What's the only thing hotter than the UAE weather right now? The new location-based, augmented-reality mobile video game Pokemon Go, which has taken the world by storm in the past few weeks.
While some people cannot understand why it has become so popular so quickly, after using the app for a week, I fully understand why many people love it so much.
For a start, it is a game that gets people off the sofa and moving. It also has a social aspect as it teaches you things about where you live and places you visit, in a way you might not have noticed before.
But what about when the novelty wears off – does the game have the substance to keep you entertained in the long term? To really test it, a friend and I decided to spend an afternoon trying it out around Abu Dhabi.
Our first stop was Mushrif Mall, where we were tipped off by a friend we could find Pokemon around the aquarium. Upon arriving we were pleasantly surprised to find that the aquarium itself was a Pokestop. This is a place where players can collect inventory items that they need to progress in the game.
Pokestops usually appear at landmarks, including mosques, statues, malls and parks – and the items on offer refresh every five minutes, so if you find one at a popular, central location, it makes collecting items a lot easier.
We then headed towards St Andrew’s Church near the British School, but we didn’t notice a lot of Pokemon in the area – though my friend was able to point out her former school to me.
See more: What is Pokemon Go and how do I play it?
Our next stop caught our attention because it not only contained three Pokestops, but all of them had lures. A lure is an item players can use to attract Pokemon to a certain area. This is good news because one of the main points of the game is to catch all the Pokemon.
We found ourselves in an area I had never seen before, despite living in Abu Dhabi for two-and- a-half-years. It was a little playpark between shops and villas behind Sea Shell restaurant in the Mushrif area. There were no kids there and, while walking through collecting items, my friend and I got to relive another nostalgic part of our childhood by playing in the empty playground.
My friend was also able to catch an impressive 14 Pokemon in the area, while I was able to stock up on items such as Pokeballs (which you throw at Pokemon to catch them).
We then decided to try our luck in the vicinity of the most famous landmark in Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. In the area surrounding the mosque, we were amazed to find 11 Pokestops and even a PokeGym – where players can train or battle their Pokemon.
One tech-savy tourist smiled as he walked by and said: "Oh, you guys are playing Pokemon Go."
Finally, my friend took me to her favourite place in Abu Dhabi – the Mina Zayed port. I asked her why she loves it so much, and she said it reminds her of old Abu Dhabi – and I could see why.
Read more: How Pokemon Go is conquering the world
It’s a quiet area that is a welcome distraction from the shopping malls and hotels and the crowds. Even the souqs transport us back to another time. Unfortunately, it was a reminder of the old days in another way – there weren’t many Pokemon or Pokestops in the area.
This was supposed to be our last stop of the day – but we noticed that someone had set up a lure in the Pokestop in front of Electra Park.
Perhaps the best thing about this stop was that we were finally able to meet some fellow players, since it was in a busy area. From a cook who was spending his break playing the game to an older-looking man we would never have suspected to be a player, we were impressed with the diverse range of people we came across.
Pokemon Go might not be for everyone but it is a simple, fun game that is bringing people together, encouraging them to get out and about and discover their neighbourhoods.
I enjoyed wandering around, despite the relentless heat and humidity, and can’t wait to see what lies in store for me in the city as I continue the adventure.
elau@thenational.ae
