Ready for a new adventure, Pokémon fans? After a period of testing that started in May, the real-world scavenger hunt game Pokémon GO is now available in the US.
Unveiled last fall, the free title takes players out of the digital world and into the physical one, using smartphone location information. Users are encouraged to tear themselves away from the couch and go outside — exploring their neighborhood, community, and beyond — to catch wild Pokémon with friends and other players.
"Who's ready to catch Pokémon in the real world?" the official international Pokémon Twitter account teased Wednesday.
As you walk around your hood, your smartphone will vibrate when there's a Pokémon nearby. When this happens, you'll "take aim and throw a Poké Ball" to capture the Pokémon and add it to your Pokédex. Be sure to look for certain Pokémon near their native environment — water-type Pokémon will be located near lakes and oceans, for instance.
"As you level up, you'll be able to catch more-powerful Pokémon to complete your Pokédex," the game's description reads.
You'll also get an alert when you're near a PokéStop, where you can stock up on Poké Balls and other useful items. PokéStops are located at places like museums, art installations, historical markers, and monuments.
Pokémon GO was produced by Google's Niantic in collaboration with The Pokémon Company. Niantic is best known for augmented-reality mobile game Ingress, which utilizes GPS technology to fuel a science-fiction story.
Pokémon GO is available now in the App Store and Google Play.