The Pokémon App That Conquered Canada Before Pokémon Go Was Available

Looking to cash in on the Pokémon Go sensation, a flood of imitation apps have hit the App Store, confusing fans, and, in some cases, rocketing to the top of the charts. This practice has been made easier by Niantic: Pokémon Go’s troubled launch has seen it delay its worldwide rollout, with only a few select countries having intentional access to the app. Canada was, until recently, one of those waiting countries; gripped with Pokémon fever and envious of their Southern counterparts, Canadians sought to get their Pokémon fix any way possible. While some have found workarounds to the absence of Pokémon Go—I used my American iTunes account to download Pokémon Go out of fear of missing out on capturing gyms early on— many others have mistakenly downloaded another app: Pokedex for Pokémon Go.

Created by 16 year old Akshat Jagga, the app, released in May well in advance of Pokémon Go’s release, has found itself suddenly at the top of the paid charts in the Canadian App Store. He seems sincere in his adoration of Pokémon and gaming at large, describing the series as creating an “emotional connect” between itself and players. “The story of Ash is very near to most of us…the way he leaves his home and ventures out to become a Pokémon master,” Jagga says via email and again over FaceTime.

“Pokémon Go is further extending this virtual experience by encouraging fans to hunt for those loveable characters, which they are really fond of, in their real life…For some, their childhood cravings are coming to life through this game.”

He began coding a few years ago, he says, and has released three other apps on the App Store, including a themed Helicopter clone, a photo caption generator, and an aggregator of sorts for writers. These all seem like the kinds of apps a student makes to test the waters of app design and sales—they’re all free and somewhat limited in their design.

Ostensibly a paid Pokedex, his newest app delivers on its promise of including information on Pokémon descriptions, types, and attacks in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

“I saw the potential of how many people are going crazy about it. I saw the lack of good apps that could complement it, so users could use alongside the game itself. It was meant to be useful for people. I collected information from all the sources I possibly could and presented the Pokedex,” Jagga says.

It may be somewhat underwhelming with its included information, but this is a perfectly serviceable app that lives up to its description. But its name has undoubtedly caused confusion, with a deluge of negative reviews slamming the app and demanding a refund.

“Thought it was the real thing and wasted my money,” bemoans one user. Another user says he “thought that it was the legit Pokémon game it caught me trippen and I realized it’s a fake.”

“I see an encouraging response of my app,” Jagga says. “The spike [in sales] is in the recent days…mainly Asia Pacific, Canada, and USA”.

According to Jagga, his app is about convenience. “[It’s] almost impossible for any individual to search, collect & organize” all the information his app includes. When asked why someone may legitimately purchase his app, when free alternatives such as Google searches exist, Jagga responds that it is because he offers “an ad free experience without any interruptions or pop ups.”

This meshed with my experience with the app. I’ve been searching for Pokémon all over my home province, taking in landmarks and attractions I may not have otherwise seen. However, short of a few welcome WiFi hubs scattered about, I’ve been draining my cell phone’s data allowance, slowly but surely, in my journey to “catch ‘em all”. Pokedex for Pokémon Go was a welcome tool for when I wanted to remember details about a Pokémon without need for searching all over the web—it has information conveniently bundled within, though still does require an Internet connection.