Hello! We bring to your attention a full review of the Pokemon Go game. We tried to cover all the main points and did a complete one in Russia. Well, we hope that the guide turned out to be useful, detailed and thanks to it you will understand how to effectively play this game.

Release date

On July 6, 2016, the game appeared on the shelves of the AppStore and Google Play in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Every day the geography of countries where it would be possible was actively expanding. On July 16, it appeared in 26 European countries. appearance of Pokemon Go in Russia is expected any day now.

Who is the game developer

Initially, information about the game appeared on April 1, 2014. On the channel Google Maps The very first video called Pokemon Challenge was published on YouTube:

However, none of us took this particularly seriously at that time; apparently, the very date of the release of the commercial had an impact. But, nevertheless, 2 years have passed and today we see that the game interface has practically not changed at all since then. Developers from Nintendo and Niantic Labs (the latter was purchased by Google a few years ago) have been improving the game mechanism itself and honing augmented reality technology all this time.

Where to download Pokemon Go

If previously the Pokemon Go game was not available to residents of Russia and other CIS countries, today anyone who has a gadget based on iOS or Android can download and play it. However, the game language will still be English. However, localization into Russian can wait, because the main thing now is to catch as many Pokemon as possible.

• AppStore:
• Google Play:

System requirements for the game

Pokemon Go on Android

• OS Android 4.4 (minimal) to Android 6.0.1 (Android N will not be supported until the official Android release)
• Recommended resolution - 720x1280 (not yet optimized for tablets)
• GPS and local services
• Intel CPUs are supported from game version (0.29.2)

Pokemon Go on iOS

• iPhone 5 and up
• iOS 8 and above
• High-quality and stable Internet connection (Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G)
• GPS and local services
• Jailbroken devices are not supported

What is the price

Cost of the game Pokemon Go should not worry you, because the game is completely free and will remain so. It is distributed according to the principles of free-to-play and has built-in purchases (its own game currency, which can be purchased for real money). Moreover, you will not be able to buy for money any things that give you advantages against other players, but you will be able to facilitate the process of character development.

What is Pokemon Go Plus? What is the price

Pokemon Go Plus is a device (gadget) in the form of a wrist bracelet that simplifies the process of finding Pokemon. At the moment, Pokemon Go Plus is still in development, but as we said, Nintendo has promised to release the device to the market very, very soon. And this is not surprising, because with so many players, almost everyone will want to buy Pokemon Go Plus. Stated cost - $34.99.

The device will work in conjunction with a smartphone using Bluetooth technology, and its main task is to signal the presence of a Pokemon nearby.

How to enter the game

Login to the Pokemon Go game using your existing Google Plus account. If you still don’t have one, then you will need to spend a couple of minutes and register. You can also get a small, but nice bonus by registering an account Pokemon Trainer Club, thanks to which you will subsequently have several unique Pokemon. However, this is really just a small nice addition and does not play a special role.

How to get your first Pokemon

Everything is very simple here. You register in the game, create your character, choose a name, after which Professor Willow will invite you to walk to a special place located nearby, where the first Pokemon will be waiting for you. Moreover, as soon as you find yourself at a given place, three Pokemon will appear before you at once - , and , but you can only catch one of them, so keep this in mind.

How many Pokemon are there in the game?

At the moment, there are only 151 Pokemon in the game, however, in fact, Nintendo has prepared for us not a lot, not a few, but quite a lot 778 pokemon. All of them are presented with detailed characteristics on our website. And, rest assured, with each new update to the game, their number will increase.

Finding and capturing Pokemon in a ball

• Have the leaves started to rise up on the screen? Most likely there is a Pokemon nearby.
• Pokemon that are nearby are displayed in the lower right corner of the smartphone. You can find out the distance to the Pokemon by looking at the tracks under the picture. One such trail is an average of 40 meters.
• When you try to catch a Pokemon, you will notice a circle around it. It means the following: green - the Pokemon is easy to catch, yellow - you will have to try, red - you will be lucky if you catch this Pokemon at all.
• What to do if you miss when throwing at a Pokemon? You just need to have time to click on it before it leaves the screen and then you can re-throw without spending an extra Pokeball;
• You will get much more points if you let twisted pokeballs. To do this, you need to hold the Pokeball with your finger, perform several circular movements, and then throw it at the Pokemon.
• As your level increases, the likelihood of encountering strong and rare Pokemon in the game also increases.
• Rare Pokemon can also be found at night, hiding during the day. So hunting for Pokemon at night also takes place.
• If you already have a lot of identical Pokemon, you can exchange them with Professor Willow for various rewards, or you can get Candy and Stardust for them.

