5 weird places in S'pore you might very well find a Pokémon Go Gym

Do you want to battle Pokemon on Tekong?

Ng Yi Shu | July 14, 2016, 05:52 PM

The Pokémon Go craze is closing in on Singapore - and we might get to enjoy playing it really soon.

If you haven't gotten the news - Pokémon Go is an augmented-reality game, where you catch Pokémon in real life.

It's made everyone go crazy. There are memes everywhere; everyone overseas are sharing their Pokemon Go experiences, and many Singaporeans have been trying to get their hands on the game.

We still don't know when it will be available here. - though there are unconfirmed reports that Pokémon Go might arrive on our shores in the next few days.

But we have a cool approximation towards where you might find Pokémon Go Pokéstops and Gyms in Singapore, thanks to Ingress, which was created by Niantic. Niantic is also the developer of Pokémon Go.

Ingress is also a location-based game. Reports have stated that Pokémon Go draws its map data from Ingress.

Ingress players - have created portals (or GPS markers) throughout their gameplay - and through Ingress and location-based data from Google, Niantic has been able to determine the places' popularity.

Pokéstops and Gyms are commonly the most popular Ingress portals. Ingress no longer accepts new portal entries, so only existing Ingress portals will be used as Pokéstops and Gyms. In general, portals are centred around places with public art and history, or are local landmarks.

Ingress Portal for Merlion - a possible spot for Pokémon Go gym or Pokéstop. Ingress Portal for Merlion - a possible spot for Pokémon Go gym or Pokéstop.

So here's our guess of five weird places where Singapore's Pokéstops and Gyms will be:

1) Lim Chu Kang

If you're weird and want to catch some Dark-type Pokemon, Lim Chu Kang has several potential Pokéstops and gyms:

Ingress portal at Choa Chu Kang Columbarium

Ingress portal at Lim Chu Kang Christian Cemetery

Other ghastly places you might find Gastly - the former Changi Hospital.

Boo. Boo.

2) Hong Lim Park

If you ever want to hold a protest for too much Pokémon in Singapore, or to demand that the government return your Pokémon, Hong Lim Park would be a good spot:

You'll probably have to be Singaporean to set foot on the green. You'll probably have to be Singaporean to set foot on the green.

3) Haw Par Villa

You can also go to hell while playing Pokémon Go, if you're into it:

Ingress Portal Haw Par Villa

First, you have to go through the gates of Hell:

Ingress Portal at Haw Par Villa

And maybe you might find a Dragonite at the Dragon Wall:

4) The Zoo

If you're up to paying for a ticket, the zoo - River Safari, Singapore Zoological Gardens and Night Safari - host several Ingress portals, which means they might have several Pokéstops on Pokemon Go:

Ingress Portal at Ah Meng Memorial

Ingress portal at Yangtze River exhibit, River Safari

If you do go to the zoo to catch Pokemon, you'll be catching virtual animals at a place where you look at real animals. (Just saying.)

5) Pulau Tekong

There is a lone Ingress portal on the Pulau Tekong Total Defence Monument - it might become a Pokémon Go Pokéstop or gym:

What. What.

Pokéstops might also exist on the doorsteps of Paya Lebar Air Base and Changi Naval Base, though you don't have to commit trespass to get in. (Please don't commit trespass.)

It's probably a good idea to know more about aviation history, even if you're just there to catch Pokémon. It's probably a good idea to know more about aviation history, even if you're just there to catch Pokémon.

These places seem unlikely to be gyms - though if the Total Defence Monument does turn out to be one, the gym trainer will probably have a hell of a backstory.

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