I have always lacked motivation for training. Thats why I have worked hard to create small hacks to motivate myself everyday. This blog post shows one area of self-motivation I have tried.
Why I love geo-location games?
A few years ago I went out for what I thought would be a short recovery ride. Nothing ambitious. Just the kind of quiet ten-kilometer spin where you move your legs, breathe fresh air, and return home before the coffee gets cold.
At about the ten-kilometer mark I stopped by the side of the road and glanced at the map on my phone.
And there it was.
A tiny empty patch on the map. Just a few unexplored squares. Nothing dramatic. No flashing lights. But somehow those empty tiles sat there like unanswered questions.
My plan had been simple:
- ride ten kilometers
- turn around
- go home.
But those little squares began to bother me in a strangely persistent way, the way a crooked picture frame bothers you once you notice it.
So I rode twelve kilometers farther just to collect them.
This wasn’t an isolated experience.
Another time something similar happened after our company’s Christmas party. I stepped outside into the cold night air, opened the map again, and noticed a single tile about a kilometer away that I hadn’t visited yet.
So instead of calling a taxi, I walked.
The streets were quiet. Almost completely empty. My breath turned into small clouds in the air. And somewhere along that walk I remember thinking something slightly absurd but also strangely wonderful:
A simple game had convinced me to walk through a sleeping city at midnight.
That’s the quiet power of location-based games.
- They don’t lecture you about fitness.
- They don’t demand discipline.
- They don’t ask you to become a different person.
They simply give you a small reason to move.
And sometimes that small reason is enough.
What Are Location-Based Mobile Games?
Location-based mobile games combine the real world with digital gameplay in a way that changes the role you play inside the game.
In most traditional video games you sit still while controlling a character who explores a virtual world, climbs mountains, defeats monsters, or travels across distant landscapes while you remain comfortably in one place.
Your brain still experiences excitement and discovery because humans naturally enjoy exploration and seeing new things, but your body doesn’t take part in those experiences at all.
Location-based games flip that idea around. Instead of moving a character through a digital map, you move through the real world, and the game responds to where you go.
When you walk down a street, something appears on the map. When you turn a corner, the game changes slightly. When you go a little farther than you originally planned, you often discover something new.
And suddenly a simple walk feels less like exercise and more like a small adventure.
Location-based games make your mind and body connect to each-other on in a more fulfilling way. You experience things in a total way, not just as an image of them. This does good to you.
Why These Games Work Especially Well for People Who Want to Move More?
Location-based games require you to move. You have to go to new places to get more achievements, points, badges and prizes. And thats the best part of them. You get rewarded for every walk you do. And we you get rewarded, it feels good, and when something feels good, you do it more.
Instead of thinking “I should go for a walk,” you might find yourself thinking “I have this task to do in this game, so I’ll go do it quickly”. And then you walk for one kilometer in the middle of your busy day. That one kilometer or mile becomes tens, hundreds and maybe thousands of walks in years time. And that really changes your fitness and lifestyle. It takes lots of really small changes to change your life, not one huge leap.
And exploration is in our nature, so you’ll start feeling like you achieve something concrete everyday.
Best free location-based games for mobile
There are many location-based games available today for Android and iOS devices, and they vary quite a bit in style, ranging from relaxed walking companions to competitive territory games and even story-driven adventures.
Here are the best that I have found and played. If you have any ideas of games to add to the listing, drop a comment!
Wandrio (this website)
Wandrio is built around a very simple idea:
The world map is divided into small squares called tiles, and whenever you visit one of those squares in real life, it becomes part of your collection.
There are no complicated mechanics, no pressure to play quickly, and no complex rules to learn, which makes the experience feel calm and accessible even for people who normally don’t play games at all.
You might start by going out for a short walk and noticing a few nearby tiles that you haven’t collected yet, which encourages you to walk a little further than you originally intended.
Then you see another missing tile just across a park or down a quiet street you’ve never taken before, and suddenly your short walk turns into a longer exploration without feeling like effort.
Over time something interesting begins to happen: you start paying more attention to your surroundings because the map slowly fills with places you’ve visited, and streets, parks, and small paths that once seemed unremarkable start to feel like parts of a larger personal map.
For many players this evolving map becomes something more meaningful than a simple game mechanic it becomes a kind of quiet record of everyday exploration. You see where you have been, and remember the adventures you’ve had. You can also start exploring the world with your friends, with our new friend-features.
Download Wandrio tile hunting app:
Munzee
Munzee is a bit like a modern treasure hunt spread across real cities.
In Munzee you search for QR codes hidden in different locations, and when you find one, you scan it with your phone to collect points and get achievements.
Some of these targets exist as physical QR codes placed by other players, while others are virtual spots that only require you to reach the correct location.
Because each discovery usually takes only a moment, Munzee works well during short walks or everyday errands, since you might notice a nearby target while walking to the store and decide to take a small detour just to grab it.
Those small detours add up to more movement than you originally planned. Munzee has lots of things to do. And I mean a lot, to the point, that every lamp post has a tag. Couple of weeks ago I got a bit lost in the Munzee-world and walked from lamp post to lamp post scanning QR-codes. That must have been strange to look at. But the downside with this is that finding a Munzee doesn’t feel that special, as they are everywhere. But try it out yourself and see how you feel about it!
Start hunting for QR codes in real life
Turf
Turf transforms the real world into a large territory-control game.
