Popular app Pokemon Go catches Coast’s attention

In a span of three days, Pokemon Go has become the No. 1 downloaded cellphone app in the U.S., and its influence is already being felt across the Coast.

That’s why you’re suddenly seeing roving groups of teens and adults “flicking” their smartphones toward empty space.

Pokemon Go, the latest iteration of ‘90s nostalgia, is a game that uses a smartphone’s GPS and camera to allow players to go outside — it works indoors, as well, but favors more public locations — and search for Pokemon, fictional creatures from a beloved 20-year-old Nintendo game.

The game essentially allows people to simulate being a Pokemon trainer, the main point-of-view characters from the original game. It lets people walk around outside and find augmented reality versions of the creatures, which they then train and battle for experience.

Since an essential part of the game is catching Pokemon, which requires Poke Balls, small red and white mechanical balls that capture Pokemon, people must visit PokeStop locations to collect in-game supplies, but another option is buying supplies through the Pokemon Go app. The stops encourage people to visit these locations and gather more supplies for the game.

Although the game favors cities over rural areas, South Mississippi has its fair share of PokeStop locations. Some stops are churches, park memorials, murals, art galleries and music stages, but Lynn Meadows Discovery Center and parks from Gulfport to Gautier are also participating.

Another major component of the game is meeting at Pokemon Trainer gyms to battle and gain experience points. These, too, are physical locations and can be found at: Leo’s Wood Fired Pizza in Ocean Springs, Just4Play game store at Edgewater Mall in Biloxi, Jones Park in Gulfport, among others.

The game’s purpose is to encourage people to get out in their communities and search for Pokemon.

“I’ve walked to locations I otherwise would not have seen, like some of these memorials in the park, and I’ve seen people from all walks of life playing it as well,” said Jeremy DeBois of Saucier, while sitting on a bench in Jones Park, Gulfport.

“A bunch of people met up over in Biloxi and I met a guy, probably about 6’4”, a serious looking military sergeant, who showed up to play with everyone. He already had a higher rank them most people, too.”

The game has taken a few absurd turns. A police station in Australia had to ask people to catch Pokemon from outside its doors rather than in its lobby, and in Wyoming, a young woman on the hunt for a water Pokemon found a dead body in a river. On the Coast, not even the military is immune. Pokemon, apparently, have an easier time getting onto base than the average civilian.

Businesses can benefit from using PokeStop near their locations too. A Lure Module, an in-game device, can be attached to PokeStop locations, which attracts Pokemon to that area, resulting in Pokemon Go players gathering around these spots. The Lure Module’s effect lasts for thirty minutes and is relatively easy to come by in the game and even cheaper to purchase within the app.

A pop-up community of people have already started meeting at different locations, joining newly formed Facebook groups and organizing Pokemon Go bike rides.

“Me and my friend came to (Jones Park) because we figured more people would be at the park,” said Suzanne Parker of Woolmarket.

“Even if you don’t like Pokemon, it’s been a really fun way to get out and about, you know. It’s really fun trying to find all these different Pokemon in the different locations.”

This story was originally published July 10, 2016 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Popular app Pokemon Go catches Coast’s attention."