Cardio, but make it cute: 5 reasons to give Pokémon Go another chance

Pokémon GO’s real magic remains exactly what it was in mid-2016—it turns your everyday world into the cutest playground!

Remember July 2016? That glorious month kicked off a global phenomenon where world peace suddenly felt within reach—if only because everyone was out at nine in the evening trying to catch a rare Lapras or Snorlax by the nearest park fountain. This is no exaggeration. I was one of those Pokémon GO-obsessed players, going on hunts (even on weekdays and stormy afternoons!) at Quezon City Memorial Circle or our barangay’s park with my husband and son. This went on for two full years.

If you, like me and my boys, quietly uninstalled the app around 2018—when the game became repetitive and rather unexciting—you are certainly not alone. Fast forward to 2026, and if you still think Pokémon GO is all about mindlessly throwing Poké Balls at endless Pidgeys and Rattatas, think again. I picked the game back up out of sheer curiosity in September 2025 while passing the hours on a long transit from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City. Just like that, I was instantly hooked, as if it were July 2016 all over again.

*Pokémon Go’s user experience has improved exponentially since I last played it in 2018. All photos from Pokémon Go/Scopely*

Following mobile giant Scopely’s $3.5 billion acquisition of Niantic’s games division, Pokémon GO has undergone a major revitalization. The focus has shifted to slick live events, polished quality-of-life updates, a smoother player experience, and crisper graphics.

So, whether you need a low-stakes hobby to keep you from doomscrolling or a clever excuse to get your ten thousand steps around the UP Acad Oval, BGC, or Ayala Triangle, it’s time to redownload the app.

Here are five reasons why you should give it another go.

First, it is a low-impact upgrade to your wellness routine.

Let’s be honest: your walks could use a little more fun and an extra motivation beyond the promise of good iced coffee afterward. Pokémon GO has become an ideal, low-impact companion for your morning strolls around the neighborhood or the mall. It’s one of those straightforward games that are rare amid the glut of competitive titles. For someone like me, whose idea of “physical activity” revolves around bank errands and grocery runs, this is a great way to be a little more active.

Pokémon GO has also leveled up with Routes, a feature that lets you follow curated, user-created walking paths around local landmarks and parks. It turns a routine walk into a structured micro-adventure where you earn extra item drops, hatch eggs, stumble upon rare Pokémon encounters, and claim gifts and a postcard from the adorable Mateo just for keeping your feet moving. Not bad for a dose of cardio.

Second, the Pokémon roster is bigger than ever.

If you stopped playing because you felt you had already caught every original Kanto species, the regional roster has expanded exponentially. The game now brings together creatures from multiple generations and regions, including Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar, Paldea, and even the historical Hisui. This is great news for long-time Pokémon fans like me, who have multiple favorites in every region.

You can now hunt for more recent popular Pokémon like Fuecoco, Mimikyu, Dragapult, Tinkatink, and my Paldean cutie Clodsire, or rare and legendary ones like my favorites Zacian and Zamazenta, right alongside all-time favorite Pikachu and the Eevee lineup.

The familiar thrill of filling in every blank space in your Pokédex returns, backed by smooth modern animations and updated graphics.

If you prefer games that let you play with other fans without the small talk or needless chatter, Pokémon GO is for you. You don’t even have to know your in-app trainer friends in real life to play with them. It’s also cool that you can make friends from the remotest parts of the world and trade gifts and postcards. A surprising bonus for me: finding out I have quite a lot of family and friends who have started playing again! Now I have real-life trainer friends, too, apart from my husband and my son.

Because Pokémon GO is still a game, it has competitive/co-op features that let you team up with friends. Through Party Play, for instance, you can group up with up to three friends to tackle shared challenges, like landing Great Throws, spinning PokéStops, or hatching a set number of eggs.

For higher stakes, Dynamax/Gigantamax and Mega Raids bring players together for colossal boss battles. Standing outside a local landmark or popular Pokémon GO spot alongside fellow players to defeat a giant raid boss can be quite exciting—and gives you major bragging rights if you manage to catch a shiny one with a special background and perfect stats (known in Pokémon-speak as a BG shundo)!

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Fourth, it functions as a mindful (and affordable) break from the daily grind.

Between endless work messaging apps (Telegram alerts drive me mad!), overwhelming news cycles (my main job, unfortunately), and fast-paced video feeds, our minds are constantly overstimulated. Pokémon GO offers a surprisingly peaceful alternative by acting as a low-stress, “third-space” activity. It requires just enough focus to keep you off work emails for a bit, without distracting you from your actual tasks.

The game’s in-app purchases, such as passes and items, are also quite affordable. A monthly pass packed with special items, bonus XP, and exclusive Pokémon encounters starts at just ₱235. Better yet, you don’t even have to buy anything; just hit your daily step goal, and you’ll progress through the game without spending a single centavo.

Lastly, non-stop events and cute costumed Pokémon keep things fresh.

Pokémon GO keeps players coming back by keeping the world around them fresh with evolving, limited-time content. Whether it’s a high-energy Community Day featuring a beloved starter Pokémon, an action-packed global GO Fest, or a cozy seasonal celebration (this year’s Halloween season is so adorable!), the game always has something exciting going on.

These timed events regularly introduce collector-favorite themed Pokémon—from Pikachu donning seasonal holiday hats and flower crowns to special festive variants—making even a routine neighborhood walk feel like a high-stakes treasure hunt. Knowing a rare shiny, a limited-edition costume Pokémon, or a new legendary raid boss could be waiting just around the corner keeps the experience fresh and rewarding. Plus, it goes without saying that Pokémon are always endlessly charming.

Best of all, you don’t need to buy paid event passes to enjoy the fun—while they offer nice perks, simply staying active and getting outside is more than enough to reap the rewards.

So lace up your comfiest walking shoes, charge up your power bank, and give Pokémon GO another spin. Whether you’re out to fill your Pokédex, squeeze in a few thousand extra steps, or just catch a Pikachu wearing a funny little hat (while praying it’s a shiny one!), Pokémon GO’s real magic remains exactly what it was in the summer of 2016—it turns your everyday world into the cutest playground.

See you out in the wild—I think I’ll be playing Pokémon GO for a long, long time!