I was never a Pokemon fan. But the rage around Pokemon Go - it has witnessed record-breaking downloads despite alleged security-related issues - got me curious. While the game has not been officially launched in India yet, there are ways to access it. On iPhone, when I tried changing my location to the US to download the game, it got stuck at authentication. So, I installed the .apk file on an Android smartphone. As the app is available for free, I am not promoting piracy. The game often appears and disappears on the Play Store as well. After downloading the game, I created my account and profile. I was able to customise the look of my trainer (in-game character) that appeared on the map as I moved around.
Understanding the concept of the game was quite a challenge. Pokemon Go, developed by Niantic Labs, takes the Pokemon concept out into the real world. It is an augmented reality game that uses your phone's GPS and clock settings to make different types of Pokemon - such as Spearow and Rattata - appear all around you. You, the trainer, must capture Pokemon by throwing Poke Balls and then tame them. Pointing the camera to capture them wherever you go can get embarrassing, but you can always turn the camera mode off.
When I started exhausting my Poke Balls, I realised I had to look for PokeStops around me to earn more balls and other items or buy them using in-app purchases. Only after reaching level five was I able to enter the gym to train, and the towers in red, blue and yellow to fight battles. I lost the first few battles at the gym, but I am learning techniques to win them.
The game is exciting and highly addictive. I ended up looking for Pokemons wherever I went - be it on morning walks, traffic signals, parking lots. I often launched the game to check what's nearby. This game involves a lot of physical activity as well - I had to walk and sometimes run to capture more Pokemons in order to cross levels. This is the best augmented reality game I have ever played. The roads and landmarks seem absolutely accurate for PokeStops; the images of fountains and other locations look real.
Even though thoroughly amusing, the game is not flawless. It often shows server errors, especially during evenings and weekends. Sometimes, while capturing Pokemon, the ball freezes, forcing you to restart the game. Considering the growing number of downloads and active players, these bugs need to be fixed soon.