How to make Pokemon stronger

Evolution or improvement of Pokemon occurs after training. Improved Pokemon are stronger and will be able to win battles more often. To improve you will need stardust and candy. Their number depends on the type and level of the Pokemon.

Items to search, catch and train

If you want to make playing Pokemon Go faster and easier, then you will need some things for these purposes. So, we all know that Pokeballs run out sooner or later, but they are very necessary, because... Without them, it will be impossible to catch a Pokemon. And here the so-called “PokeStop” and “Gym” come to the rescue. Thanks to them, you can get a wide variety of game items and, of course, train your Pokemon.

Complete list of items in the game

• Poke Balls(pokeballs) - a ball with which you need to catch Pokemon. They tend to run out, so you can replenish them either at the blue PokeStops point or in the store.
• Great Balls- a type of pokeball that allows you to catch rare and. You can also get them at PokeStops or in stores
• Ultra Balls- an even more improved version of the pokeball, with the help of which some of the best and rarest pokemon are caught. How to get them? Yes, everything is the same - a store or PokeStops.
• Master Balls(masterball) - and, finally, the coolest pokeball with which you can catch the legendary Pokemon. At the moment they are not in the game, but the developers promise to add them in a soon update.
• Lure Module(lure module) - a bait for Pokemon, which, when activated, summons and holds nearby Pokemon on the blue PokeStops. It lasts for 30 minutes, after which you will have to activate a new bait. It is worth noting that luring a Pokemon in this way is one thing, but being able to catch it is another thing. they will be available to all nearby players. You can get bait for achievements or buy it in a store
• Incense(incense) is a bait that lures Pokemon directly to the place where you are now and holds them for up to 30 minutes. Enough useful thing, which you can still get in the store, or by increasing your skill level.
• Razz Berry- a berry for Pokemon. It can be obtained at PokeStops from level 8 or for promotion.
• Pokemon Eggs(Pokemon eggs) – new Pokemon appear from them. Eggs are grown in an incubator, and the Pokemon itself hatches from them when the player passes the distance indicated under the egg. Because of this, some players thought of attaching theirs to a bicycle wheel.
• Lucky Eggs(eggs of luck) – all kinds of useful, premium items hatch from them. In addition, if you are lucky, you can get an experience boost for 30 minutes.
• Egg Incubator(egg incubator) - Pokemon eggs are grown in it. By default, all incubators are disposable. However, in the store you can purchase a more advanced incubator for long-term use.
• Camera(camera) – a camera that allows you to take pictures of Pokemon. At first it is free, and later you can purchase it in the store or get a camera for leveling up.
• Potion(potion) – this medicine for Pokemon restores health, namely 20 units of HP. Given when reaching a new level, at PokeStops or in the store.
• Super Potion (super potion) is a super medicine for Pokemon that restores 50 health units. Can be found on blue dots after reaching level 10 or for promotion.
• Hyper Potion (hyper potion) is a hyper medicine for Pokemon that restores 200 health. Can be obtained at PokeStops after level 15.
• Revive(revival) - will help revive a killed Pokemon and restore half its health.
• Max Revive(maximum revival) – resurrects a dead Pokemon and fully restores health.
• Bag(backpack) – a backpack where all your game items are stored, except Pokemon. Capacity - 350 units. Can be expanded for money.
• PokeCoins(Pokecoins) is the game currency in Pokemon Go, which can be obtained for training fights or buy in a store.

How to play Pokemon Go

Nothing is more impressive in a game than the fact that Pokémon can appear anywhere and completely unexpectedly. Moreover, even where you can’t even imagine. That's why it's so important to keep a close eye on everything around you.

