The short wait is over as global phenomenon Pokémon Go has been released in the UK.
Expect to see eyes glued to smartphones in Chester as gamers head out to find prized characters to catch.
The augmented reality app is now available as a free download from the App Store and Google Play as of Thursday morning (July 14).
It is seemingly set on world domination after rapidly rising to the top of download charts.
All you have to do is search in the online stores for Pokemon Go and click install.
A number of ‘trainers’, including the @ChesterPokemon Twitter account, had managed to get the game before its official launch.
For many it taps into nostalgia for the original video games released in the 1990s, for others it might seem like a completely bizarre craze.
Pokémon can now be found anywhere and everywhere across Chester with users encouraged to get out and track them down.
It works by constructing a virtual map of your location within the app, so the city’s streets will look like never before.
Gamers will be notified when a character is close and once you get to within metres, they will show up on the smartphone’s camera view to be ‘caught’ using the touch screen. The aim, of course, is to catch them all.
Pictures have been circulating on social media of Pokémon being spotted in Eastgate Street, Grosvenor Park and down by the River Dee to name a few.
Creator Niantic Labs says: “Some wild Pokémon appear in their native environments—for example, water-type Pokémon may appear near lakes and oceans.
“Once players have encountered a Pokémon, they can catch it by using their smartphone’s touch screen to throw a Poké Ball.
“Poké Balls and other special items can be found at PokéStops located at interesting places, such as historical markers and monuments.”
A word of warning, expect the game to be a heavy drain on your phone battery and there are also in-app purchases to look out for.
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