Australians are going nuts for Pokemon Go | Photos

From the top of the Territory to the south of the country and everywhere in between, Australians are going bananas for Pokemon Go.

One of the most popular video games of all time, a childhood favourite for millions across the world, is back with a vengeance in the form of the new app.

And now it’s all everyone’s talking about.

Pokemon Go is an augmented-reality game, users must literally walk around streets to access new challenges and rendezvous with monsters. The app interacts with your GPS data and guides you to places of interest. Your live camera captures the scene around you, and Pokémon jump into your phone screen as you look at the world in front of you.

If you’ve spotted children, teenagers, twentysomethings and those in their 30s walking around, peering through their phones and getting excited, then the chances are you’ve spotted a crowd out to catch em all.

It’s popular enough that police are having to issue warnings to communities that chasing Pokemon isn’t a valid excuse for not watching where you’re going, using a phone while driving or entering property you’re not supposed to.

“‘I was collecting Pokemon’ is not a legal defence against a charge of trespass, so be sure that you have permission to enter an area or building,’” Mt Isa’s Sergeant Cath Purcell has warned her constituents.

“‘A Pokemon appeared right in front of me’ is not the answer you want to give to a coroner or the victim’s family if you caused an accident.”

Up in the Top End, Darwin police – in typical Territory fashion – have had to let people know they don’t need to come inside the city station to keep catching the prize.

“For those budding Pokemon Trainers out there using Pokemon Go - whilst the Darwin Police Station may feature as a Pokestop, please be advised that you don't actually have to step inside in order to gain the pokeballs,” a post on the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services Facebook page said.

“It's also a good idea to look up, away from your phone and both ways before crossing the street. That Sandshrew isn't going anywhere fast.

“Stay safe and catch 'em all!”

Their counterparts in New South Wales also offered similar advice.

Earlier in the week, some south-western Victoria residents were blaming the app’s popularity on bringing down mobile phone networks during an Optus service interruption.

In Sydney on Sunday, the streets were taken over by hundreds of people glued to their phones as they captured Pokemon monsters in a battle to "Catch 'Em All".

Just days after new app Pokemon GO launched in Australia, hundreds of Pokefans joined together on Sunday to find their favourite pocket monsters throughout Sydney, with the app's use of GPS and internet services.

The event was organised by lifelong Pokefan and content manager of gaming festivals Oz Comic-Con and Pax Australia, Guy Blomberg,and friend Jess Hodgson. The aim was to meet fellow Pokefans and hunt around Sydney's well-known landmarks to find creatures and claim territory.

"The game encourages going out and about, so it made sense to do that with friends," Mr Blomberg said.

"It uses augmented reality which encourages people to explore. It's pretty cool."

The walk started at the Opera House and continued to Circular Quay, the Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and Darling Quarter.

There was no set duration and Mr Blomberg said it would continue "until the batteries run out".

But game players came prepared, stocked with external battery packs to keep the game going as long as they could.

Keen players Britt Dell and Keith Franks were one of the many donning Pokemon attire for the walk, with Mr Franks buying his phone and shoes in anticipation for the game.

While Ms Dell said it was about getting out and talking to fellow Pokemon friends, Mr Franks, a competitive Pokemon player, said it was all about the game.

"In the city there's more people so there's more of a chance to encounter people in the game and there's a higher chance of finding better Pokemon," he said.

For player Mark O'Toole, it was about spending a day out in the sun playing his favourite game.

"Pokemon was one of the first games I had when I was younger," he said.

"Just being able to get out and exercise while playing the game is the best."