If you’re like me, then Pokémon Go is consuming a lot of your free time, and slowly consuming your soul. I have spent the last few days hiking, driving, and exploring all over the place to maximize my Pokédex, make my bag heavier with wonderful items, and get closer to achieving my goal of becoming a Pokémon Master. I’ve learned some valuable tricks along the way that I’d like to share with you to help you on your own Pokémon journey!
1. Stick to a Daily Routine
The first thing I’ve noticed about Pokamen GO is that it can be very easy to get overwhelmed. I mean, after all, you can travel anywhere, so it’s easy to get lost in the planning process. The first thing I recommend doing is checking near your house, within a few miles, and finding a good route for you to map out. Scout for a good spot that’s near a lot of Pokéstops and Pokémon—this will be your starting point. It’s completely fine if there’s some separation between areas filled with Pokéstops and Pokémon; you can cover some ground on foot or by riding your Aventon bicycle and hatch some eggs. We have a route near our house that my wife and I regularly explore, and it has helped us catch a lot of Pokémon and refill our bags consistently. There’s a university near our house and within 10-15 minutes of walking, we will catch 10-15 Pokémon and also hit about 6-8 Pokéstops. Since this is our routine, we are guaranteed to get some activity, even if we don’t plan on going on an adventure across town that day.
2. Make Sure to Keep Catching the Same Pokémon
This may go without saying for many people, but even if you already have a Pokémon that you encounter, it is still best to catch it anyway. I realize this is a more literal interpretation to “gotta catch ’em all,” but it pays off in this game much more than in the core games. In the core games you might gain a little experience but overall you’re just wasting a Pokéball—this isn’t the case here. In Pokémon Go you are going to be leveling up while you strengthen and evolve your Pokémon. Every time you catch a Pokémon you are going to be earning experience for yourself but also earning candy for the specific Pokémon that you are catching. This candy can be used, of course, to help Pokémon of the same kind grow stronger and evolve. As you level up as a Trainer, you will find more types of Pokémon and more rare Pokémon. This step is even easier if you’re following my first tip, as you’re likely to keep running into the same Pokémon in that area.
3. Keep Your Pokemon Organized
Pokémon Go gives you a lot of ways to filter your Pokémon, and these can all help you in different ways. I would recommend taking advantage of these filters and changing how your Pokémon are sorted, based on your current task. For example, if you’re simply transferring duplicate Pokémon to get candy to level up the Pokémon you’re keeping, choose to sort by number. This will show how many of the samePokémon you have, and you can see all your duplicates lined up together. This prevents you from having to search through all of them and scroll up and down constantly. Another handy filter is the option to sort by CP. Use this if you want to see who your strongest main Pokémon are, and when you want to make an informed decision on which Pokémon to power up and/or evolve after you’ve transferred duplicates. If you utilize these filters regularly, then it will save you a lot of time so you can get back to what’s important: hunting for wild Pokémon!
4. Use Social Media to Help You on Your Quest
I know Pokémon Go has only been out a few days, but there are already numerous Facebook groups that I’ve seen for my area, and sure people share memes and jokes, but there’s also a lot of information on where people are finding certain Pokémon. People will also share some PokeStops that you might not be aware of. The experience between you and someone else may vary based on your different levels, but it can still be handy knowing where Pokémon are popping up. There are also events scheduled where trainers will meet up to hunt together. Alternatively, you can just go to a highly populated area, like a park, mall, or university—you’re bound to run into Trainers at these places, and you can benefit from Lure Modules placed there. If you’re feeling extra social, you could also ask fellow hunters about capture opportunities in the area.
5. Keep the App Open
Obviously, if you’re trying to save your battery then go ahead and close it, but it is important to point out that Pokémon Go can only track your movements and calculate data while it is open. If you’re trying to hatch an egg and you have the app closed, none of your movement will be counted. The good news is that there is a Battery Saver feature that can help you save power for the highlights of your Pokémon adventure. This is helpful because there may be times when you’re mostly just traveling to an area and want to have the app ready to go in case you encounter a Pokémon on the way. If you turn the Battery Saver mode on, all you have to do is turn your phone upside down while holding it, or leave it in your pocket to make the screen dim. Your phone will still vibrate to notify you about nearby Pokémon, and you can still hatch your eggs!
I intend to keep playing Pokémon Go for years to come and am excited to watch the game grow as updates are implemented and more people declare themselves Pokémon Trainers. Pokémon Go fever has spread throughout the staff here at BagoGames, so you can be sure that we will keep bringing you news updates and our tips for being the world’s greatest Pokémon Master! Until next time, Team Instinct for the win!