Happy Saturday BaddaBing BaddaBlog readers. This is Game Grind, the place where all things video game are discussed and analyzed. I think that today’s post should be a good one because the subject material is very dear to me and many others.

It was recently announced that Pokemon Go is going to released in 2016. Pokemon Go is a mobile game that uses AR technology to allow you to traverse the actual world (you know, the outside place that gamers aren’t really known to frequent), come across Pokemon, and battle and capture them. You can then trade the Pokemon you capture with other people and even work with then to beat bosses. The Pokemon Co. has released a cinematic trailer to depict what the spirit of the game.

I’m not going to lie, I cried a little bit when I saw this. I think I reverted back to an eight year old for a few seconds towards the end. That might be one of the greatest video game trailers solely because it perfectly depicts what every kid who grew up with Pokemon imagined every time they played the game: “What if there were Pokemon in the real world?”.

Alright, enough of me blubbering on about the trailer. While very little actual information about the game itself is available now, if executed correctly it could be a smash hit. Mobile games are on the rise and I cannot fault Nintendo or Game Freak, the company that makes Pokemon games, for trying to get in on that cash cow. Augmented Reality games, AR for short, are wildly popular among individuals who play them. While there are not a lot of games in this genre, there are plenty of stories of people who actually play them going on hilarious adventures.

Which brings me to how this game might be a social game changer. This video game might be the thing that brings gamers outside. I do not mean to be hyperbolic, but that is still no small feat. The trailer mostly depicted the game being played by young adults or adults playing the game with there kids, which makes me think that it is going to be marketed towards an older audience than the mainstream Pokemon games. I think that is a fantastic idea as young adults are a huge part of Pokemon’s consumer base and I think that this game would be a great way for parents and children to bond while being outside and getting exercise. It seems like everyone is a winner in this situation.

I personally cannot wait for this game to come out. I also cannot wait to see the lengths people (and I) go to Catch ’em All. There are totally going to be people who climb to the top of a volcano to catch a Moltres. Some dude is definitely going to go to Antarctica to catch a Articuno. The best thing about Pokemon Go, however, is that it captures the original spirit of Pokemon. Satoshi Tajiri created Pokemon as a way to let kids growing up in urban areas a chance to experience his childhood hobby of observing animals and collecting bugs. This game brings the rural origins back to Pokemon. I hope that Pokemon Go does inspire kids and young people to go out into the world and go on crazy adventures and explore the exciting world around them. Essentially I hope that this game makes people live life as through they are in the world of Pokemon.

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