Pokémon GO is a game that can change a lot depending on where you play it. But MeinMMO author Max Handwerk didn’t count on how big the difference between Germany and Japan ist.
I’m sure you know that too: You’re on vacation or on a little trip and just have a look at what Pokémon GO looks like here.
I love making these comparisons and, at least that’s what I thought, I’ve seen every situation.
As I said: I thought that no stop situation could surprise me anymore.
But then I went to Japan for a week as part of the Pokémon World Championships. And what awaited me in Tokyo and Yokohama – I didn’t expect that.
So many stops it’s hard to click properly
Not only did Yokohama turn more and more into Pokémon City over the course of the week and an absolutely contagious enthusiasm for Pokémon developed: There was also an omnipresence in Pokémon GO that I had never known before.
Long story short, there were just so many PokéStops and Gyms that it was almost impossible to play properly. Because everything was so incredibly close together that you kept clicking wrong when you wanted to tap on something. When you’re used to only a handful of nearby stops, it’s crazy to suddenly have so many options.
You can see what it looked like here:
For a player like me, who knows far fewer stops from Germany, it was like Pokémon GO paradise. I don’t know exactly how much XP and Pokemon I got during that time – but it was a lot.
But it didn’t stop at stops and arenas. Overall, Japan felt like a bonus level in Pokémon GO because everything was so much simpler. Raids that I can’t do at all at home because there are no other players were simply dismantled here within seconds because the lobbies were so full.
You clicked into a raid and suddenly had around 20 players without having to organize anything. The Event Pikachu buckled after three seconds, and Cresselia didn’t grab it much longer. Of course, that didn’t surprise me as much on the Worlds event site – but I also experienced such situations just like that, in the city. It was fabulous.
Another example: the routes. While I can hardly find any routes at home, in Japan I was able to choose from 18 routes at once. It was impressive how many players apparently made sure to distribute the new feature across the city.
What was difficult, however, was taking arenas or earning coins. Here, new challengers appeared so quickly that the Pokémon barely stayed in the Gym long enough to bring home even 10 coins.
It was an amazing trip because it showed me how the game can feel when you have a huge local community. It’s a shame that this usually only works in a similar way for large events.
What was the best place you’ve ever played Pokémon GO? Tell us in the comments!
And speaking of big events: the global GO Fest in Pokémon GO is coming up soon.