Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO is a free-to-play, augmented reality Pokémon game available for Apple and Android devices. The basic premise involves walking around in the real world to find Pokémon that appear on the map at your location. The game started in 2016 with just the original 151 Pokémon from Generation 1 but has been slowly adding more and more Pokémon as time goes on.
Our GO section is a detailed guide to the Pokémon, moves and features available in Pokémon GO.
Gameplay
In Pokémon GO the player walks around in the real world and their movements are mirrored on the in-game map using GPS. At various points Pokémon will appear; tapping them starts an encounter. Unlike the core series there is no battling wild Pokémon, they are simply caught. Catching Pokémon earns Candy for that species which can be used to evolve and power up the Pokémon.
At various points of interest
are PokéStops or Gyms. They can typically be found at parks, monuments, tourist attractions, churches, train stations, and public artwork among many other places. PokéStops are blue photo discs
that can be spun (at most once every 5 minutes) to receive items, eggs and research tasks. Gyms are more sparse and are a place to battle other players' Pokémon left there, as well as take part in raids. Gyms also have a photo disc which can be spun to receive items and eggs.
As GO is an ongoing live service
game, many features have been added over the years. Here is a brief summary:
- Gyms
- Battle other players' Pokémon, earning coins for the time spent holding the gym.
- Raids
- Powerful Pokémon take over a gym and can be battled with others to defeat and capture them. Later updates added Mega Raids, Elite Raids, and Shadow Raids.
- Events
- There are regular events lasting several days at a time, which feature certain Pokémon and bonuses.
- Buddy Pokémon
- Walk with a Pokémon to earn Candy. Interact with them regularly to increase their friendship level for extra bonuses including items, souvenirs and a level boost for best buddies.
- Friends & trading
- Add friends, battle & trade together, and exchange gifts received from PokéStops. Boost friendship level by playing together for bonuses including reduced stardust cost for trades and a damage bonus in raids.
- Research Tasks
- Find tasks by spinning PokéStops, complete them for items or Pokémon rewards. Completing at least one task each day yields a
Research Breakthrough
, giving an extra Pokémon encounter (used to be a Legendary Pokémon but now is one of a small set of slightly less common Pokémon). - Trainer Battles
- A separate battle system where you can battle other players in real-time. GBL (Global Battle League) provides a ladder system with various rewards.
- Team GO Rocket
- Find Team GO Rocket grunts as PokéStops, battle their overpowered Shadow Pokémon and save one of the Pokémon. Shadow Pokémon deal 20% more damage but also take 20% more damage, which makes them very good for Raids.
- Seasons
- Starting in December 2020, each season (mirroring real-life seasons) features different Pokémon and bonuses. The GBL ranks reset each season.
- Community Days
- A monthly event featuring a specific Pokémon taking over the wild spawns, with a high shiny rate.
- Spotlight Hours
- A weekly event every Tuesday featuring a specific Pokémon commonly in the wild with a particular bonus.
- Showcases
- A regular competition held at certain PokéStops, where players compete to show off the biggest of a Pokémon species.
- Routes
- Create or follow trails left by other players, with rewards for completing them including Zygarde Cells.
- Max Battles
- Starting in September 2024, Dynamax Pokémon were added to the game. They can be battled at Power Spots located around the map. Gigantamax are more powerful versions that require many trainers to defeat.