The map is divided into ”zones” or POI’s that players can capture by physically visiting them for 30 seconds. Once you control a zone it generates points for you until another player eventually captures it. You get 1-10 points per hour depending on the popularity of that zone. You also get capture points, but this works the otherway around, you get more points for capturing an unpopular zone.
Some players enjoy taking quick loops around their neighborhood to capture nearby zones, while others treat the game more strategically and try to control entire districts of a city.
Because other players can always reclaim your zones, the map constantly changes, which gives competitive players a strong reason to keep moving.
Turf is popular in Sweden where they have organized the World Championship-event for Turf. Turf is specially nice game for cyclist, because its much faster to go from Turf-point to Turf-point with bicycle than by running or walking. If you like competition, Turf is for you!
Start competing for area control in Turf:
Orna – GPS RPG
Orna is Location-based role-playing game with deep game mechanics.
As you walk around, monsters appear on the map based on your location, and you can battle them, gain experience, and gradually develop your character by unlocking new abilities and character classes.
For players who enjoy traditional RPGs, this structure can make movement feel rewarding because exploring new areas often reveals new enemies, buildings, or events that weren’t visible before.
Instead of walking simply for the sake of exercise, you find yourself walking because you want to see what might appear next.
If you like classic role-playing games, you have to test Orna.
Play New Old RPGS with mobile:
Atlas Earth
Atlas Earth approaches location-based gameplay from a slightly different angle by allowing players to purchase virtual land tied to real-world locations and earn small amounts of in-game rent from those properties.
The map shows which areas are already owned by other players and which ones are still available, which sometimes encourages players to walk further than usual in search of unclaimed land.
However, the game focuses more heavily on collecting property than on physical movement itself, so walking becomes more of a side effect rather than the main purpose.
Atlas Earth seems a bit strange with the idea of making real money from virtual lands. I didn’t really get into it, and the money you can make with it seems to be some cents, which isn’t as rewarding for me, as nice virtual badges.
Start earning money with Atlas Earth – The Digital Layer of the Real World
Pikmin Bloom
Pikmin Bloom is one of the gentlest and most relaxing games in this category.
As you walk, you collect seeds that grow into small creatures called Pikmin, and at the same time you plant colorful flowers along the paths you travel.
Over time your regular walking routes begin to appear on the map as long trails of flowers, creating a visual record of where you’ve been.
The game moves at a calm pace and doesn’t demand constant attention, which makes it perfect for people who simply want a pleasant reason to go outside for a walk.
Pikmin bloom is made by Niantic and Nintendo. If you are not a fan of Pokemon, but like cute creatures, this is your choice. If you hated Pokemon Go’s gameplay, then you won’t like this either.
Make Every Step Count with Pikmin Bloom
Zombies, Run!
Zombies, Run! turns a walk or run into a story-driven adventure.
While you move, you listen to a narrative through your headphones and take on the role of “Runner 5,” a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world.
At certain moments the game triggers zombie chases, which briefly encourage you to speed up in order to escape.
Each outing becomes like an episode in a radio drama, and the only way to hear the next part of the story is to head outside again.
Zombies, Run! Isn’t really a game, but it is a motivational tool that has an unique approach to make you run faster.
Escape from the Zombies and get fit!
Walkr
Walkr turns everyday movement into energy for a spaceship exploring the universe.
Each step you take generates power that allows your ship to travel to new planets and expand your cosmic discoveries.
Because the game runs quietly in the background without requiring much attention, it works well as a gentle step motivator that simply rewards you for moving throughout the day.
On the flipside Walkr does’n really have any location-based mechanics, it’s just a idle miner-type of game where your walks give you game-energy. I played it for a while but then forgot it, because nothing new happened. Still, it was worth a try. Better than 90% of the mobile games in the market.
Build your own spaceship by walking in real life
Wokamon
Wokamon has the same game-mechanic as Walkr. The more you walk, the more you get ”energy” in the game.
Wokamon combines a step counter with a virtual creature that grows and evolves as you move more.
The more steps you take, the happier and stronger your creature becomes, which unlocks new forms and characters.
The design is intentionally simple and friendly, making it a good option for people who want a small, playful reason to move without complicated systems or competition. Its a nice addon motivator!
A unique pedometer game
Quick Comparison
| Game | Core Idea | Map Connection | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wandrio | Collect tiles by moving in the real world | Precise real map | Explorers, cyclists, wanderers |
| Munzee | QR treasure hunting | Map + point system | Quick discoveries, urban exploration |
| Orna | Deep GPS-based RPG | Map + territories | RPG fans who move a lot |
| Turf | Real-time territory control | Full map view | People who love competing |
| Atlas Earth | Buy virtual land and earn rent | Map + plots | Collectors interested in the money element |
| Pikmin Bloom | Walking and planting flowers | Route-based map | Casual step motivator |
| Zombies, Run! | Running + audio story | Route tracking | People who need running motivation |
| Walkr | Steps power a space adventure | No real map | Step collectors who want a background game |
| Wokamon | Virtual pet powered by steps | No real map | Beginners who want a very simple game |
One Small Thought Before You Start
If you’re thinking about moving more, it’s easy to imagine that you need a big plan or a serious fitness routine in order to begin.
But most of the time, change starts in a much quieter way.
You step outside.
You walk a little further than yesterday.
You notice something new on the map.
And sometimes, during those simple moments of wandering through your own neighborhood, you realize that the world around you is much bigger and more interesting than it seemed when you were sitting indoors.
Thats what we want to do here at Wandrio. We want to let people see the world around them. Join us.
