In spite of crippling server issues and gruesome discoveries, Pokémon Go has soared to the top of app charts, added billions to the market value of Nintendo, and sold millions of dollars of Pokéballs and other virtual goods, as people engage in nostalgia for the original Pokémon games and discover.
The game is deceptively complex. At first, it seems like all you do is wander around, catching random fake animals. But unlike many mobile games, Pokémon Go leaves most of its complexity unexplained. Much like in life itself, you are dropped into a world that you must master at the same time as you figure out how it works.
Well, there may be no guide to real life, but here is a guide to Pokémon Go. It will help get you from beginner to advanced Pokémon trainer, level up, and catch 'em all.
Table of PokéContents
- The player
- Catching Pokémon
- Training Pokémon
- PokéStops
- Gyms
- Battling Pokémon Go is a bit different from earlier games in the series, because the Pokémon trainer-the little character you make at the beginning of the game-gains experience points to increase his or her level. In the original games, each Pokémon has its own experience points and level, but not so in Go.
There are two main reasons you want to get to a higher level:
- As your level increases, you will encounter and be able to catch more and stronger Pokémon
- Handy items get unlocked at certain levels. The Razz Berry, for example, which makes easier to catch, is unlocked at level 8.
Here are all the ways you can gain experience points (we'll explain how to do these things):
Lucky Eggs
A very useful item for leveling up is the Lucky Egg. Using an egg sets off a 30-minute timer, during which you will gain double experience points. Be sure to use this wisely by consulting the table above to see which high-XP tasks you can finish in that 30-minute window. You might time a Lucky Egg with several evolutions, or alongside a lure that sends lots of your way, to get the most bang for your buck.
One Lucky Egg is awarded at level 9, and others at subsequent levels. Lucky Eggs can also be purchased at the store with PokéCoins.
Catching Pokémon
At the core of the game is, of course, catching Pokémon. Here's everything you need to know to catch 'em all.
Catch a Pikachu
Like the original games, when you start playing Pokémon Go, you can choose one of three Pokémon as your first companion: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. But there's a hidden fourth option, too: Pikachu. To get a Pikachu, you just need a little patience.
You have to ignore the first three Pokémon presented to you by Professor Willow and simply walk away. The three Pokémon will follow you around for a bit and then disappear before reappearing.
Do this four times, and a Pikachu will eventually show up. Then you capture it. Catching Pikachu doesn't appear to have a strategic advantage, since you'll likely encounter stronger ones later on, but why miss an opportunity to hang out from the outset?
Find nearby Pokémon
To see what Pokémon are lurking nearby, look at the bottom-right corner of your screen.
Clicking that menu will show outlines of up to nine nearby Pokémon, along with one to three footprints underneath each of them. The fewer footprints there are, the closer the Pokémon is. The Pokémon in this menu are also sorted by distance.
The one on the top-left is closest to you while the one on the bottom-right is farthest.
How to throw a Pokeball
Unlike the original games, you don't battle wild Pokémon in Go. Instead, you jump straight to capturing them, which really just means flicking a Pokéball on your phone screen at a Pokémon. Toss it too near or too far, and the Pokéball won't do anything.
You have to get it just right by actually hitting the Pokémon. When you press on a Pokéball, a ring shows up around the Pokémon. A green ring means the Pokémon is easy to catch, while a red one means it's tougher to catch. The rings also change in size as you hold down a Pokéball.
Your odds are improved, especially for harder-to-catch Pokémon, if the ring is smaller when you release the Pokéball.
Throw a curve ball:
Curve balls aren't just stylish, they also increase a player's experience points if the technique results in a capture. To initiate a curve ball, move your finger in small circles on the screen while touching the ball and then toss it.
It's still unclear if curveballs actually increase the chances of capturing a Pokémon, though they do definitely give you an XP bonus. Some players say that's the case, while others report it's harder.
