A Pokemon in the Eye With A Blunt Stick

So Pokemon is back in a new high tech form.  I'm not sure of the details but apparently you download the app and then walk off cliffs or cause horrible traffic accidents.  Whatever the consequences I think we all agree that its good to see young people getting out in the fresh air and certainly anyone who walks off a cliff with their eyes glued to their phone is somebody we want to escort out of the gene pool as swiftly as possible.

Even my corporate overlords have got into the act touting some sort of Pokemon hunt as a team building exercise.  At least I think that's their intention.  It's entirely possible they're hoping some of their more expendable employees walk off cliffs.

I remember Pokemon from years ago when there was a Japanese cartoon series about it.  I only saw a couple of episodes (well, maybe three or four) and I have to admit I found it more than a little concerning.  To the best of my understanding (and believe me I haven't tried too hard to understand) Pokemon consists of finding aforesaid Pokemon, training them up and then having them do battle with other similarly trained Pokemon.  If you don't find that just a little bit disturbing then substitute the word "pokemon" with "puppy" and see how like it then.  Possibly the greatest achievement of the game's designers is to make something so intrinsically vile cute and rather appealing.

Of course I'm overreacting; I'm sure that there hasn't been an upsurge of dog fighting or bear baiting in regions where Pokemon is prevalent.  It could also be pointed out with perfect accuracy that the bulk of the computer entertainment I indulge in are various wargames thus vicariously engaging in an activity almost as morally reprehensible as dog fighting.  Nevertheless such games are at least open about what they do and test your skill without surreptitiously leading you to a moral decision you may not be comfortable with along the way.  I choose my side and I play to win without ever being in doubt about the horror of war and I know before I start what sort of game I'm playing.

Pokemon contains enough fantasy to conceal the very nasty reality of what you're expected to do.  Pokemon is fun, or at least I assume it is otherwise why would people walk off cliffs playing it?  It is cute, creative and imaginative.  It is everything a game should be.  Some games are also teaching tools.  Let's hope very hard that Pokemon isn't one of them.