Adventure begins: A player tries the Pokemon GO game app on his mobile phone.

Walk, track, find, catch, repeat.

Free-to-play augmented reality app Pokemon GO  may literally be the most popular mobile game in the world at the moment, thanks to hype created by numerous social media posts by bloggers and news outlets.

Players are expected to find and catch more than a hundred species of monster characters called Pokemon as they explore their surroundings. To replace Pokemon’s fantasy settings, the game features real-world locations in Japan, New York, Paris and Sydney.

Unfortunately, Pokemon GO is only officially available for purchase through iOS and Android app stores in the US, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Nintendo recently announced that it would pause more international roll outs to handle the current server traffic, delaying official release dates in other markets such as the Netherlands, the UK and Southeast Asia.

But these delays have failed to stop Pokemon fans finding out ways to get over these problems.

Along with fellow Pokemon gamers in unofficial markets such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, I pirated the game and set off on a Pokemon adventure that was almost worth the wait since the game was announced in 2013.

Following the initial launch of the game, glitches are to be expected, but aside from the usual technical teething problems, Pokemon GO offers a unique experience unlike any other mobile game.

For those who have access to the game, using Pokemon GO in Indonesia is dependent on the strength and stability of the accessible mobile internet network.

Data and battery usage for this game is high and the game stops running if the app is closed. The game does not yet feature push notifications, but this small issue is expected to be resolved in the next update.  

This game is a goldmine for telecom operators seeking to increase data package sales and app-based Go-Jek which can easily transport Pokemon GO gamers around Jakarta to locations tagged as “PokeStops” or assist users to catch the wild Pokemon appearing around them.

Pokemon GO requires users to purchase items in the game’s shop with actual money. The shop sells PokeBalls along with Incense and Lure Modules that can be used to lure wild Pokemon closer.

Notable locations across Greater Jakarta have been mapped out; from the park surrounding the National Monument (Monas) to small shacks in the middle of the forest in Sentul, West Java.  The PokeStops in Kemang, South Jakarta, for example, consist of notable landmarks such as mosques, elaborate statues, water fountains, murals and stores.

Reaching these locations enables a player to collect free PokeBalls and other items, if they’re lucky. Pokemon Eggs can be obtained from PokeStops and a player can hatch these eggs by walking around.

The number of Pokemon that are available to catch changes according to location, as is the case with Pokemon video games, and are limited to the original 151 Pokemon.

In Kemang, there appears to be an abundance of the Pokemon characters Doduo and Pinsir. Weedle, Caterpie, Poliwag, Muk and Bulbasaur also frequent the area. If one uses incense, rarer characters such as Golbat may appear. Krabby, which appears to be unavailable in the Kemang area, has been sighted in Gunung Pancar, Sentul.

Unfortunately, many PokeStops in Indonesia are already outdated as many landmarks, at least in the Kemang area, have recently been demolished or removed.

This game is mainly praised due to the level of real-world interaction required for a player to achieve results. To move forward, one must actually walk or drive to a selected PokeStops and to catch Pokemon, a player must actually walk in order track, find and catch them.

Just remember to look up and remain aware of your surroundings when you walk around!

— Photo by JP/Dylan Amirio

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