Pokemon Go has Calgary gamers outside trespassing, talking to strangers

The smartphone gamePokemon Gois luring hordes of gamers away from their Nintendo consoles to the streets of Calgary.

It's even getting a few youngsters in a bit of trouble with the law, as seen in the following tweet from Calgary police about three youth caught trespassing.

"You can see who are the ones playing. Like they are wandering around with their phones on their faces," said Jonny Chin, 25.

From Chicken on the Way to Prince's Island park,Calgariansare on a mission to catch adorable creatures from thePokemonworld, likePikachuandSquirtle.

"This game really, really brings a lot of strangers together. I've like had so many conversations with random people," said Chin.

How it works

The Nintendo app uses Google Maps and the camera on your smartphone to help you track down and catch the pocket monsters, which could be hiding in trees, parks and other cityscapes.

Once you nab them, you can train themto battle each other.

"The phone looks like it's looking at reality and then it's placing someone's favourite Pokemon on top of it and it looks like it's in the real world," said Katy Anderson, a Calgary-based digital rights advocate with OpenMedia.

According to Twitter, Pokemon Go pandemonium is in full force in Calgary. There's even a map that tracks all the spots gamersare capturing the critters.

"Because everyone's playing it and posting photos and talking about it, you've got this big bandwagon effect going on, as well as nostalgia," said Anderson.

• Do you playPokemonGo? Where, when and why? Leave your comments below.

"Millennialslove the '90s and so many played Pokemon when they wereyoung, so it just reminds them of being small and playing games."

The game has only been released in Australia, New Zealand and the States, but Canadians are able to play by creating a new U.S. iTunes account.

Chin found an even easier solution.

"In my case, I logged into my second cousin's account in Kansas to download it," said Chin.

• Getting hurt, mugged and even finding a dead body withPokemonGo
• The Canadian government tweets aboutPokemon, is totally hip

Calgary Eyeopener5:04Pokemon Go takes off in Calgary

The Eyeopener's Atiba Nelson tags along with a local Pokemon Go player and hunts for Pokemon in downtown Calgary.