Nintendo had nothing to offer the smartphone space for more than half a decade and then it hit a home run with Pokémon Go. It's already crazy popular and part of your new exercise plan. But to help ensure you become simply the best Pokémon Trainer of them all here is a list of our favorite Pokémon Go tips and tricks.
1. Quickly find nearby Pokémon
You can view nearby Pokémon by tapping the white rectangular bar at the bottom right of your screen. A window will open revealing which Pokémon are close by; tap one of them and they will appear in the white bar on the main screen (as a silhouette, if that Pokémon hasn't been discovered yet).
Want to find exactly where they are? When you move in that Pokémon's direction you will see a green rectangle flash around the white bar: this means you're on the right track. Keep heading in that direction to find that Pokémon.
Also, consider the number of footprints beneath the Pokémon icons. One means they are very close to your current position while three means they are much further away.
2. Make use of the commute
Poké Stops are where you can stock up on your Poké balls and other items, but unlike catching Pokémon, this can easily be done from within moving vehicles.
The number of Poké Stops will differ depending on your route, but you should be able to cash in on them even when flying past. Just have your phone ready and start spinning that dial before you approach.
3. Get more from your Lucky Eggs
Lucky Eggs temporarily boost your XP: for thirty minutes, it will be doubled. Use this in conjunction with Incense, which makes Pokémon more likely to appear for 30 minutes, and you will optimize your potential XP gains.
4. Gather all items automatically
This is my number one time-saving tip and I didn't find this out until days after I started playing. At a Poké Stops, you don't need to physically tap all of the bubbles that appear to retrieve the items there. Just hit the X button and they'll be added to your inventory. Yes, really.
5. Catch ‘em all
You should catch every Pokémon you find, even if you already own that type of Pokémon: you still receive additional evolution candy either way. What’s more, you can trade the Pokémon to Professor Willow for even more candy.
6. Spend all your candy on one, common Pokémon
Candy is used to evolve your Pokémon and it's specific to the Pokémon caught. If you want to maximize the effectiveness of your catches, upgrade only a creature which is commonly found in your area.
This means that you will find much more of the candy of that Pokémon type, thus you can make one creature particularly powerful, which will give you the edge when fighting at gyms
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7. Save battery
Pokémon Go is a battery killer: plain and simple. It requires internet, GPS, your camera and lots of screen-on time. To get more out of your device, head to the Pokémon Go settings menu (tap your Poké Ball then hit the settings icon at the top right) and you'll find a battery saver function. Enable it.
Also consider turning the vibration off to save even more battery, though it does make the experience a little less fun. Similarly, the classic 'turn your display brightness down' tip will work well here too.
8. Make use of others' lures
Unlike Incense, Lure Modules don’t just affect the person who created it, but anyone in the area where the lure is placed. Though the effect works best for the original user, if you’re with friends or see it on your map (represented as confetti at a Poké Stop) make sure you take advantage of this.
Beware, however, that some people have used Lure Modules to tempt people into secluded areas to rob them. Be careful that you only make use of it in safe areas.
9. Pikachu (I choose you)
Here's a neat trick to getting Pikachu as a starting Pokémon. When you create a new account and start the game, the professor will ask you to catch your starting Pokémon. Rather than catching a Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle, walk away from them instead.
Keep walking until your device vibrates and the three starter Pokémon appear next to you again. Repeat this several times until a Pikachu pops up. Catch him to make him your starting Pokémon.
10. Know your limits
It's not guaranteed that you will capture every Pokémon you want to, so don’t waste Poké Balls on creatures that are too strong. How do you know which ones you can snag? Easy, when you see a Pokémon, look at the colored ring surrounding it: the smaller it is, the easier it will be to capture.
The color of the ring is also a big clue here. If it's green, it means it will be easy to capture. Yellow means it will be a little more tricky and red means they will be difficult to bag.
Warning: Pokémon Go APK file
You might have heard that you can download the Pokémon Go APK file if it isn’t available in your region. This is certainly one way to install the game, however, this comes with its own set of risks.
Some Pokémon Go APKs available right now are said to contain malware which could harm your device. Downloading apps from outside of the Play Store always carries risks; such a popular app which isn't yet available in all locations was naturally going to attract scammers. Our advice? Wait for it to arrive in the Play Store in your region. Come on, it’s going to happen soon enough.
Also, please be safe out there in general. It's only a game but it's actually causing physical harm to some people. I was nearly hit by a car playing it this morning. No Pokémon is worth three days in ICU.
Do you have any other Pokémon Go tips that could help our readers (and myself)? Let me know in the comments.
