Pokémon Go is developed by Niantic Inc., with the joint effort with Nintendo. This online mobile game is free to acquire and play for iOS and Android mobile device users, with further in-game purchases on special items and power-ups. This game is developed on AR technology which enables players to play this virtual adventure game with virtual creatures in a real world location based physical movement. To be more specific, players in this game follow a virtual map that is based on the real world geography. As they walk along, they will encounter different virtual locations such as the Pokéshops and Pokémon Gyms; they will also discover various types of Pokémons that are scattering around the map. The goal of the game is to locate, capture, train and battle Pokémon and upgrade your levels. Currently, there are over 700 species of Pokémon creatures for players to discover, and the maximum level one can achieve in the game is 50. The game control is quite simple. Players use touch-screen to flick Pokéballs or candies and catch a target. In battling, tapping screen is the way to maneuver the fight. As for the game play, players mainly train and battle Pokémon with or against other Pokémon trainers and teams. To start with, players register a game account and then they can set up their own in-game avatar with customized features such as outfits and appearances. At the same time, they can also choose a Pokémon known as their “buddy” to explore the world with them. When they’re all set and ready for the adventurous journey on the way, they are going to encounter new creatures and participate in battles. As has mentioned that there are numerous collection of Pokémon for players to find out, those virtual creatures are presented on a real-location based in-game map. The species of Pokémon can be random but sometimes they are also influenced by the specific feature of geography and seasons. For example, there are likely to be water-type Pokémon when players are walking around a river or lake. Likewise, certain Pokémon only appear in certain seasons or limited time slots such as holidays. Players can try to capture Pokémon by flicking Pokéballs up towards the target. The success rate of catching a Pokémon depends on the species, ball types and timing. When Pokémon creatures are captured, players need to train them and upgrade them by using stardust and candies that come as rewards after a successful catch. Players should view the species info to find out the correct candy type for upgrades. Building a strong and higher level Pokémon team can enhance the battle success later in the game. As for battles, they take place in Pokémon Gyms, where players can choose to joint a team and battle with other teams for the occupation of a gym. Besides, players can also join or build up a team to raid a occupied Pokémon Gym by a higher level team. Either battle mode can generate rewards for players to continue upgrading their creatures. 

Game Review

Shortly after its release, Pokémon Go received huge downloads among users all over the world. Needless to say, this game is very creative with its application on AR technology. On the one hand, it requires a actual physical mobility to play the virtual game, which helps gamers improve their physical activeness; on the other hand, it might also cause potential problems and public nuisances when players are too focused on the gameplay. Regardless, this game was given a few big labels such as “app of the year” and “Best mobile game in 2016” etc.