After enrapturing children and adults on Nintendo's handheld consoles for nearly 20 years, Pokemon is taking the world by storm again — but this time through mobile phone software. It's called Pokemon Go and it's a game that encourages users to get out of their house and explore their physical surroundings. The game uses a smartphone's GPS to alert players when there's a Pokemon in their vicinity. Then they can go to the location and capture it (just like they did with the cartoony critters as kids). In addition, people can visit nearby landmarks such as parks and statues that are designated PokeStops where they can restock their supplies of Poke Balls. There are also nearby gyms where users can battle other people's Pokemon.
There have been reports of throngs of Pokemon Go enthusiasts converging at popular locations such as the park in the photo above, and local businesses are noticing a boost in foot traffic. But some users have run into trouble while playing the game. Some have even been disciplined for playing the game in unauthorized areas. For military members, it's important to remember that while competing against friends and acting like a kid again can be fun, no game is worth putting your career in jeopardy.
When signing up to play Pokemon Go, it's best to avoid the method that requires full access to a Google account to complete the process. That will leave your game data vulnerable to hackers.