Pokemon on the map are displayed with a corresponding icon. To catch him or fight him, you need to be at a certain distance (it is shown on the screen under the player’s feet in the form of a circle).

So, there is a Pokemon in front of you, you have finally found it - it’s time to catch it. To do this, you need to click on the Pokemon, after which the capture screen will automatically activate. There is no need to rush here and it is better to do everything thoughtfully, because the Pokeballs are not endless. Take the pokeball in your hand, press it, wait until the pokemon is in the green circle, and then throw it. After practicing a couple of times, you will get used to this action and then the process of catching Pokemon will be much easier and faster.

After you have caught a Pokemon, you can look at it and, if desired, improve it.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Pokemon Go is truly unique and unusual. We have never seen anything like this before. After all, the vast majority of mobile games now come down to the fact that everything happens directly on the device’s screen and we no longer need to strain anything except our fingers. Here you will have to move a fair amount, namely, walk, run and even travel through the streets of the city, or even the whole world (after all, such ardent gamers will undoubtedly appear). Pokemon are different and, depending on their type, can even appear near water (rivers, lakes, ponds) - the so-called “water” Pokemon.

So, during your gaming travels, do not forget to look around - perhaps some rare Pokemon is hiding somewhere in the bushes, under a stone or on a tree.

What is PokeStop

For a change gameplay Pokemon Go developers did their best and introduced many interesting things into the game, for example, PokeStops. These are so-called portals, hiding places, where you can find many different useful things, be it pokeballs, eggs, etc.

Pokestops are rotating blue coins, which are usually located in some public, historical, or cultural places. So when they are discovered, players will not only be able to use them in gaming purposes, but also, perhaps, learn something new about your city.

As soon as you find yourself near a PokeStop, your smartphone will signal this by vibration. Open the map and check if there is a portal/cache here. Next you will need to swipe on it, after which you will receive bonuses.

Pokestops update (respawn) every 5 minutes, which allows you to collect many different things and bonuses from it for those who are located or live nearby.

What is PokeDex

As you may recall from the cartoon about Pokemon, a Pokédex is a kind of device that stores knowledge about all Pokemon and their parameters. The game also has such a function. Pokedex also allows you to conveniently organize caught and spotted Pokemon. Thanks to it, you can find out which Pokemon is near you - new or already in the collection. So the Pokédex is really a very useful thing.

Training arena - Gym (Gym, Bench)

Finding and catching Pokemon is all well and good, but it’s much more interesting to fight and take part in battles using Pokemon. And this is exactly what training arenas are needed for, or in common parlance - gyms. In gyms you can train Pokemon and fight other monsters. And if you were able to capture the gym, then after 24 hours you will receive a reward in the form of 10 coins. It’s a small thing, but it’s nice :) But constantly maintaining and protecting the gym is not an easy matter. Others are also not averse to getting their hands on it in the future for bonuses. That is why it is so important at this stage to decide which team to join, after which you will be able to enjoy the support of your teammates.

As the level (prestige) of your gym grows, you will have the opportunity to leave more Pokemon there for defense. At the maximum level 30, you will have access to 21 Pokemon slots. Not bad, would you agree?

• A gray gym on the screen is an empty gym. Hurry up to grab it as soon as possible and leave it there to protect one of the Pokemon.
• A battle in a gym from your team gives you the opportunity to upgrade your Pokemon and increase the prestige of the gym itself. If the battle takes place in the gym of another team, then this will reduce its prestige. And if prestige drops to the minimum level, then the team can lose this gym and then you will have every chance to take it.
• The Gym where your Pokemon is located brings you 500 units of Stardust (stardust) and 10 coins per day.
• Pokemon in the Gym recharge every 5 minutes.

Battles

Here are some tips and secrets during battles:

• Use several techniques at once. So, by pressing the enemy quickly several times, you will perform a short-term attack, and with a long press, your Pokemon will perform a super attack. Evading attacks in the game occurs by simply swiping in one direction or another
• When fighting in a gym that belongs to your team, the Pokemon will not go out of order if something happens. This won’t happen in the gym of someone else’s team. In addition, when you win a battle, you get points, but if you lose against another team and the Pokemon dies, it can be cured or resurrected using Potion and Revive, respectively. They should always be in your backpack.

