A local man claims to be the second person to capture all 142 Pokemon in the U.S. on the game "Pokemon Go," and he has his sights set on three more in three different countries.
Carlos Adams, 23, said he caught his final Pokemon just before 5 a.m. on July 25.
"I consider myself the greatest Pokemon player of all time," the El Cajon resident said. "When someone says 'Pokemon,' I already know everything about Pokemon. I know their names, I know where to get them."
Adams has played Pokemon since he was a kid, and when the Pokemon Go game was released during the first week of July, he said, "That day I was at Seaport Village playing until 4 a.m., catching Pokemon."
Adams played the game 12 hours a day for six days. He makes a living as a businessman, creating shoes for boxers and runners, and his job allowed him the time to play the game for long stretches.
"I feel like I did eat, drink and sleep Pokemon," he told 10News.
When he finally caught the final Pokemon, he said it was "such an amazing feeling just to know that there are so many people out there trying to get them all and you're there. Well, as far as the USA limit goes, you're there."
A New York man was reportedly the first in the U.S. to get all Pokemon, but Adams said, "I know for a fact I'm better than the guy from New York."
The reason for Adam's confidence? He told 10News: "It took me 1,300 Pokemon captures to get them all. It took him 4,400, so there's a difference between us."
A four-day trip to Mexico slowed Adams down during his pursuit.
"On a small business trip … I couldn't keep playing. But then I heard the news that he caught them all. I came back and I caught them all, too," Adams said.
Adams is now on a mission to capture the final three Pokemon in the world. They are located in Australia, Japan and London.
"Right now, my goal is just to get the last three. Because other than that, I already beat the game; there's no point in playing, actually," he said.
Adams is trying to catch Mr. Mime in London, Kangaskhan in Australia and Farfetch'd in Japan, and if he does, "then I'll be the first one, hopefully, to complete the Poke decks, so far."
He will do anything to find a sponsor or a way to travel.
Adams told 10News, "I'm willing to leave tonight. I'll leave to London, Australia, Japan. I don't need any change of clothes. With this same thing I have on, just go out there and get them and come back. I'm determined; I'll do it."
10News reporter Craig Herrera asked, "That's how bad you want it?"
Adams replied, "That's how bad I want it. That's how bad I want it."
If he collects the remaining three, he'll have bragging rights for life.
"And I'll always be known as that guy from California, from the USA, who went out there and got them all," said Adams.
There are reportedly six more Pokemon to be released at a later date, but no one knows when.
Adams said, "I'll be online on Google every day looking up news, and as soon as I see it then I'm traveling there; I'm there."
