We’ve already told you all about Pokémon Go in our beginner’s guide. But if you’ve already started playing Pokémon Go, you know there’s a lot more stuff you can do. If you want to level up quickly, or you just need an edge, here are the best tips and tricks for Pokémon Go.
1. Hunt in Groups and in Parks
Pokemons appear at the same place for everyone in the game; they’re not player based. So its best to hunt in groups. One person finding a rare Pokémon means everyone in the group does as well.
Also, the best places to discover awesome Pokemons so far is parks and beaches, not exactly landmarks. Open places with different kinds of terrain (including water) mean you’ll discover different kinds of species (this is also why places like Central Park in the US are always filled with people).
Also, go hunting at a different time. Hunting at night will reveal nocturnal species. Just be safe when you travel at night and stay away from risky areas of your city.
2. Looking for Nearby Pokémon
When you’re on the maps screen, you’ll see a tab in the bottom left with Pokemons and steps on it. This is your Nearby Pokemons area.
Tap it and you’ll see a list of Pokemons that are around you, and you can catch them. Each Pokémon has three feet below them.
- Three feet means the Pokémon is far.
- 1 foot means the Pokémon is very close.
- No foot means you’re literally standing at the Pokémon spot.
Also, in the Nearby screen, a Pokémon in full color means you’ve got that Pokémon. One in silhouette means you haven’t.
3. Look For Rustling Leaves
If you’re just starting out and don’t know where to go and nothing’s showing up in the Nearby screen. Just start walking and exploring. You’ll see leaves rustling in the green area. This means there might be a Pokémon there. Walk over to that area.
4. Turn Off AR To Save Battery
Top tip for hunting Pokémon is to carry an external battery pack with you. But you an also save some battery life by turning off the AR mode. You can do this by flipping the AR switch when the camera view is on.
5. Get Bonus Points
You get XP for doing everything literally in the game. Some more than other. Below is a list of all the things that get you XP.
Capture a Pokémon: 100 XP
“Nice” capture: 10 XP
“Great” capture 50 XP
“Excellent” capture: 100 XP
Curveball capture: 10 XP
2km egg hatch: 200 XP
5km egg hatch: 500 XP
10km egg hatch: 1,000 XP
Evolve a Pokémon: 500 XP
Discover a new Pokémon: 500 XP
Visit a Pokéstop: 50 or 100 XP
6. Lure Pokemons to PokéStops
If you’re lazy and don’t want to do the hunting, you can bring the Pokémon to you.
From the Maps screen, tap the Poké Ball and select “Items”.
Here you’ll see the Lure Module.
To place a lure at a PokéStop, go there and instead of spinning the circle, that the white pill shaped button. You’ll then get an option to select one of the modules. Tap the “Lure Module” to plant it.
7. Time Your Poké Ball Throw
Once you’ve finally come across a Pokémon, its time to catch it. When you press and hold the Poké Ball, you’ll see a circle shrinking and growing around the Pokémon.
You should fling the Poké Ball when its the smallest. And try to hit the Pokémon in the center. This will get you the highest points, and there’s a higher chance of catching the Pokémon.
8. Play During Your Commute
While Pokémon Go is designed to be played on foot or while biking, you can get a lot done during your commute. Users are reporting that as long as you’re going below 20 miles and hour, the distance will count against your Pokémon hatching and power-ups. So next time you’re taking the bus or an Uber, fire up Pokémon Go.
Plus, you’ll also be able to discover new PokéStops, and if you’re lucky, get stuff from them in time too. If you miss then, make a note to come back later.
Also, you’ll be able to find Pokémon during your commute. I’ve been able to catch Pokemons sitting in the passenger seat.
Just remember to never play the game while you’re driving.
9. Capture Everything To Get Points
It’s called Catch Em All for a reason. Just because you already have a Pokémon doesn’t mean you don’t need another Pokémon from the same species. You see, it’s all about the candy.
Every time you catch a Pokémon, you get the candy. And the candy can be used for evolving the Pokémon across the species.
More importantly, you get XP every single time you catch a Pokémon (while you get 5X when you catch a new Pokémon). Keep catching everything that you see, so that you can advance through the levels faster.
10. Use Lucky Eggs For Double XP
You’ll find Lucky Eggs around PokeStops. But use them wisely. Right, when you’re about the evolve a Pokémon, enable Luck Egg, and now you’ve got 1000 XP instead of 500.
BONUS
11. Best Jailbreak Tweaks And Cheats
If you’ve jailbroken your iPhone, then check out jailbreak tweaks like PokemonAnywhere and Pokemon Lock. Pokemon Anywhere lets you walk anywhere in the game without having to step outside by simply tapping on the map. Pokemon Lock lets you play Pokémon Go right from the lock screen of your iPhone or iPad. Check out our article for more details about the best tweaks and hacks for Pokémon Go.
Your Favorite Tips and Tricks
What are some of your favorite tips and tricks for leveling up in Pokémon Go? Share with us in the comments below.