Eggs in Pokemon Go

• Not all eggs initially produce weak offspring. You can get an egg from a monster that will eventually hatch into a rare and powerful Pokemon.
• As soon as you receive the egg, immediately place it in the incubator. You can find it in your backpack or purchase it in a store. After this, you need to walk exactly the distance indicated in the information under this egg. How to do this is up to you. You can honestly do it on foot, or you can use various cunning tricks. It is important to remember that traveling on any type of transport will not count.
• While walking, we recommend checking the game from time to time to make sure that the game is running. Otherwise, it may turn out that at the end of a long and exhausting journey it turns out that you went through most of it in vain.

Types of Pokemon in Pokemon Go

There are a huge number of Pokemon in the game and more and more will appear over time. So, when you fight for a gym (yours or someone else’s), each team can consist of up to 6 Pokemon. And because They are all different, with their own individual characteristics and skills, then you will still need to competently build tactics and battle strategy. And here the table of attacking and defensive abilities of certain types of Pokemon will help you best:

Which Pokemon hatch from which eggs?

As you know, you can get new Pokemon not only by hunting, but also with the help of eggs. You can buy eggs in the store or get them at PokeStop for free.

The process of hatching eggs is quite unusual - you do not need to sit, but rather constantly move. Moreover, you often have to walk quite a long distance. Which one is indicated under the specific egg. Regardless of how many kilometers you travel for a particular egg, you can get completely different Pokemon. We invite you to look at the following table depending on the distance traveled and possible Pokemon:

Despite the fact that using transport to cover distances is not recommended, because the game simply will not count these indicators due to the fast speed of movement, a bicycle, rollerblades, skateboard are all excellent options for quickly achieving the desired goal.

XP table by level

Trainer level	Number of records up to next level	Trainer level	Number of records up to next level	Trainer level	Number of records up to next level
2 lvl	2000 xp	11 lvl	10000 xp	20 lvl	—
3 lvl	3000 xp	12 lvl	10000 xp	21 lvl	—
4 lvl	4000 xp	13 lvl	10000 xp	22 lvl	—
5 lvl	5000 xp	14 lvl	10000 xp	23 lvl	—
6 lvl	6000 xp	15 lvl	15000 xp	24 lvl	—
7 lvl	7000 xp	16 lvl	20000 xp	25 lvl	—
8 lvl	8000 xp	17 lvl	20000 xp	26 lvl	—
9 lvl	9000 xp	18 lvl	20000 xp	27 lvl	—
10 lvl	10000 xp	19 lvl	25000 xp	28 lvl	—

This information will be gradually updated as experienced players reach higher levels.

Table of XP points per action in the game

Action	Number of XP
pokestop hack	+50xp
catching pokemon	+100xp
catching a new Pokemon (+100 per catch)	+500хр
nice throw (not a bad throw of a pokeball) - you need to get into the large circle of the sight	+10xp
great throw (good throw) - you need to get into the middle circle	+50xp
excellent throw (excellent throw) - you need to get into a small circle	+100xp
curved throw (in addition to nice, great, excellent) - how to do it, see FAQ	+10xp
egg incubation 2km	—
egg incubation 5km	—
egg incubation 10km	+1000xp
Pokemon evolution 12-50 candies	+500хр
Pokemon evolution >50 candies	+1000xp
training in the arena with your team's Pokemon (for each defeated)	+10xp
battle in the arena with the other team's Pokemon	—

And finally, some useful tips in Pokemon Go:

• Use the Google Maps app while searching for Pokemon locations. And in order not to re-download maps from the Internet each time, it will be enough to save the area where you live, and then the map will be accessible to you even when the Internet is turned off, and the speed of the Pokemon Go game will increase significantly, since the map will be loaded by the game itself from the storage .
• So far, the Pokemon Go game drains the smartphone battery quite a lot, because the application screen is always active, various additional applications are used, and the process of sending/receiving data is ongoing all the time. We recommend enabling the Battery Saver option in the game settings. In this case, the screen will go dark on its own as you turn the device upside down.
• You can also turn off the so-called augmented reality in the settings. True, the graphics will not be as attractive, but you will extend the battery life.

