With Pokemon Go coming up on a decade of gameplay, no one can argue that the game hasn’t expanded impressively since the days of Pidgey and Rattata onslaughts and limited battle features. However, even with the newly introduced Dynamax and Gigantamax battle systems, there are still dozens of features missing that could make the mobile app more interesting.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Currently, Pokemon Go relies on a series of repeating events like Community Days, Team Go Rocket Taken Over events, Raid Days, and Paid Ticket events to keep players interested. Much of the hype hangs on new species and Shiny debuts. However, with the Pokedex getting closer to complete, there will come a point where just dropping something new for players to chase won’t be enough to keep interest alive.
Here are ten features and mechanics Pokemon Go desperately needs to add to keep the game from dying off as it enters its second decade of gameplay in 2026.
1. A Pokemon Grooming Station
While players can currently pet and feed their Buddies in Pokemon Go, the mobile app has failed to introduce new ways for players to interact with their favorite companions. Pokemon care has been popular for over a decade, thanks to mechanics like the Poke Amie of X and Y, camping in Sword and Shield, and Picnics in Scarlet and Violet. The chance to interact with and clean up your Pokemon is too cute to handle and allows players to give extra attention to team members.
Pokemon Go could make particular use of this mechanic by adding a secondary bonding system that could offer rewards like Candy XL or stat boosts. Pokemon who max out a bond score could have the ability to find better rewards in the wild, or stay active on the GPS map for longer periods of time. The care option would also be great for younger kids who might not be able to do as many of the in-person events, allowing them to enjoy the app in new ways.
The grooming station could be opened from the Buddy menu and include things like a little tub room, a sprayer, a soap bottle, and toys for the Pokemon to play with. Players might even have the ability to choose different soaps that give specific buffs. It would add depth to the companion elements of the game that would be enjoyable for most players.
2. A Poke Puff Baking Mini Game
Poke Puffs were introduced in X and Y, taking the place of Poke Blocks from earlier games. These delicious confections were earned by playing mini games in the Poke Amie, and helped increase the Affection score of those who were fed them. Poke Puffs were also featured heavily in the XYZ Anime seasons, with Serena regularly baking and sharing them with the Pokemon in the group.
With Legends: ZA just around the corner, Pokemon Go should add some way to use Poke Puffs in the game. Whether adding the first real mini-game where they can be cooked with your buddy, or even just as collectible items that offer boosts similar to berries, they would be a fantastic way to celebrate Kalos and add something new for players to interact with.
Poke Puffs could be used to help increase CP, randomly change moves, offer limited boosts, or even increase heart scores outside of the current methods available in the game.
3. A Costume Wardrobe
Pokemon Go‘s Costume Pokemon have been a mixed success since launch, specifically because they take up space in storage boxes and serve little to no purpose to players. The items worn are permanently stuck to the featured options, with little chance they will have good enough stats to be used in Raids or Competitive matches. However, this could be solved with a simple feature: an outfit wardrobe!
This type of option was seen in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, used alongside contests where players competed for ribbons. The Pokemon could be dressed up for performances, allowing them to strike adorable poses. However, Pokemon Go could take these outfits outside of the theater, letting players customize their favorite partners with ribbons, hats, capes, buttons, bowties, and more.
Players could earn new clothing items during Community Days, Ticketed Events, spotlights, new Season debuts, and other notable in-game celebrations. Items could be themed after certain regions, or even after Pokemon appearing in the game for the first time. I mean, who wouldn’t want a Pikachu wearing a Pawmi-themed hat, or a Goomy wearing a Dipplin cape?
This type of minigame would also be great for the younger audience of Pokemon Go, offering ways for kids to spend more time with their favorite companions.
4. Solo Battle Tower Challenge
Battle Towers are some of the most applauded features of the main Pokemon video game series. These end-game challenges consist of extremely difficult battles against random trainers and iconic characters that made up the primary storyline for the Gen. Scarlet and Violet notably left out Battle Tower challenges in post-game, but Sword and Shield were sure to include them, allowing fans to challenge characters like Leon at a whole new difficulty level.
Adding a Battle Tower mechanic to Pokemon Go would be incredible. Currently, the game lacks many single-player options, which can be very difficult for those who don’t live in populated, urban areas. However, a Battle Tower function could be a solo challenge with specific requirements, like reaching Level 35, before it can be unlocked.
Related: Pokemon Go Fans are Frustrated Over New Evolution Requirements
The mechanic could temporarily change a Gym into a Battle Tower location, where players could go up against a series of characters from the franchise in delightfully difficult battles. These challenges could offer top-tier rewards like incubators, Evolution Stones, Mega Energy, or even Legendary encounters. It would be a fantastic way to incorporate mechanics other than Giovanni that allow players to take things into their own hands.
5. IV Training
One of the biggest frustrations of Pokemon Go is stats. Players are gambling every time they catch something. It could be a perfect “Hundo”, or it could be an adorable doorstop doomed to end up transferred for Candy. While certain Pokemon do have slightly better chances of having somewhat decent stats, like those encountered as rewards for completing tasks or participating in events, there isn’t much anyone can do if that Shiny Rockruff they finally caught has nothing to offer in battle.
However, in the main series games, players have had the ability to IV Train their Pokemon. While this isn’t the same as breeding for IVs, it is a fantastic workaround that many have come to rely on when playing the games competitively.
