This augmented reality mobile game was developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with The Pokemon Company in July 2016. In Pokemon Go, players use their smartphones to catch virtual creatures called Pokemon that appear on their screens as if they were actually in the real world. The game was released in July 2016 and quickly became a global phenomenon.
As players explore their surroundings, capture Pokemon, and battle other players in virtual gyms, the game uses GPS and augmented reality technology to create a virtual world. In addition to being able to capture and heal Pokemon, players can also collect items, such as Poke Balls and potions.
Players can join teams and work together to capture virtual gyms and defend them against other teams in Pokemon Go, one of its unique features.
In the past few years, the game has been updated with new features and Pokemon, and it has become popular among players all over the world. Playing the game requires a mobile device with GPS capabilities and a stable internet connection, however.
Augmented Reality:
A technology such as Augmented Reality (AR) overlays digital information onto the real world, enhancing or augmenting the user’s experience of reality. In Pokemon Go, Augmented Reality technology displays virtual creatures into the real world.
The AR technology in Pokemon Go recognizes the player’s environment and inserts 3D Pokemon characters into it, creating the illusion that the Pokemon are actually present in the real world through the camera on the player’s mobile device. When the player throws Poke Balls to capture Pokemon, they appear on the player’s screen as if they are right in front of them.
Catching Pokemon:
Pokemon Go is primarily about catching Pokemon in the real world and capturing them with a Poke Ball. Here’s how it works:
- Pokémon appear on a player’s map as they move around the real world. When a player gets close to a Pokemon, it will appear.
- Once the player taps on the Pokemon, the screen transitions to the capture screen, where the player can see the Pokemon up close.
- Swiping the Poke Ball towards the Pokemon will increase your chances of catching it. The accuracy of your throw and the type of Poke Ball you use will affect your chances of catching the Pokemon. You can catch the Pokemon more easily if you use a Great Ball, for example.
- When the Poke Ball hits a Pokemon, it will capture it. If the Pokemon breaks free, the player needs to throw another one. This process repeats until the Pokemon is captured or it runs away.
- Players earn experience points, Stardust, and candy once they catch Pokemon, which they add to their Pokedex.
There are several factors that affect the catching process, such as the Pokemon’s strength, the type of ball used, the player’s throwing technique, and the use of berries or incense.
Gyms and Battles:
Pokemon Go also features gyms and battles. Gyms are virtual locations located at real-world landmarks, where players battle other players’ Pokemon in an attempt to own the gym.
- It is possible to find gyms by exploring your surroundings and looking for landmarks on your map. Once you find a gym, you can tap on it to interact with it.
- Before players can battle at a gym, they must choose a team (Mystic, Valor, or Instinct). Players can only control one gym at a time, and they must defeat the current team’s Pokemon to claim it.
- In order to battle at a gym, players must choose six of their own Pokemon. Players are required to defeat the opponent’s Pokemon in real-time by using their Pokemon’s moves. The player who defeats all of their opponent’s Pokemon wins.
- Players can claim ownership of gyms if they win a gym battle, allowing them to leave their own Pokemon there to defend it against other players who may attempt to take it over.
- Gym battle rewards include experience points, Stardust, and gym badges. As a player wins more gym battles, their gym badge level increases, which provides additional benefits.
Pokemon Go offers players the opportunity to test their skills against other players through gyms and battles.
Teams:
Team Mystic, Team Valor, and Team Instinct are the three teams players can join in Pokemon Go. Each team has its own set of values and beliefs.
- Articuno represents Team Mystic, whose members believe in researching and analyzing Pokemon to gain a better understanding of them.
- Moltres represents Team Valor, a team that values strength, bravery, and passion. Members of Team Valor believe in pushing themselves and their Pokemon to reach their full potential.
- Its members believe in following their gut instincts and trusting in the bond between themselves and their Pokemon. Team Instinct is represented by the legendary Pokemon Zapdos.
When playing Pokemon Go, players make a one-time decision about which team to join. By joining a team, players can engage with other players who are part of the same team and participate in gym battles and team events. Performing well in gym battles and other events can also earn players rewards.
PokeStops:
Usually landmarks, such as parks, museums, and historical sites, PokeStops are virtual locations in Pokemon Go where you can collect items and earn experience points.
As a player gets close enough to a PokeStop, they can spin the icon to receive items such as Poke Balls, potions, berries, and eggs, as well as earn experience points, which help them level up and unlock new features.
The PokeStop refreshes every five minutes, so players can collect items multiple times in one day. However, players cannot spin the PokeStop when moving too fast, such as when driving in a vehicle.