Recently, the most common question on the Internet is: “Why can’t I log into Pokemon GO?” In the article we tried to describe in detail this problem, presenting optimal solutions.

The game Pokemon GO, despite the fact that it appeared on the Apple Store and Google Play on July 6, continues to maintain its leading position among others gaming applications. However, both at the launch and after it, numerous technical errors prevented owners of electronic devices running Android and iOS from enjoying the Pokemon game. Users from all over the world voice their complaints about the game’s unstable servers, as well as other shortcomings.

More and more often, negative statements result in problems with authorization and registration in the Pokemon GO Trainer Club, which do not allow you to visit the game, and also take up a huge amount of time due to waiting for the correct connection.

The creators of Pokemon GO did not imagine that there would be such a global influx of users. The unpreparedness of the developers for the frantic “hype” led to a number of serious technical problems.

Top most common errors in Pokemon GO

1. Does not enter the game due to an authorization error (Unable to authenticate or Unable to authenticate). Most often, this problem occurs when a user tries to visit the application by logging in through the Coaching Club “account”. The inability to log in may occur due to too much load on the Pokemon GO servers, and this problem should not be associated with the appearance of a ban on user accounts in countries where the application has not been officially released. In the process of introducing new game servers into the game, this defect should be resolved.
2. In order to fix a problem of this nature at least for a while, you can try several times to get into Pokemon GO through a Google account using your username and password. The process of logging into your account can take up to three hours. On the official website of the Pokemon GO game you can monitor the state of the servers and the service of the Pokemon Trainer Club.
3. When logging in via Google service entering Pokemon GO costs less There are a lot of problems, but you need to remember that the Google and Coaching Club accounts have no connection with each other. There is a possibility that with future updates it will be possible to link two accounts. To leave account, you will have to click on the Pokeball located at the bottom of the screen, then at the top right click on “Settings”, and then click on the “Exit” link. It is best to launch Pokemon GO in the morning or in the evening.
4. Does not enter Pokemon GO due to a problem with determining geolocation - “Signal not found” or Signal not found. The occurrence of this problem is associated with an unstable Internet connection, the inability to determine the player’s location, and this can also happen due to a reboot on the Pokemon GO servers. You will have to wait a short time to resolve this error. How long you have to wait depends on the circumstances. If the geolocation function is disabled on your Android smartphone, then the user will need to go to the settings menu, find the “Location” item, then move the slider to the “On” mode. In the mode selection item, you will have to check the box to activate the high-precision mode, which will use the geolocation mode (GPS), wireless network, and mobile network so that the location is recognized.
5. An error that occurs when the GPS positioning on the game map, usually depends on the strength of the signal, as well as the power and type mobile device. The user can get acquainted with the principle of operation of GPS by going to Google Maps: when the program is launched, you will be prompted to activate the geographic location mode. When, after activating the option, a marker appears on the surface of the map blue, then while walking he will start to move, and the problem with GPS will still not go away, then this will make you understand that everything is in game servers, data transmission will stop for a while in this case. Without the location tracking function, the process of hunting pocket monsters will not be possible, but in this case, viewing and working with many game sections will be available.
6. The battery on the device drains very quickly. This problem is due to the fact that Pokemon Go is actively trying to use GPS navigation, as well as data transfer. In order to save at least a little charge, go to the game options, and there activate the “Battery Saving” setting, then lower the screen brightness level and deactivate Bluetooth, as well as networks and augmented reality mode in Pokemon GO. If you are going to go catching pocket creatures for a long period, then it is better to take a portable battery with you. If the incubator is not occupied by an egg, then while moving around the map with scattered Pokestops, the navigation mode can already be deactivated.
7. There is no possibility to download and install mobile game Pokemon GO for iOS and Android devices. First of all, you need to study the compatibility of the program with your smartphone or tablet. To launch, you need a version of the Android operating system that is not lower than version 4.4, iOS must be version 5 or higher.
8. "Unable to determine phone orientation" when switching to AR mode. This type of problem may arise if the device does not have a gyroscope. This function allows you to determine where and in what area the user with the phone is located. With the help of a gyroscope, it is possible to change the position of the screen; it is also used in Pokemon GO in order to influence any objects during gameplay when the mobile device is tilted in any direction. You can find out how the gyroscope and accelerometer function on a smartphone by using the Sensor Box program for Android.
9. The notification “Be on guard all the time” appears on the screen of your smartphone or tablet. Pay close attention to the objects around you." This error associated with authorization depends on the overload of the game servers due to a massive influx of players, unstable connections or technical work. There is no optimal solution to this problem: either wait or try to authorize several times.
10. The problem indicating that the application was not installed usually appears in Pokemon GO APK format file corruption on the device running Android control. Also the game may not have been fully downloaded.

