Ingress

While the definition of "ingress" is entry into a place, I'm talking here about the game app.  Goo got Mama hooked and now she's got the kids interested.  Anytime we're in the car, they want her to turn on the game and play.

See, if I understand if correctly, it goes like this:  when you join Ingress, you choose one of two teams, the "Enlightened" (who are green) and the "Rebels" (who are blue).  There's a whole backstory about teams protecting portals from invading creatures.  Each color tries to take over as many portals, which are local landmarks like post offices, churches, historical markers, and other public sites, as possible.  Mama and Goo play for the rebels, though I understand that the majority of players are green.

So as we're driving, the app identifies portals and the player "hacks" them, scoring points and picking up or losing powers.  They can set up resonators and eventually claim the portal for their own team or strengthen it, if it's already their team's.  You have to get close enough to deploy the resonators, etc., which can lead to slow (and hopefully not dangerous) driving, with perhaps more turns and stops than a usual car trip.

The upside is we are noticing things in our neighborhood and nearby towns that we otherwise would pass by.  And the kids are enjoying longer car rides in a way they wouldn't have before.  All good.  Especially because we hacked several portals on the way home from church yesterday.