Since 1998 I've had a dream. That dream was that one day I would be able to walk along side Pokémon, catch them, and battle them. Nearly 20 years later I'm one step closer to having that dream come true.
This is an intro guide to Pokémon Go giving you the basics in order to make sure you get off on the right foot. Having been in the field test, beta, and now playing the final release of Pokémon Go, I've had my hands on the thing for a little while now. While some things have changed in the final release of the game the bread and butter has stayed the same.
Are you already a trainer? These tips no good to you? Make sure you check out my advanced player guide in order to reach your full potential and become a Pokémon Master!
Get Outside!
Where am I?
So the biggest thing you have to do is get outside! Sure you can sit on your couch and catch some Pokémon, and it is at least somewhat viable depending on where you live, but without going outside your going to have a tough time finding different types of Pokémon, not to mention your going to be missing out on some of the best parts of this game. Staying in one place wont help you find any new Pokéstops or Gyms. You can pinch the map to expand it out a bit but it'll only show you about a quarter of a mile or so around your current location with no option to swipe around and check for points of interest. So take a stroll around your neighborhood, go to a local park or hot spot, or have someone drive you around to get a lay of the land. Do not drive and Pokémon!
Capture All The Pokémon!
Come here you sneaky snake!
Catching Pokémon in Pokémon Go is very different then catching them in the main entry games. Upon encountering a Pokémon in the wild you will throw a Pokéball at the Pokémon in order to catch it. Mastering how to throw the Pokéballs well is an absolute must as they are a finite resource that can only be replenished from Pokéstops, leveling up, or spending actual money in order to buy them. Find a technique that works for you or else you'll burn through your Pokéballs quick as you lose the Pokéball if you miss the Pokémon. Aim the Pokéball and the circle around the Pokémon. The colored ring around the Pokémon represents the difficulty of catching the Pokémon. Green means an almost guarenteed catch, Yellow and Orange meaning it might break free and you'll need to try and catch it again, and Red means there is a good chance it'll take a couple of tries or the Pokémon might run. When capturing a Pokémon also note the Combat Power or "CP" which is stated next the Pokémon. This is how powerful the creature is, how much health they have, and overall how they will fair in battles. Higher CP means a stronger Pokémon. You can permanently power up your Pokémon by clicking on it and hitting Power Up or even evolve it if you've got the right amount of candy. To get more candy you'll need to catch more of the same Pokémon.
Activate All The Pokéstops You Can!
This one is soooo close!
Every time you see one of those blue Pokéstops make a mental note of it. These are areas of interests in your vicinity! You've got to be no more than about 50 ft (~15 meters) away in order to be able to swipe it and get some free items! Even if they are out of reach, you can still click on them and it will tell you what the POI is, commonly these are fountains, murals, local eateries, and most of the time churches. When you are within range and swipe them you'll usually get some Pokéballs in order to catch more Pokémon, potions to heal your Pokémon, but if your lucky you'll get get an egg you can incubate! This egg will hatch a random pokemon that will reward you with Pokémon candy so you can level up that Pokémon or evolve it! Remember, finding these Pokéstops is crucial to your adventure. If you dont regularly find and activate these then you will run out of Pokéballs. No Pokéballs means no more catching Pokémon.
Level Up And Join The Fight!
Curse you Yellow Team!
After you reach level 5 you have access to the gyms. Find one and click on it and if you have not choosen and team yet you will be prompted to do so. There are three teams, Blue, Yellow, and Red. If you find a gym of your color, Great!, your team has already captured this gym. You can help your team by leaving a pokemon behind to help defend it or you can train at a friendly gym in order to raise its prestige level in order to make is tougher for a rival team to take it. Found a rival gym? Well its time to roll up your sleeves and fight to take that gym in order to claim it for your team. Battling in Pokémon Go is different than in other Pokémon games. The fighting is done by tapping or pressing your pokemon to attack. You can swipe left or right when you see the enemy Pokémon getting to attack in order for your Pokémon to dodge the attack. Finally, and most importantly, the battling is not turn based. You battle in "real time" so you dont need to wait for the enemy to attack in order to fight back. If you feel confused by the whole battling aspect dont worry too much. Visit a friendly gym and train your Pokémon there to get a hold of the basics of battling.
That's it! You are now well on your way to becoming a Pokémon trainer! In the coming days I'll be posting a more advanced guide with helpful tips in order to get you to become the Pokémon master that we both know you are.
Have any additional questions? Leave a comment below or send us an email at inthemenuspodcast@gmail.com