News

Help Google Catch Pokemon

by Andrea Garcia-Vargas

For those of us born in the 90s, Google's latest April Fools' joke is going to make us squeal: The Google Maps app now includes Pokémon for users to catch (available for both iOS and Android.) It's already April 1 in Australia and Japan, so we know what's coming. Using a total of 150 Pokémon, Google Maps also provides users with a "Pokédex," otherwise known as a digital encyclopedia that Pokémon trainers use to classify and understand different Pokémon species. And we are the Pokémon masters.

We haven't even scratched the surface on the nerd factor yet. Google Maps is making this a "Pokémon Challenge," which means that those interested must try to catch all 150 Pokémon on Google Maps by 2. am. April 2, Pacific Standard Time.

An excerpt from the video announcing the Pokémon Challenge...

Pokémon Masters are the world's greatest digital explorers, and with their passion for exploring, they take our maps to the next dimension... Applicants must explore all types of terrain with Google Maps on their iPhone or Android to find each and every one of the wild Pokémon.

Sounds pretty epic, doesn't it? According to the video, there looks to be an award — but it might just be Google fooling us. Users who catch every single Pokémon will be invited to the Googleplex for a final round of the game, and the winner will begin working at Google on Sept. 1, 2014... as a Pokémon Master. Whatever that means.

We're keen to see exactly what happens when users catch all 150 Pokémon (we have a bad feeling the invitation to the Googleplex is just a joke.) Check out this YouTube video showing exactly how Pokémon will wreak havoc in the virtual reality.