Here’s What We Know About Pokemon GO So Far

Pokemon GO is live in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, meaning that fans are finally getting their hands on the hotly anticipated “augmented reality” game.Pokemon GO uses a smart phone’s GPS and camera to create a unique experience that simulates fans catching and battling Pokemon in the real world. Although the game came out last year, Niantic Labs, the developer of Pokemon GO, has been relatively quiet about the game, with only one official demonstration at E3.So, to help fans get ready for Pokemon GO, here’s everything we know about Pokemon GO so far:

Basic Requirements

Players will technically need two things to play Pokemon GO: a valid Google account or Pokemon Trainer’s Club account and a compatible phone.  Android users will need at least a 4.4 for Pokemon GO to work, while iPhone users will need an iPhone 5 or higher, as well as iOS 8.  It’s also noted that players will need a strong internet connection to play Pokemon GO, either via WiFi or data signal. 

Niantic’s website notes that jailbroken iPhones will not support Pokemon GO, although we’re still looking into see if any players have found a work around for that. 

Catching Pokemon in the Real World

At its most basic level, Pokemon GO is really about exploration. While you usually play normal Pokemon games sitting on your couch or laying in bed, Pokemon GO requires players to explore the world around them. Pokemon GO‘s default screen is a stylized map (based off of Google Maps) showing a player’s surroundings.  While walking through a town or neighborhood, areas of rustling grass will randomly appear on the screen.  As players approach the grass, a Pokemon will randomly spawn nearby.  Players can then tap on the Pokemon to turn on their camera to “see” the Pokemon on screen and catch them with a PokeBall. 

Like in normal Pokemon games, different Pokemon appear in different times and locations. We saw Pokemon like Gastly and Drowzee come out at night, while water Pokemon like Seel and Magikarp appear near a local river.  Traveling to different locations throughout town will supposedly reveal new Pokemon to find.

Unlike traditional Pokemon games, there’s no battling involved to weaken a wild Pokemon.  Instead players “throw” a PokeBall by moving their finger across their phone’s screen. There’s an actual technique to throwing a PokeBall; Pokemon can dodge a poorly thrown PokeBall and eventually run away with enough misses.  Once a Pokemon is caught, they’re registered to the player’s Pokedex and added to the player’s collection.  Players can keep up to 250 Pokemon at a time and can also give their Pokemon nicknames, just like in the normal Pokemon games. 

Training Pokemon

A Pokemon’s strength is determined by its “CP”, which can be increased via two methods: training at a local gym and by using “Stardust” on their Pokemon. Trainers gather Stardust with every Pokemon they catch and can use it to boost their Pokemon’s power.

Players can also head to local gyms, which correspond to various landmarks and places of interest. When players reach Level 5, they have the option of choosing between one of three teams that battle for control of gyms. If a player’s team controls a gym, they can use it to train and strengthen their Pokemon. Otherwise, a player has to battle Pokemon left behind to guard the gym to win control of the gym.  

Leveling Up

One of the biggest differences between Pokemon GO and a traditional Pokemon is that players level up instead of Pokemon.  Catching Pokemon, battling at gyms and stopping at PokeStops all earn XP, which will then help players level up.  As players reach higher levels, they’ll gain access to stronger PokeBalls and items, as well as encounter harder to catch Pokemon.   Players will need to reach Level 5 before they can train and battle at gyms, which will take a little over an hour of continuous play to reach. 

Evolving Pokemon

Evolving Pokemon is a bit different from classic Pokemon games, as Pokemon don’t have traditional levels.  When players catch Pokemon of the same type, they receive specialized “candy” that corresponds to that Pokemon.  After collecting so many pieces of candy, they can then evolve those Pokemon.  Players can use the candy for the entire evolutionary line, so you can use leftover “Bulbasaur Candy” to evolve your Ivysaur into a Venusaur. A lot of people complained about the evolution model when Niantic announced the change, but their justification was that their evolution system required players to find and catch Pokemon, which keeps with the spirit of Pokemon GO.  It’s basically a different way of grinding, and we’ll see if it holds well with fans. 

Microtransactions

The Internet collectively let out a groan when they found out that microtransactions would be a part of Pokemon GO.  Luckily, it seems as if those microtransactions are entirely optional.  Players can use real world currency to buy coins, which can then be used to purchase items like PokeBalls and incense (which attracts additional items). However, players also get PokeBalls by leveling up and traveling to PokeStops, so the microtransactions are aimed at enhancing gameplay rather than as a necessity to continue play. Fans can breathe a sigh of relief that Pokemon GO isn’t like Clash of Clans or even Pokemon Shuffle which limits the amount of time you can play without purchasing items. 

Common Complaints

So far, the biggest complaint about Pokemon GO is how often the game’s servers crash. During our first hour of gameplay, the game crashed three times as thousands of players logged on for the very first time. A restart quickly fixed the issue, although we did lose out on catching an Eevee during a crash.  

Some players have also complained about the game being a battery drain.  It’s not a surprise, as Pokemon GO does require the phone screen and GPS to be on while playing, but there are battery saving options included in the game’s settings.  Niantic is also looking into ways to decrease Pokemon GO‘s battery drain.