the world since release by letting Pokemon fans catch these famous critters with their phones. Augmented Reality games are still pretty novel and exciting, although the fact that this game makes use of a beloved franchise is probably the largest factor behind the game’s popularity. The app has been downloaded more than Tindr, and this is visible just by walking down the street and seeing people walking by with green screen-glare reflecting on their faces as they swipe at passing Pokestops.
Kyokai// Oh hey, there’s a post that’s not technically about anime but as it is so heavily related to the genre, why not? We do occasionally cover games so we have every reason to talk about it. The game has taken the world by storm and forced a lot of hikikomoris to get out and about, rather than locked up in their rooms. It’s a fitness app hiding in plane sight. It’s brilliant and below is why we love it.
***Please feel free to answer these questions in the comments section as well!***
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Kyokai
1. Why did you start playing Pokemon Go?
I started Pokemon Go when a friend asked if I was playing it. “I’m so not into Pokemon,” my reply was short. But she did convince me to try it out and there has been no looking back since. I was hooked from the moment I picked Charmander and began my journey as a Pokemon trainer.
2. How obsessed are you with it now?
Pretty obsessed. I went to a client location one hour early with an enthusiastic friend in tow just so that we could catch Pokemon around Circular Quay/Opera House early in the morning. Yep. They are teeming over there and non-stop lures also help. Now I know why so many people could easily upgrade their useless Magikarps to Gyarados because they have been collecting it from such locations! It’s also a great stress reliever to boot. Pokemon Go keeps my spirits up and it helps that my office building is a pokestop. I don’t miss a single swipe!
3. Talk about a(/several) memorable moment(s) you had playing the game.
There are too many! But few are obsessing over what I caught with other friends who are playing. It’s almost like sharing scorecards and trying your best to have more CP pokemons for a show and tell. Even when there is no social sharing in-built with the game, the AR feature and medals keeps you busy collecting.
My husband doesn’t play the game but he loves catching pokemon on my phone. There was a night that he made me use incense just so he could catch some more and took a picture with a Weedle in his hand. Pokemon Go has become part of our daily discussion now with how many did you catch today or did you find something new becoming regular. I also have Hubs to thank for driving me around on weekends so that I can collect rarer Pokemons and of course, hoard for evolution rewards later.
I’ve definitely started to walk more than usual because of this game, which is great. I have also made some interesting friends who play, which makes the pokemon hunt more enjoyable because you have people to play with. My usual off-time activity is going to places teeming with lures and pokestops to catch ’em all.
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Overcooled
1. Why did you start playing Pokemon Go?
I’ve always loved Pokemon. I remember having to attach a gamelink cable between our clunky gameboys just to trade Pokemon. Now, my friends and I are still playing the games on (less clunky) smart phones and 3DSes. We may be adults, but Pokemon is still in our blood. So as a loyal Pokemon trainer, how could I resist the allure of an AR app that allows you to catch Pokemon in real life?
2. How obsessed are you with it now?
VERY. I mean, I’m in there prettyyy deep. Recently, I was on my way home from a 12 hour work day when I chose to stand in the shadows of a creepy church until I took over the gym. I was starving, exhausted, and a little sketched out at a nearby man who was leering at me, but I just had to play. The fact that so many of my friends love it as well just feeds my addiction. We’ll go far out of our way to go on walks to catch eggs and hatch pokemon. Subway? Why do that when we can walk 15 stops and hatch this egg!
3. Talk about a(/several) memorable moment(s) you had playing the game.
We celebrated Canada’s release of Pokemon Go with a few unofficial “launch parties” by the CN Tower. I wasn’t expecting much, but nonetheless, I dragged my friends there in the dead of the night in hopes of getting some rare Pokemon. While I didn’t get anything aside from the usual slog of Torontonian Drowzees (why do we have so many???), I had fun taking in the sights and sounds. There were people everywhere wearing their team colours, Pokemon-themed shirts, or just completely rocking out in a giant Pikachu costume. Complete strangers came up to me and started talking amicably about all the Eevees they were finding over by the aquarium. It was my first experience being in a huge crowd of players, and so I vowed to once again drag my friend to another release party.