That she detained four suspects who, under the pretext of finding a Pokemon, lured victims to a secluded place and robbed them.

Explaining what Pokémon Go is

Alexey Zenkov

What's going on?

Yoshizaku Tsuno/AFP, Getty Images

After several years of relative quiet, Pokémon are making a comeback. The Nintendo-owned franchise that took the market by storm in the late 1990s is taking America by storm again - this time through the game that has become the franchise's biggest title yet. mobile platforms. It is not yet available in Russia, but we have compiled instructions for those of you who are eager to play. (How to install Pokemon GO if you live in Russia).

This game is so popular that it has almost surpassed Twitter on Android in the number of daily active users, Tinder in the number of downloads on Android devices, and porn in the number of search queries on Google. At the same time, Nintendo's shares rose sharply on the stock exchange, adding almost $11 billion to the company's value.

In a nutshell, Pokémon Go uses your phone's GPS and clock to determine what time and place you are in the game, and then randomly places Pokémon around you (on your phone screen) for you to chase and catch. The idea is for you to travel around the world more, trying to catch more and more new Pokemon in the game.

Tweet: sethary @seth_cordaro

When you get stopped by the police but you have to catch them all #Pokémongo

Where does this popularity come from?

Part of the game's popularity is that it's free, so it's easy to download and start playing. But something else is more important. Pokémon Go brings to life the dream that every Pokémon fan has dreamed of since the release of the first game: what if Pokémon really existed and lived in our world?

But to understand why people are so attracted to this idea, we first need to go back to the late 1990s and the original Pokémon games.

How Pokémon games work

The Pokémon series takes place in a world inhabited by exotic, powerful creatures. They can look like rats, snakes, dragons, dinosaurs, birds, eggs, trees and even swords. Humans called "trainers" travel this world to tame these creatures and, in an ethically controversial manner, use them for combat.

Pokémon Go is an attempt to bring to life what Pokémon fans have always dreamed of Much like catching bugs—a popular hobby in Japan, where the games originated—the main goal in Pokémon games, from the original Pokémon Red and Blue to the yet-to-be-released Pokémon Sun and Moon, is to collect all these fictional creatures.

There are 151 creatures from the original games available in Pokémon Go.

Gaming took the world by storm in the late 1990s, giving rise to a phenomenon called Pokémania. In America, the original game for portable consoles Pokémon Red and Blue was released in 1998, followed by Yellow in 1999 and Gold and Silver in 2000. Along the way, spin-offs were released, for example, Pokémon Snap and Pokémon Pinball in 1999, a popular animated series, movies, card games and many other materials. For several years, Pokemon ruled the world. (The franchise is still going strong, it's just not the cultural phenomenon it once was.)

But ever since the games began coming out on Nintendo's handheld consoles, fans around the world have had a dream: what if Pokémon weren't limited to the world of video games? What if they became real and lived in the real world?

Now technology has reached such a stage of development that a world in which Pokemon is real can be simulated. That's essentially what Pokémon Go does: by using your phone's time and location tracking feature, the game simulates what it would be like if Pokémon were actually hanging around waiting to be captured. And given that many fans of the original Pokémon game have grown up, the idea has a special nostalgic charm that only enhances its popularity.

