Your Up-To-Date, All in One Pokémon Go Guide!

Pokémon shows, movies and games have been charming children and adults alike for two decades now. We greatly doubt that the last month has passed by without you hearing about the new Pokémon Go game, available both on iOS and Android. Whether you are an avid Pokémon fan, or a curious bystander, here’s everything you need to know about Pokémon Go (including little-known secrets!).

 

During the one month that Pokémon Go has been released, it has fast surpassed several other popular applications such as Tindr (and is currently closing in to Twitter) and stands as the highest grossing game of all time in the USA. Moreover, users have been noted to use Pokémon Go for longer than any other application on a daily basis. During the first five days of Pokémon Go’s release and success, it was estimated that Nintendo’s market value increased by an outstanding $9 billion. To put it lightly, Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm (even in countries it isn’t available in yet!).

For more statistics about the immense popularity of Pokemon Go, check out Vox.com

 

Tips and Tricks

Once downloaded, getting started with the game is pretty simple, but before you do, you might want to take heed of some tips and tricks because, after all, isn’t the entire point of the game to be the very best?

 

Get Pikachu as a starter!

Instead of the usual three starters Bulbasaur, Charmandar and Squirtle, you have, in fact, a chance at Pikachu as a starter Pokémon as well, no strings attached. When you initially start the game and are faced with the three choices, walk away from them (in real life!). The starters will continue popping up every time you walk away from there. Continue to do this for four, five times- and alas, the next time, Pikachu will show up with them too! Simply proceed to use your Poke ball to catch it once it appears.

(courtesy: gamepur.com)

 

Use your Poke ball the right way

There are several ways to ensure the capture of a wild Pokémon, and we have them all! Once faced with a Pokémon you wish to capture, tap on your Poke ball- but don’t throw it yet! Here’s the thing: the colour of the circle around the Pokémon indicates how easy or difficult it will be to catch, with green the easiest and red the most difficult. Moreover, when you are about to throw the Poke ball, make sure you throw it when the other, white circle around the Pokémon is at its smallest. These little tips increase the chance of you catching your prize, as well as allow you to gain more experience points. For even more experience points, while throwing your Poke ball, you can also keep your finger pressed on it, swirling it around so that your Poke ball spins when reaching your target. Use razz berries and the like to chide the wild Pokémon into staying longer for capture.

(courtesy: theguardian.com)

 

Tracking Pokémon

On your screen you would find a box showing the various wild Pokémon nearby you. The fewer paw prints shown under each Pokémon near you, the close you are to the Pokémon. Take note of rustling leaves nearby as well, since they usually indicate that there are wild Pokémon in the immediate area (or it could be a red herring too!)

(courtesy: comicbook.com)

 

Finding Pokémon

Venture out to find Pokémon in different areas, at different times. Typically, specific-type Pokémon stick to specific areas; you would find water Pokémon near real-life water bodies, for example. Timing is important as well; a specific area would have different Pokémon wandering around during nighttime and daytime- fairy Pokémon are often present during nighttime, for example.

 

Quantity is key

Battling wild Pokémon to level up your captured Pokémon, as with the previous Nintendo games, isn’t (yet) an option in Pokémon Go. You would need stardust and specific-Pokémon type candies to level up and eventually evolve your Pokémon. Every wild Pokémon you capture will bring with it candies and stardust; use these to level up your other Pokémon. For example, by capturing every Pidgey you encounter, you would end up with several Pidgey candies. Don’t fret about duplicates; you can always transfer them to Professor Willow too in exchange for candy!

(courtesy: heavy.com)

 

Pokestops: How they work

As with the previous Pokémon games, Pokémon centres and Poke marts are not part of Pokémon Go- instead, you will encounter several Pokestops along the way. Here, you can collect Poke balls, potions, revives, eggs, etc. Pokestops refresh every five minutes, so you will never be short of items!

(courtesy: gamerant.com)

 

Incubate your eggs

Eggs are also a way to own Pokémon. However, once you receive them, don’t forget to put them in your incubator! After, walk around for the specified distance for the egg to hatch. You can’t drive and do this, since the incubator would not register speeds faster than 15mphs- but do take out your bicycle for a ride, that would definitely work!

(courtesy: fansided.com)

 

Lucky eggs

Levelling up is imperative in Pokémon Go, as the further you level up, the more items you will receive (such as Great balls) and the higher combat power Pokémon you will encounter. Incubate your eggs and evolve your Pokémon at the same time as popping open your Lucky Egg- your Pokémon will gain extra experience points through this!

(courtesy: thebitbag.com)

 

Choose your Eevee’s evolution form

Say what?! As a nod to the three owners of different Eeveeloutions who appeared in the original Pokémon anime, if you name your captured Eevee after one the trainers, your Eevee will evolve into its responding form. Which is to say that by naming your Eevee Sparky, it will evolve into Jolteon; naming it Rainer will evolve it into Vaporeon; and Pyro will evolve into Flareon. Try it out and let us know if it worked for you!

(courtesy: cartoonnetwork.com)

 

Poke coins: What are they?

Using real-world money, you can buy Poke coins, which allow you to buy additional items and features in Pokémon Go, items such as Lures, extra incubators, etc. However, you will also get Poke coins if you leave a Pokémon of your to defend a gym you have battled for and now own.

(courtesy: usgamer.net)

 

Pro Tip

Turn off the Augmented Reality feature (AR) to save your phone’s battery (psst Pokémon will also be easier to catch with your Poke ball in this way!)

 

 

(cover photo courtesy: ibtimes.com)