Fast forward to the hottest day of the entire year – the day we chose to sit around and catch Pokemon all day at another release party. We were practically melting onto the pavement, and I think all of us were questioning why the hell we were doing this for virtual animals. Suddenly, like seeing a shimmering oasis in the middle of the desert, I saw a dragonite…And it wasn’t some hallucinatory mirage! I screamed, my friends screamed, everyone in the vicinity playing the game also screamed. Before I knew it, there was a mob of players around us frantically swiping at their overheating phones (and screaming, don’t forget the screaming). We all high-fived and cheered at our success, and it felt so good that I think this memory will be a hard one to ever top.
4. BONUS: any extra things you wanna say about the game
One of the great things about Pokemon Go is that it brings people together. Whenever I stop at lures, fellow Pokemon Go players will walk up to me and strike up a friendly conversation about the game. Strangers aside, it makes for a fun hang-out sessions with your friends and loved ones. I have a ton of fun going with boyfriend on rare Pokemon hunting dates, which leads us to some surprisingly romantic vistas completely by accident. It’s this social aspect that I enjoy more than the game itself. All you really do is swipe or tap things and that’s the whole shebang. The gameplay is bare bones. But put it all together with pokemon and interacting with real people, and you’ll be gleefully following random strangers as they break out into a run in the middle of the street to catch a pikachu. Or maybe that’s just me.
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Karakuri
1. Why did you start playing Pokemon Go?
I grew up with the Pokemon franchise, though I haven’t really been following it that closely in the past few years. Pokemon Go actually seemed like something new compared to the usual “here’s another Pokemon game but we added 100 new Pokemon and it takes place in *enter location here* instead” games.
2. How obsessed are you with it now?
I’m not too obsessed anymore. It was fun when Pidgeys appearing was new and exciting, but I usually just have it on now to hatch eggs when I know I’m going to be walking a lot.
3. Talk about a(/several) memorable moment(s) you had playing the game.
I guess it’s kind of crazy seeing how many people play the game (at least in the first few weeks). I went to a park downtown in my city on a weekday at like 10pm and there were at least a hundred people all walking around with their phones and shouting “Wartortle!” or other Pokemon names that popped up.
4. BONUS: any extra things you wanna say about the game
My grandmother absolutely loves the game (she was forced to watch the show babysitting me when I was little), and keeps calling me or my mom to hang out and teach her how to play. Plus now I get to hear my family have exchanges like “Squirtle evolves into Bulbaturtle, which is a turtle with machine guns on its back”.
It’s also pretty good for dates (assuming your boyfriend is into it like mine is), since it’s an excuse to get out of the house and see new places.
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skylion
1. Why did you start playing Pokemon Go?
The franchise is way out of my wheelhouse and always has been. I’m only really aware of any of it because of the Principles of Overlapping Fans/Fandom. But it looked like people were having fun, and it didn’t directly knock my old and cranky ass, so I let bygones be. But I did try it out, if only so I could see the AR designs out there in the real world around me. I found that intriguing. But my phone lacks a gyroscope….so the one reason I had to poke around with it was gone. I mean that…the only reason I fooled around with it was to see those goofy things running around my local neighborhood. As far as playing the game…No…not really that interested. Seeing a pikathing superimposed over the avocado selection at my local market? Yes. Evolving, Eggs, actually investing time? No, not to much…
2. How obsessed are you with it now?
A big fat goose’s egg
3. Talk about a(/several) memorable moment(s) you had playing the game.
The first night I installed it there was a ponything (they’re all things to me) virtually haunting a drainage ditch that I didn’t want to venture into. I circled around it many times, but he seemed dead set on staying in that drainage ditch. So that’s my half ass pokestory right there.
4. BONUS: any extra things you wanna say about the game
I have zero interest, and no nostalgia factor, but I’m luck to have reminded myself to let people have their harmless fun. I only felt for the smallest of moments…that tiny bit of old fartery. I’m happy I checked it. Life is too short to get twisted over what other people enjoy.
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It’s your turn now. Tell us about your Pokemon Go adventures too!