Playing Pokémon Go is different from regular games in the series

Pokémon Go is based on original games for portable consoles, but besides this, the creators made some deviations from the canons of the franchise.

First similar points: There are Pokemon and you need to catch them. There are also mentors and other trainers with whom you can compete for fame, glory and trophies. You can also change appearance and the name of your hero. There is also a professor who helps you get started, in particular, he gives you your first Pokemon.

At the same time, some things have changed quite a lot. For example, in console games, you used a controller to move around the world that the developers created. In Pokémon Go, you need to travel around the real world, and the game uses GPS and time data to determine your position on the game map and which Pokémon may appear near you.

Moreover, the creators have put a lot of effort into making sure you explore the world around you at different times. For example, if you go to a park, you are more likely to find Tree-type or Bug-type Pokemon there. If you find yourself near a lake or ocean, you will encounter more water-type Pokemon. And if you go hunting at night, you will be more likely to come across night and ghost types of Pokemon.

This feature is also being developed with the help of so-called PokéStops - special places in the real world marked on the game map. You can go there for things like pokeballs and eggs, from which full-fledged pokemon hatch. You can also install special devices at PokéStops that lure Pokemon, which causes the stop to be highlighted in pink on the map, so that players know that they can go there and get their next Pokemon.

Tweet: Ashe Schow @AsheSchow

My biggest tip for #PokémonGO: play while you're riding in an Uber. This way you won’t be able to participate in training battles, but on the way from Cap Hill to Adams Morgan I managed to catch more than 20 Pokemon.

This need to move through space determines the depth of the game: to catch all the Pokemon (and earn all the medals associated with collecting Pokemon), you will have to travel very far, day and night - just like Ash Ketchum does in the animated series. This the only way become the best.

Monetization

The game's monetization is also built on this: in the store, you can use real money to buy things that will help you attract Pokemon. Since Pokémon Go is free to download and play, this is the only way developers can make money. (Perhaps they will also make money by selling collected data from players’ devices.)

Combat system

In addition, it has changed dramatically combat system. When you try to tame a Pokémon, you do not use a Pokémon from your own team to fight it. Instead, you directly confront the Pokémon yourself: swipe the screen to throw a Poke Ball—a device used to catch Pokémon—in the direction of your opponent, who hits the ball.

There are no traditional battles in the game at all. When you go into battle with a trainer or other trainer, you don't choose a team of six Pokémon, each with four moves, and choose those moves to outsmart your opponent, as happened in the console games. Instead, the outcome of a battle is usually determined by your Pokémon's fighting strength, a stat that every creature in the game has. There's no need to strategize like that anymore - you just tap the screen to make the Pokemon attack and swipe the screen to make it parry attacks.

Tweet: Joel @NobodyEpic

Ahh, Oddish just arrived, my boy! Now they're going to set it on fire #PokémonGo

Since there are no traditional battles in the game, the only way to make your Pokemon stronger and develop it (Pokemon can evolve to stronger forms) is to use special items that can be obtained by catching Pokemon and by fighting with trainers. These actions also affect your level as a trainer, allowing you to access new content like new training points and increasing your chances of finding rarer Pokemon.

The game currently doesn't have a multiplayer component, meaning you can't engage in battles or trade with your friends - two features that are very important in console games. (There are even serious tournaments with cash prizes.)

Judging by the game's first trailer, multiplayer mode may be coming in the future, although this feature has been announced from the very beginning.

The lack of normal multiplayer and familiar battles upset some fans of the franchise.

Another major issue is battery usage. Having a game on all the time can quickly drain your phone's battery - to the point where there are guides on how to play and save battery power. In fact, this is one of the technological rough edges that will have to be corrected over time in augmented reality games.

Ash and Pikachu meet Scraggy, the best of the Pokémon.

In addition to making childhood dreams come true, for many, Pokémon Go was an introduction to new type games in which the real world comes into contact with the virtual one - this mixture is called “augmented reality”.

This is not virtual reality when you put on goggles or a helmet and are completely immersed in virtual world. Augmented reality games use technology to augment the world around you, like putting the Pokémon Abra in your toilet.

Why would anyone want this? Well, everyday life can get boring. Why not add some Pokemon to it?

