If you haven’t seen your local parks and downtown areas alike packed with folks playing the free mobile game Pokémon Go, surely you’ve at least heard of the craze. The seed was planted 20 years ago in 1996 with the introduction of Pokémon Red and Green in Japan. These pocket monsters have since spiraled in and out of our lives, and now they’ve stolen our hearts once again (though some fans will argue that they’ve remained loyal all this time). In addition to children and teens, the fan community also consists of young adults who have played the games or watched the series as children. Just how big is this app? Many sites compare the phenomenon to Tinder, but it’s much bigger than that. Sensor Tower reported on July 12 that “mobile users are spending more time in Pokémon Go in Facebook.” If you’re just beginning to play or are interested in starting, check out some of these tips from experienced players below. Pokémon Go is a location-based reality game, which can be a good balance of exercise and social interaction and exploration, but it has also made news reports for causing accidents. Just make sure to be careful out there!By being in a moving vehicle, you’ll notice hatching progress. Avoid doing this while driving so you don’t get into an accident. Make sure you’re traveling under 30 mph, says reddit user Kolrich, a Level 22 player of the game. “This usually happens in dense neighborhoods, or on heavy traffic roads. If you’re stuck as a passenger in stop-and-go traffic then you’d better have Pokemon Go out and running.”
According to the Pokémon Go Lengthy Introduction Guide on reddit: – No footprints: > 10m – 1 footprint: 10m – 25m – 2 footprints: 25m – 50m – 3 footprints: 50m to 100m
Sure, you can encounter Pikachu during gameplay, but if you want one as your starter, you’ll need to do from the very beginning. When you start the game, you’ll notice Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, all very tempting, but walk away and wait as they relocate where you are. Do this four times and a Pikachu will show up as an options, reports Polygon.
This may seem like common sense, but if you’re rushing, you might not pay attention. If you’re in between a few Pokémon of similar CP, note that the stronger one is probably the one with more progress left.
Battery life is extremely valuable when playing this game. It won’t help much, but turning off AR (an option that opens up when you encounter a Pokémon), it can make all the difference if you’re really running low.
Some sites are saying to download Google Maps and work within offline settings to save battery life but Sam Thorogood of Google has advised against this. Instead, look to #7 for a real solution.
Online retailer Kogan.com reported that their sales have increased a whopping 243.51% since the launch of Pokémon GO. This game eats your battery, so it’s best to be prepared.
Make sure to use your Lucky Eggs when you evolve a bunch of your Pokémon or when you hatch a good number of your eggs. Popping the egg will get you double XP for half an hour, so you can level up pretty quickly with this method.
Make sure to save Pidgeys, Rattatas, Weedles, Caterpies, etc. or any other Pokémon that costs 12 or 25 to evolve.
This is a special note from Kilroch, also included in his advice about leveling up.
If you don’t live in a rural or extremely rural area, then you’ve lucked out. Simply head to a park, downtown, or any populated area to find some Pokémon.
Kolrich also suggests: “I don’t believe that anyone should be powering up Pokemon below level 20-25. Your main focus should be on leveling up. As you level you will find stronger base CP Pokemon.”
You’re able to collect your rewards every 21 hours. Kilroch and other users recommend waiting to collect until you’re completely done for the day. That way, you can get the max rewards and be set for the next morning.
Of course, you wouldn’t want to let go of anything extremely valuable in your Pokémon Go bag. Instead, get rid of some Potions, Revives, and Razz Berries.
This will speed up your gameplay and help you figure out your type advantages in a gym fight.
If you’re not sure where to start or just want to make some new friends with common interests, this is the way to go. You can discuss what you’ve found and learned. Many of the groups are closed to prevent unsafe practices, but you should also use your best judgment when interacting with others online.
Because this can be a physically interactive game, Kilroch has made the following PSA, which we highly agree with: – Leave parks and cemeteries at closing time so police don’t need to escort players out all the time. – If you’re playing at a bar or restaurant, don’t linger long after you finish your food and drinks. You’re taking up space for a paying customer and can hurt the business. – While you play, pick up some trash to make the area you are playing in more beautiful. This will also help promote a positive image of Pokémon Go players. – Pick up flowers and other items blown about in a cemetery and put them on a grave, even if it is just one nearby. – Be aware of blocking bike paths in parks or blocking the disk golf holes in a park. If you see a pole with chain hanging down to a basket, odds are good that you are standing in a frisbee golf course.
