Vacations, concerts, amusement parks, and endless relaxation are the typical summer activities of an average teenager in Columbus, Indiana. In fact, these are the typical summer activities of most teenagers around the world.

But on July 6, a new app was internationally introduced, and within the first week of its release, broke Apple’s App Store record for most launch week downloads.

The name of this global phenomenon? Pokémon Go.

It has been more than a month since the release, and Pokémon Go is still number one on the free app downloads chart in the app store.

“I’ve been a big fan of all the other Pokémon games, so I figured I’d try this one out, and I loved it,” said junior Danny Almeida. “Last month, I’d leave for work early just to have extra time to play. When I got to work, my co-workers and I would discuss and compare all the Pokémon we caught.”

In downtown Columbus, one can find people holding their phones, walking around alone or in a group of friends, aiming at objects unseen to those not playing the game.

To play the game, one must create an individualized character and activate the GPS and camera on their phone. By activating the GPS, a map will appear, enabling Pokémon to show up on different places on the map. As one moves towards a Pokémon, the screen becomes a camera, causing that specific Pokémon to turn into a virtual reality. After capturing numerous Pokémon, one can then take them to arenas and gyms where they are able to train, battle, and become part of a team.

The Pokémon Company has been creating games since 1997, so the idea of playing the original Pokémon game in a real-life setting is appealing to adults, too. This app turned some people’s childhood dreams into reality.

“It’s nice walking around and meeting new people,” said science teacher Andrew Alvarez. “Before Pokémon Go, I didn’t go outside much, so this game makes the outdoors fun.”

Pokémon Go’s popularity does not show any signs of decreasing anytime soon, and it makes for a fun, exciting activity that will certainly be played year-round for many years to come.