In addition to collecting items, PokeStops can also be used to place Lure Modules. These items can be used to attract Pokemon to a PokeStop for a period of time, which makes it easier for players to catch them. Those who want to catch a large number of Pokemon quickly, or who want to attract rare, hard-to-find Pokemon, will find this strategy useful.
Evolution:
In Pokemon Go, evolution allows players to transform their Pokemon into more powerful forms. Here’s how it works:
- A Pokemon can evolve by collecting Candy, which can be obtained by catching them, transferring them to Professor Willow, or hatching them from eggs.
- Players can choose the Pokemon they wish to evolve once they have collected enough Candy for the Pokemon species they want to evolve. Evolution of Pokemon requires a certain amount of Candy, and some Pokemon species also require additional items, such as a special Evolution Stone.
- The Pokemon evolves immediately when a player chooses to evolve it, and it becomes stronger and has new abilities after the transformation takes place. As the Pokemon evolves, its combat power (CP) and stats usually improve.
- In addition to the limitations above, some Pokemon require certain conditions in order to evolve, such as transacting with another player, evolving during a specific time of day, or holding a specific item.
As a result of Pokemon Go evolution, players can strengthen their Pokemon and unlock new abilities and strategies, which are important aspects of gameplay. Players can build a powerful and diverse Pokemon team by collecting Candy and evolving their Pokemon.
Trading:
Pokemon Go’s trading feature lets players exchange Pokemon with each other. Here’s how it works:
- To trade Pokemon, players must be level 10 or higher, within 100 meters of each other, and have their own Pokemon Go accounts and be connected through the game’s friends list.
- Trading: A player initiates a trade by opening the trading interface and selecting the Pokemon they wish to trade. Players can add in-game items such as Stardust to sweeten the deal by allowing them to view the offer and accept or reject it.
- Trading Process: Once both players have agreed to the trade, they must confirm their choices and complete the trade. The Pokemon being exchanged will be temporarily removed from the players’ collections, and each traded Pokemon will receive a bonus amount of Candy while it is trading.
- Some Pokemon cannot be traded, and there are restrictions on how often players can trade. For example, legendary and Shiny Pokemon can only be traded once per day, and certain event-specific Pokemon cannot be traded.
A key part of Pokemon Go gameplay is trading, which allows players to expand their collections and work together to develop strong Pokemon teams. In addition to gaining bonus Candy and unlocking achievements, players can trade with other players to add depth and strategy to the game.
Special Events:
There are many special events in Pokemon Go, including limited-time challenges, rewards, and the chance to catch rare Pokemon. Here are just a few examples:
- The Community Day event takes place once a month and features a particular Pokemon that is more common in the game. It is possible to catch a lot of Pokemon during Community Day, which may also have exclusive moves or evolve into a rare form.
- Players can participate in more Raid Battles than usual during Raid Days, and may even be able to catch rare or exclusive Raid Bosses during Raid Days.
- During the holidays, Pokemon Go offers special Pokemon, costumes, in-game items, and challenges that coincide with real-world celebrations.
- In Pokemon Go, there are occasional events that feature Legendary Pokemon. Legendary Pokemon are very rare and powerful Pokemon that can only be caught during special Raid Battles. Players can add powerful new Pokemon to their collections during these events, which usually have limited-time challenges and rewards.
Special events in Pokemon Go provide players with the opportunity to earn unique rewards and participate in challenging and engaging gameplay experiences, and they are a fun and exciting aspect of gameplay. Additionally, players can build their social networks within the game by participating in special events.
How to install Pokemon Go on an Android device:
- Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
- In the search bar, type “Pokemon Go” and select the official Pokemon Go app from the search results.
- Click on the “Install” button.
- Review the app permissions and click on “Accept” to grant permission to the app.
- The app will begin to download and install automatically. The process may take a few minutes depending on your device and internet connection speed.
- Once the app has finished downloading, click on the “Open” button to launch the game.
- The game will ask for permission to access your device’s location, camera, and storage. You must grant permission for the game to function properly.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to create your account, customize your character, and start playing Pokemon Go.
How to install Pokemon Go on PC:
It is not possible to play Pokemon Go on a PC using BlueStacks, an Android emulator. To install and play Pokemon Go on a PC using BlueStacks, follow these steps:
- From the official website, download and install BlueStacks on your PC: https://www.bluestacks.com/
- Launch BlueStacks and set up your Google account.
- Open the Google Play Store app on BlueStacks and search for “Pokemon Go.”
- Install the Pokemon Go app on BlueStacks.
- Once the installation is complete, launch Pokemon Go from the app drawer in BlueStacks.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your account and customize your character.
- When prompted to enable device location, click “Yes” to allow the app to access your location.
- You can now start playing Pokemon Go on your PC using BlueStacks.
