Role:

- Solo UX Designer

- Solo UI Researcher

Timeline: Summer 2023 (estimated one week time span)

Overview: Pokémon Go launched in Summer of 2016 and quickly became a globally loved game. Since its launch 7 years ago the game has implemented many features and released multiple new Pokémon. However,  Pokémon Go the UI/UX has been unchanged still reflecting the era it was produced in.

Research and Process:

A beloved game behind on times.

When tackling this redesign I decided to look beyond surveying users and turn to the internet to do a deep dive in  into UI/UX, and how it compared from Pokémon Go's launch to mobile gaming in 2023.

- Researched multiple mobile games using resources such as Reddit, Gamepress and traditional Pokémon games.

- Talked to active Pokémon Go players who participate in monthly events and consistently play the game.

- Compared old UI/UX trends to more modern trends (ex: how shapes and borders were used).

Before + After Screens:

Catching Screen:

When redesigning the catching screen I mainly focused on improving the legibility and viewability of the screen, while also removing the second screen in the before series to saver the user an extra click.

- Creating a longer box that completely covers the Poké Ball graphic is less jarring for the eye to see 

- Icons enlarged for easier player visibility 

- More consolidated information is easier to take in

Menu Screen:

The menu screen is the only screen in Pokémon Go that was ever given an update, however it was changed so drastically many fans could barely recognize it. My goal here to keep the original menu pages color scheme while trying to fix its initially awkward layout when glancing at through it.

- Keeping the original color scheme was a must, keeping it the same makes it easier to transition between the old and new screen

- Having a swipe downward motion to close the menu makes more accessible for those who are left handed (unlike the very first screen)

- Icons are colored and enlarged to create more contrast for the user, making everything easier to see

Pokémon Information Screen:

The Pokémon information screen hold the majority of the information in the game, including, Pokémon's typing(s), battle power, moves and more. When looking at the original I felt it was unnecessary to have to scroll to gather all the information needed. My goal here was to compact everything into one screen without scrolling and to better organize the massive amounts of crucial information provided. The biggest changes made were:

- Moving the weight and height to one, while keeping the typing centered, this displays the most important information in the middle of the screen

- Shifting the "caught in the wild" bar to the top right instead off bottom left eliminates the major reason for having to scroll down on this information page

- Allowing currency to all be in one section, lets the player associate all items together making them easier to keep track off (ex: stardust, candy and mega evolution stones)

- Compacting the current moves and "new attack" button to the bottom keeps the bottom section of the page more clean and also lets the user have a distinguished spot for the "check mark button"

Pokédex Screen:

The Pokédex screen is meant to provide the user with general information about their Pokémon. However many complaints about the original revolve around the overwhelming background and small sprites. For this screen I kept the same purple hue in the original screen and added triangles just to the corners so the focus can land on the typed information about the Pokémon.

- Enlarging the sprite of the Pokémon makes it much easier for the user to refer too when looking through the Pokédex

- Keeping the information in one box follows the previous design of the Pokémon information page, which allows continuity in the designs

REFLECTIONS:

Trends: Updating a games UI/UX had me researching a variety of trends about how user design has changed and adapted over the years. I learned a lot about not just modern UI but how is has shifted and grown through different time periods.

Continuity: A main problem with Pokémon Go and the few updates it received was the continuity of the games overall look. This project helped me realize the importance of patterns and how a users brain responds to repetition it is used too.