THE GAME IS AFOOT
Beat the Street: The game that’s making moves in Helensburgh
POKÉMON Go was a cultural phenomenon in Helensburgh and the rest of the world when it launched way back in 2016.
The game got millions of people across the globe out and about as they tried to catch the ‘pocket monsters’ from the hit video game and cartoon series in real life.
And now, eight years on, a new game has hit the streets of Helensburgh, and other towns in Argyll and Bute and beyond, aiming to capture some of the spirit, and the success, of Pokémon Go by getting people out and about in their local communities.
Beat the Street’s underlying ambition, though, is to get people fitter and healthier by walking and getting them to think about travel options that don’t involve jumping in a car.
The game can be played via the app or, if you’re under 13, with a physical card, until Wednesday, March 27.
It’s getting hundreds of people in Helensburgh and beyond out and about - and at the Advertiser we decided it was time we hit the streets to try it out.
Before heading off on my adventure around town, I downloaded the app, which welcomed me to the game and invited me to create a team.
But don’t fret if you are a single player - teams don’t need to have multiple players, and indeed several of the ‘teams’ on the Beat the Street leaderboard are individuals.
Once the app was all set up on my phone, I was access an interactive map of the town which showed me where all the Beat Boxes were.
After planning my route, I was good to go, and set out to find my first Beat Box on West Clyde Street.
I was happy to find that the weather was on my side on a bright and sunny day and, for the first time in a while, it wasn’t freezing cold outside.
Before I knew it, I had located my first Beat Box and got a notification in the app telling me I was within its radius, and letting me know I just had to swipe to get my first 10 points.
With that, my quest for points had officially started; I was officially in the game and could now see hidden gems around the map.
These gems were an opportunity to earn more pints and get more rewards but they would disappear from the map if I didn’t find another Beat Box in the next hour.
Luckily, there was one just a five-minute walk down the street which took me to the waterfront and gave me another 10 points and a beautiful view of the Clyde into the bargain.
From there, I made my way to Colquhoun Square, where I snagged my first gem and got another 10 points at a third Beat Box.
My next and final stop took me up to West Montrose Street where I got my final 10 points.
Sadly, other appointments meant I didn’t have time to keep going for any longer - but I still had a total of more than 40 points to show for my first time trying Beat the Street.
That’s a fair bit behind the top performers from Helensburgh so far, St Joseph’s Primary School, who, as this article was published, are the best from the local area so far on the ‘average points’ leaderboard, with 170 players and an average of 452 points.
They’re followed by Rhu Primary, whose 264 players have amassed an average of 374 points apiece, and Hermitage Primary, which has 496 players and a 305-point average.
So far, the individual Helensburgh leader is someone who’s called themselves ‘Helensburgh Rangers’, who has gathered in 300 points all by themselves.
On the ‘total points’ leaderboard, Hermitage Primary’s 496 players have amassed a total of 151,190 points, with Rhu Primary managing a total of 98,730 and St Joseph’s amassing 76,850.
The game in which Helensburgh’s involved also covers three other Argyll and Bute towns - Rothesay, Dunoon and Campbeltown - as well as large parts of North Ayrshire and the island of Arran.
Across all those areas, the best ‘average points’ performers so far are the ‘Isle of Bute Home Educators’, whose nine team members are averaging 1,461 points, while the 689 players at Stanley Primary School in Ardrossan have 387,710 points between them.
My brief try at the game means I’m never going get close to challenge those figures. But I did find a new walking route, I enjoyed the fresh air of a brisk spring day, and I benefited from 40 minutes of exercise and an overall better mood.
Try Beat the Street for yourself and find out what you could gain from the fun game. You could win cash prizes and vouchers if you’re one of the top points scorers.
Or, like me, you could simply find some new walking routes and motivate yourself to keep active - and I think that’s enough reason to give Beat the Street a go.
There’s still time to sign up and take part before the local game ends on March 27. To find out more see beatthestreet.me/ activenation or @BTSActiveNation on social media.