How Pokémon Go Encouraged Me to Find Wonder in the World 2026

Believe it or not, Pokémon Go is 10 years old this month. The wildly successful smartphone game, which allows you to track down lovable creatures in the real world using GPS and augmented-reality technologies, has reportedly been downloaded 800m times across 150 countries and regions. A trillion Pokémon have been caught so far – and I have been responsible for a modest percentage of that figure.

When the game was first released, my sons and I spent many happy hours wandering the streets and parks of Frome searching for Jigglypuffs and Charizards. The game’s social element, which lets you take on gym battles with other players in your vicinity, offered my autistic son a route to communicate with other children in a way he’d never been able to before. My boys have grown up now, but I enjoy the fact that the game is still seducing new players into searching their local shopping centre for Machops.

The Evolution from Pokémon Go to Nature Apps

There’s a part of me that never really let go of this compulsion, although it’s now evolved. I have a folder of apps on my phone that I have ready whenever I go out for a walk, or visit an unfamiliar town. Seek is a free app that uses image recognition to help you identify plants, trees and animals, and it lets you collect species badges to celebrate new discoveries. The accuracy can be a little variable, but it has given me a new interest in wild flowers and trees. Being a nerd, I like to imagine which particular species would win in a Pokémon-style battle. How would red valerian fare against field bindweed? What would be the special attack of the common dog violet?

Merlin Bird ID: A Competitive Twist

Another favourite is the Merlin Bird ID app, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It lets you identify birdsong wherever you are in the world, and provides a “bird of the day” to look out for. My wife and I use it competitively, sending each other screenshots of unusual birds we’ve heard on our travels. I can now fairly confidently identify at least 10 bird songs, and I have to admit, I do associate them with imaginary battle stats.

Comparison: Seek vs Merlin Bird ID

Key Takeaways for Aspiring Nature Explorers

• Pokémon Go pioneered location-based AR gaming and still boasts millions of active users after 10 years.
• The same curiosity can be redirected to real-world exploration using free apps like Seek and Merlin Bird ID.
• Gamification of nature ID makes learning fun for both kids and adults.
• Use these apps to enhance walks, trips, and family outings.

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