I have a confession to make….

We have been sucked into the PokemonGo vortex!
We are not obsessed, but still it’s there, the underlying pull of the game.

We are not new to the Pokemon craze in this family, two of the kids are particularly mad about the shows, cards and characters themselves, so this game was going to be eventually part of our life.

But is this game a good thing? Or just another game that the kids can obsess over?

Here are some pro’s and con’s as I see it!

Pros
It’s gets people out of the house.
Because it’s a game that you have to be outside to play, it is bringing many young people away from the indoors and their gaming systems or computers. They are meeting up with their peers to go hunting for Pokemon and walking together, socialising at the same time. Being outdoors has to be better then being stuck inside.

You get some exercise 
The nature of the game means you have to walk, sometimes decent distances, especially if you want to ” hatch” an egg… this can be up to 10 km! Finding Pokemon, Pokestops and Gyms requires you to be close to where they are and so makes you travel to those locations, majority of the time on foot.
It connects you to your kids
I like to try to keep up with what my kids are into, especially online stuff. So by joining in with the game you have a connection, an interest to share, and you become more aware and in touch with what they are doing.

Gets you exploring places.
This game, just like Geocaching, takes you to places of interest, places you might not have been to before. Recently we went PokemonGoing in our home city, and we saw areas that we hadn’t either been to for along time or haven’t ever seen! Because of this it would be useful for when you go traveling, exposing you to POI in the area you are visiting.

It is Social
As we have looked for Pokemon we have meet others doing the same thing, we have had conversations and got tips from others who are playing the game. Once, as we were walking through the mall and older lady stopped us, asking if we were playing PokemonGo, then proceeded to tell us we’re the best places where to find them! There is organised meet ups       ( the Empire coffee co. hold them) and the whole vibe gives it a cool sense of community.

Cons
It can be obsessive
I find any computer based games can become very very obsessive. PokemonGo hasn’t become like this for us, I have set boundaries and rules around this game especially with the younger ones, and they are quiet happy to abide by them. This is not a game that we play every time we are out, and I am determined not to let it take over our lives!

There are some dangers
On my first day out PokemonGoing I was walking along a path, trying to read through the glare, the warning ” remember to stay alert at all times” when I stumbled over a crack in the pavement! Definitely exposed me to the potential dangers of this game! Stay aware of your surroundings just like you should always be when you are on your phone. In the beginning there was reports of people being “lured” to be robbed etc.,and of people trespassing late at night on others property. I haven’t heard much lately on this, but it is another reason why I will always be involved in playing this game with my younger kids, and my older ones go out in groups.

Drains your battery

This game drains your battery so quick! Sales on portable battery chargers have tripled I’m sure! I have to continue to make sure I have my battery fully charged and continue to charge it in my car, just so I have battery for, you know, important stuff like making phone calls! I’m not sure about how much data it uses, I haven’t noticed any major data difference on my data use, so I don’t feel,that is a major concern.

So…

My conclusion on this game is that if you use your common sense, set boundaries, don’t become too obsessed or let it take over your life….. then PokemonGo can be a fun game that gets you outdoors, exploring with your family and maybe making new friends!

Do you play? What are your thoughts on the game? Comment below!

Safe Travels

and

Safe PokemonGoing!

Kerrie

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