The Pokémon Go is craze sweeping the world and on Thursday, enthusiasts can take part in a hunt at the New Sudbury Centre.
“For this Pokémon Party all you will need is your cellphone with the Pokémon Go Game App downloaded and a full battery,” says a post on the event's Facebook page.
“There will be three teams trying to capture the rarest Pokémon Sudbury has to offer. We will be venturing outside of the mall and our only competition is each other.”
The family-friendly event is free of charge and is open to anyone who wants to take part. The three teams will be separated by their start times.
The red team will meet at the centre court of the mall at 3 p.m.; the blue team will meet at 3:30 p.m.; and, the yellow team will meet at 4:30 p.m.
“All teams will meet at 5:30 p.m. after the hunt to show off their best Pokémon and to enjoy a few snacks and beverages,” the post said.
There are a few rules. All team members must work together and not leave their group. Also, children under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
“A side mention is that we will have a little side contest going for best costume, so please feel free to deck yourself out in whatever Pokemon character, creature, or any other theme related costume you may wish to sport,” the post said. “Make sure it's weather friendly and to wear sunscreen.”
Prospective Pokémon trainers were able to officially download the mobile gaming sensation in Canada as of Sunday afternoon.
The augmented-reality game launched in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan earlier this month. Before Sunday, Canadians had to find workarounds to play the game north of the 49th parallel.
The game sends players into the real world to search for the mythical digital pocket monsters known as Pokemon, who appear onscreen when users hold up their smartphones in various locations at various times of the day.
On Sunday afternoon, it was announced on the app's Twitter page that the game is available for download in Canada on Android and iOS devices.
But the app's servers overloaded in the hour after the announcement, and wannabe players had to wait a little longer before they could register an account.
-- With files from Canadian Press