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
As a gamer and anime fan, like DBZ, Pokémon made a huge part of my childhood from an early age. So calling the pure nostalgia “strong” would be putting it mildly. More so when the franchise itself made its 20 year mark at the end of February 2016. Which in turn is quite a shock to see its popularity skyrocket again as though it was an entity fresh out the gate. Pokémon Go has even reached my neck of the woods.
My love for the franchise isn’t burning as hot as recent works in recent years but it’s still a close memento. Being one who is dedicated to making use of what he has until its usefulness has run its course, I don’t yet have a smartphone in my possession. When news of Pokémon Go started floating around, it piqued some interest at first. Judging from the pictures, it looks fun but after numerous articles on ANN elaborating backlashes from security and privacy concerns resulting in decision changes from the parent company, I must confess to being discouraged.
If I’m fully going back into the trend, I’ll just do so by getting a 3DS and catch up by playing the games I haven’t touched. I still have yet to see what Pokémon X and Y are about, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (Like Heart Gold and Soul Silver) are updated throwbacks to the original versions I’ve played, so that’s on the list for more nostalgia and there’s Pokémon Sun and Moon on the way to release for November 2016.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I’ve always considered Pokemon a popular franchise, but now even people who don’t care about Pokemon are playing Pokemon Go, so it’s a big boost!
My friend only has a clunky blackberry, so she can’t play it either. The game makes it so anyone without a newish smartphone, a good data plan, and a long battery life (or portable chargers) can’t really play :/ A lot of my friends had to pay extra this month because on their phone bill because of Pokemon Go lol
Yesss I’m excited for Pokemon Sun and Moon!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That’s 700+ Pokémon to catch… Best of luck!!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I think Kyokai is already well on her way to becoming a Pokemon Master ;D
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Remember, it’s a total of Pokémon spread across what is now 7 regions. That’s a lot of ground to cover. 😉
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Hah! Ground, he said….
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
@Cools, aww shucks! I just barely made 100 on pokedex today. Life is tough for level 20+! QQ
@BB, I’m not going to buzz around the world anytime soon but hey, I have kangaskhan to show off.
@sky, Wow, Japan sure has it tough.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
It is just as I have feared! There is a correlation between lack of content and the presence of PG!
Seriously though, I’d rather capture Servants. >_>
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Nawwww, otherwise we’d be too busy playing Pokemon Go to have time to write about it!
Fate/GO! Oh wait, that already kinda exists…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
OC-mon! I choose you!
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Actually, Fate/GO would be pretty good. So many servants and powers to choose from. Type-Moon, trademark this!
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
1. Why did you start playing Pokemon Go?
Just to see what the hype was when it hit stateside.
2. How obsessed are you with it now?
Minimally. It’s a great game to play in groups and fun to talk with others about because a lot of non-gamers are into it. Even some friends who bashed it when it came out, then tried it and now are closet Pokemon Go fanatics. Poor dogs now being walked all over the place… “what do you mean my walk isn’t over yet?!?”
Playing it alone though isn’t as interesting. If they add player battles or other social elements I’d probably get into it more.
I’m downtown so the level of competition is ridiculous. Especially when you’re only level 10 and your highest pokemon is 600cp and you’re facing off against 1800+cp monsters. I claimed a gym once for all of 10 seconds because it was empty.
3. Talk about a(/several) memorable moment(s) you had playing the game.
Don’t play that often, but it was cool to be walking around and see people bust out their phone and try to catch their pokemon during the first week. All sorts of people, joggers, cyclists, people walking their pets, groups of people just enjoying the summer, etc. It’s neat to see it be something of a social phenomenon.
4. BONUS: any extra things you wanna say about the game
fffffffss I only found out about the Pikachu starting trick after I picked my charmy. But I did manage to find a squirtle and wortortle out in the lake. I was on the edge of the pier trying to get close enough ahhhhh. And there are way too many ratattas and zubats by my work. I mean, that’s all there are. Those things breed like crazy.
And some of those pokestops are just too awesome.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Ha! Same here. I was level 8 when I found out about it so was like to hell with it; I can’t restart just because of Pikachu! I still haven’t found the critter yet alas. And totally agree on zubats and rattatas, they were all around my work place and the only reason I have evolved so many. With the new update though, I see more of a variety than before, which is good.