Join the hunt: with Hong Kong release looming, here’s your beginner’s guide to Pokemon Go
Depending on whom you ask, Pokemon Go is either a revolutionary smartphone experience or potentially lethal fad. Either way, the app has soared to the top of download charts, is poised to pass Twitter in daily usage and has added US$7 billion in market value to Nintendo Co.
The game appears set to launch soon in Hong Kong - CNET reported that the games’ Asian servers temporarily went live on Monday, briefly allowing play in the SAR before being shut down. Regardless of when the action officially begins, here’s an overview to get gamers ready.
What is Pokemon Go and how do I play?
While the new game released last week for iOS and Android swept the US, Australia and New Zealand, it’s not yet available elsewhere. It follows the basic premise of Pokemon, a Japanese videogame and anime series where adventurers travel the world seeking “pocket monsters” to train and battle with each other. The twist? The app allows users to wander the real world to hunt down Pokemon characters who pop-up on their smartphone screens, overlaid on an image of their actual environs.
How does it work?
After downloading the app and creating a character, users see an anime-like version of Google Maps that hides street and area names, and replaces real-life landmarks with Pokemon-specific buildings. As users wander about in the real world, their in-game character mirrors their movements and will randomly encounter Pokemon characters which, with luck, they’ll be able to capture and add to their team.
What’s so fun?
