Welcome to Nostalgia & Go

On my way home from watching the Euro Cup finals (by the way congratulations Portugal, it was a good game), I noticed a lot more kids running around than usual. They would often stop right in the middle of the sidewalk and start messing around on their phones. No they weren't texting. They also weren't taking selfies. They were catching Pokemon.

In the past 48 hours, my Facebook news feed has blown up with reports of something I never thought would happen (if only because Nintendo doesn't like to share). Pokemon have entered the world of mobile gaming. With them come pictures of crazy places Pokemon have been caught, memes about how Nintendo has managed to get people to go outside and exercise when others couldn't, and reports about a certain "gang" snatching Pokemon right from under other trainer's noses.

Seriously Team Rocket, you guys aren't cool. I hope Pikachu blasts you into the atmosphere.

Personally I think this is brilliant. Not only has the Simpsons managed to make another accurate prediction, but its continued the great tradition that is Pokemon for a new generation (though personally, I like the original 151 Pokemon line up). There's also reports of another benefit to this latest app craze, it's helping people with anxiety and depression.

Seriously, the app hasn't been out a week and already people have been reporting that it has helped them with their mental health. This is fantastic! It's a wonderful side effect that the app designers probably didn't see coming (or maybe they did...no I will not give into Creepy-pastas for this just yet).

I've seen tweets and articles about how Pokemon Go has helped people get up and be excited to catch cute little creatures in the virtual world. It's encouraging people to walk around and get back in touch with nature which are linked to helping combat depression and anxiety.

I think Nintendo did a good thing. They played the nostalgia card, which got everyone who know what a Pokemon is excited (so anyone between he ages of 5 and 30, plus the people who had to sit with them to watch it in the 90s). They've managed to get everyone outside to enjoy summer. They have the potential to help people suffering from depression and anxiety.

I hope Pokemon Go continues to grow and doesn't fade after such a strong start.

Just try to stay safe. Don't try to catch that Pidgey while driving on the highway. No matter how tempting that Oddish might be, it's not worth loosing your job over. And keep an eye out for a red haired woman, a guy with blue hair, a talking Meowth, and anyone with a giant letter R on their shirt. Cosplayers have been known to take their chosen roles very seriously.

Hey look! Team Rocket's blasting off again!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week!

Side note guys: as a disclaimer, I am not an expert in mental health. The items I am writing about are exciting reports that are being posted on social media. I cannot say for certain that Pokemon Go will in fact help with depression or anxiety, but if it does help you or someone you care very much about that is fantastic. Please continue to spread the word.