Pokemon Go takes over the world

The latest world wide crazy Pokemen Go has taken over the world in the last few weeks.

The game is put out by Nintendo and is played on mobile devices.

It has now become the most search term on Google and the game is only live in New Zealand plus a handful of other selected countries.

What is Pokémon Go?
Hundreds of millions of people had already been catching the virtual creatures since it was first launched 20 years ago.
Pokémon Go is a new version of the game, that players can use for the first time on their mobile phones and devices.
Players search the real world using satellite location to find pokémon near them, and use live view to see and capture them.

Is it safe to play?
There are some safety concerns, especially for children. The game is for players who are nine years old and over.
It encourages players to walk around their neighbourhood to catch pokémon, but the makers have warned players to: “Remember to be alert at all times. Stay aware of your surroundings”
This is because Pokémon can appear at random, sometimes in dangerous places like near roads.

Why are people talking about it?
Pokémon Go has been downloaded millions of times and is top of the app charts in all of the countries in which it has been released, but why is it so popular?
Well, this is the first time Pokémon has been available to play on a mobile device, meaning you don’t need a specific console to play it.
This means the game is more easily available for people to play, especially as it is free to download – (although there are in-game options to buy things with real money).
Also, the game’s live view feature has proven to be very popular – with players able to see virtual pokémon in a real-life environment, like your garden or living room using a mobile device.

Who can play?
The game can be downloaded through a mobile device’s app store for free.
The game developers at Niantic, who make Pokémon Go, have been trying to release it, one country at a time, to test whether or not it can cope with large numbers of people playing it all at once.
So far it is out in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Germany and the UK.

Key words in Pokémon Go
Pokémon – a virtual pocket monster.
Pokéball – what you use to capture a Pokémon with.
Pokéstop – places of interest which show up as blue icons on the map – where players can collect free items.
Gym – a place where players can battle each others pokémon.
Team – when you reach level 5 you can choose to be part of one of three teams, Yellow, Red or Blue.
Lures – an item in the game which can be used to draw rare pokémon to a particular pokéstop . Anyone can place a lure.