The easiest way to do this would be for Pokemon Go to introduce the Bottle Cap item. These could then be used to purchase Hyper Training, which would increase the desired base stats of a Pokemon. In games like Scarlet and Violet, the Bottle Caps are taken to a character who does the Hyper Training, but in Pokemon Go, they could simply be used on the desired Pokemon, raising base stats by a small amount. This would give players the ability to truly use some of the toads they’ve caught over the years, and have more control over their competitive teams.
6. Breeding
Breeding has been a staple mechanic of the Pokemon franchise since Gen 2, allowing players to combine compatible Pokemon for a chance at obtaining higher stats, Egg Moves, and even improved Shiny chances. With Pokemon Go rapidly running out of new Pokemon to debut, introducing a breeding mechanic could be a solid solution to keeping gameplay interesting.
A breeding menu could be added to the game, where players can place two compatible Pokemon together in a house or a cute garden. After walking for a certain distance, a chance of an egg appearing in the garden could activate, dropping different km options based on a random rarity generator. 2 km being the most likely, and 12 km being the hardest to get. These bred eggs could offer completely different hatch pools than those obtained via Gifts or other tasks in the game.
To collect the eggs, players would need to have room in their Egg Storage, and then they could be hatched just like any other eggs in the game. These Pokemon could have higher chances of good stats, and even get a Shiny boost. It would be a great way to give players more control over Shiny hunting, as well as adding new and interesting mechanics to the game.
7. Gym Battles & Elite Four
It’s 2025, where are the badges in Pokemon Go? I know I am very bored with battling Giovanni for Shadow Pokemon after nearly six years of doing it, and would love a new challenge to work towards. This is exactly the reason for the mobile app to introduce regional badge campaigns.
Using this feature, Pokemon Go could introduce a system where players have a limited time to battle Gym Leaders for badges, with each campaign focused on a specific region. First, it would allow favorite NPCs from the games to be introduced to the mobile app, and second, it would add a whole new level of battle dimension to gameplay. For a month, players could have the chance to battle and win against Gym Leaders, and those who get one of each badge could have the chance to enter an Elite Four challenge at the end of the region campaign.
These campaigns could take a full year, encouraging players to go out and join events as they work to take down each Gym Leader. Anyone who completed all the badges could access a number of rewards, and those who became a Champion could have the chance to enter a Champion-level battle system in the Go Battle League. I know this would get me back out at the park. I’m deeply uninterested in Giovanni. Let me battle Leon and win a Galar set of Gym badges.
8. Puzzles
One thing older Pokemon games were notorious for was puzzles. Whether players were trying to figure out if Mew was actually under the truck, or they were just trying to get out of a cave system, the games challenge Trainers to get creative and try new things with their companions.
Currently, Pokemon Go lacks any sort of puzzle element. The overworld spawns are a bit boring and don’t do much to push players. In fact, the only real requirement to get anything out of the game (besides money) is walking. Adding NPCs that randomly spawn and give players riddles, or Special Research that hides what players are meant to do behind clues, could be an interesting way to spice up gameplay.
It would also be interesting to see events added that require players to be resourceful. For example, being required to complete a series of Raid Battles using Pokemon with specific moves, or having to take down an Event NPC in battle with a specific team. While these elements may not be for everyone, they could be a great way to add some depth to gameplay that is currently entirely dependent on what spawns on the GPS map.
It would also be interesting to see something like random events added to the game. For example, players could encounter balloons or objects on the GPS map that require a Pokemon with a specific move to knock them down or clear them. Sort of like the Rock Smash ability of older gens. These could reward players with items or random encounters, but only if they are removed with the correct requirements.
9. Special Quests
One of the best elements of Pokemon Legends: Arceus was the side quests given to players by random NPCs, or via the Pokedex for the game. Currently, Pokemon Go is bogged down with the daily tasks obtained via Spinning Disks. However, catching three Pokemon, managing five great throws, or evolving something gets quite repetitive when you have done it every day for a decade.
This is where special quests could come into play. For a limited time, a random quest-giving NPC could appear on the map for players to encounter. This person could challenge players to do something in a limited frame of time. This could be as difficult as evolving all of the Eeveelutions in a day, or as intricate as trying to encounter a Ditto before a timer ends. These quests could give rewards like TMs, Evolution Stones, Candy XL, or encounters with the Pokemon that were featured in the quest.
This could also be a great way to add Legendary encounters back into the game. Those who complete a certain number of side quests could have the chance to encounter a rotating, featured Legendary with a special move. This would be a perfect workaround for those who live in rural areas and struggle to get a big enough group together to tackle harder raids. Personally, my group is two people, my sister and I, and we rarely have enough power to take things down, even at our combined high levels.
10. Wonder Trades
Wonder Trades have been a staple of main series Pokemon games for generations. This feature allows players to trade with anyone in the world, swapping spare Pokemon for something new. Currently, trading features in Pokemon Go are very restricted, and it would be amazing to trade more seamlessly with other Trainers.
While it could be limited to just a few trades a day, it would allow fans to interact from all over the world and create a wider sense of community. It would also open up the opportunity to obtain region-specific Pokemon species without needing to travel to complete a dex entry.
There are so many ways Pokemon Go could draw on the original games to add new features, and any of the above would be a welcome addition to the mobile game as it ventures into its next decade of development.
Most Viewed
-
TOHO Animation
