Google Maps Pokemon Challenge: Catch All 150 for April Fools Day (VIDEO)
A Google Maps Pokemon Master challenge has 150 of the Nintendo miniature monsters available for capture across the world. For April Fools, Google Maps users can start at the technology company's headquarters, which takes the digital form of a house from the Gameboy game.
The Google Maps Pokemon Master challenge aims to find the next "Pokemon master," who will supposedly start their job at Google on Sept. 1, 2014. Whoever is able to catch all 150 Pokemon scattered by April 2, 2014 at 2 p.m. PDT will have completed the "most rigorous test known to man," a narrator claims in their video.
"Pokemon masters are the world's greatest digital explorers, and their passion for exploring will take our maps to the next dimension," the narrator said.
To access the Pokemon master journey, use your iPhone or Android phone, open the Google Maps app and press the start icon, which should have a small blue Pokeball symbol next to it. Remember not to type in anything or select any locations beforehand.
From there, simply locate the Pokemon on the map, press the icon to catch them, and they're caught. Players can even view their progress with the "view Pokedex" option.
The Pokemon available for capture range from Bulbasaur, who appeared in the very first iteration of the game, all the way to generation 6 Pokemon Meowstic, which didn't appear until Pokemon X and Y.
Although winners of the Pokemon Master challenge are told they will be invited to Google for a final test before being hired, the stunt is most definitely an April Fools' prank. In the Google Maps video a disclaimer reads "the role of Pokemon master is not yet available."