Predecessors to Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go is perhaps the most advanced augmented reality game to date. But it wasn't the first, and it certainly won't be the last: developers are increasingly embracing the concept as games like Ingress, Life Is Crime, and yes, Pokémon Go come out.

Google even parodied the idea of ​​Pokémon Go for an April Fool's Day prank in 2014 (although it may have been a secret reveal, given that Niantic, the company that created Pokémon Go, was launched at Google):

Ingress, meanwhile, showed a potential problem with augmented reality games. In Ingress, users can take over each other's "portals", which requires them to travel to different locations real world. So players can literally crash into each other in the real world in an attempt to capture the portal.

Problem: When people compete, they can become aggressive. And already There is messages about how people had conflicts in real life because of the game.

There have already been several incidents with Pokémon Go as well. Even if we forget for a moment about the four suspects who allegedly placed beacons on Pokéstops to attract victims and rob them, there are several cases of injuries due to the game, and police are advising players not to go where they shouldn't be. Most players will likely stay sane and not get into trouble, but there is still some risk in combining the real world and a video game.

Pokemon GO, a game about pocket monsters in an alternate reality, created a lot of noise and provoked a lot of funny and... However, many still do not fully understand its rules and subtleties, and today we will try to answer the main questions.

How to start playing?

In Russia, Pokemon GO has not yet been officially released, and you will have to either wait for the release or take a detour. For obvious reasons, we won’t explain where to find and how to install the game, but it’s available on the Internet.

First things first, you'll need to either link your Google account to the game or create a Pokemon Training Club profile. You then choose your character's gender and appearance, as well as a name that is not taken by anyone. Next you find yourself on the playing field - a lightly colored map from Google Maps. Your avatar will move along it with you, so put on your sneakers and go!

Professor Willow, your in-game mentor, will suggest either Charmander, Bulbasaur, or Squirtle as your starting Pokemon. All of them will appear next to your character on the map - tap on any of them with your finger.

There's a little trick here. If you, like many others, want Pikachu as your first Pokemon, move some distance away from the Pokemon proposed by the professor. They will appear next to you again, but you keep moving away, and after a few tries, Pikachu will also appear among the three starters.

What do you even need to do here?

Your main occupation will be searching, raising and training Pokemon, as well as fighting for control points - “towers” ​​or “gyms” (from the English gym). Since the game is tied to Google Maps, you will have to hunt for Pokemon while walking around the city on foot or riding a bike, skateboard or scooter. There is no point in using a car or other transport (we will explain why later).

What are these icons on the screen?

There are several icons on the main screen of the game. In the lower left corner is a portrait of your character indicating the level and name. By clicking on it, you can see the amount of experience gained, open achievements, the amount of Pokémon, the selected team, as well as a journal where the latest events that happened to you are recorded.

In the center of the screen there is a button in the form of a pokeball. It will allow you to get into the settings, check the Pokédex and all collected Pokemon, see everything that is in your backpack, or go to the store.

At the bottom right is a window showing the Pokémon closest to you, hidden on the map. Click on it to see the full list. Under each Pokemon there is a picture of paw prints, from one to three. The fewer prints, the closer the Pokemon is to you. As you approach the monster, its image will rise to the top of the list. Unfortunately, Pokemon GO does not have a navigation system for catching. That is, the game may tell you that a Pokémon is nearby, but in which direction it is, you will have to determine for yourself.

Why do you need a backpack and a magazine?

Good hunting for Pokemon is impossible without inventory. In our case, these are pokeballs, a chamber and an egg incubator. All this is given to you at the beginning of the game and stored in your backpack.

In the store you can buy nice little things like additional Pokeballs, baits for Pokemon (lure, which lures Pokemon to the PokeStop on which it is installed for half an hour, and incense, which lures them directly to your location), lucky eggs that increase the amount of experience, as well as upgrades for backpack, Pokemon container and incubator. Pay attention to the baits and lucky eggs. The rest is either not very necessary or is found in large quantities as the game progresses.

Purchases are made using Pokemon cards. They can be obtained either by conquering the “tower” and holding it for twenty hours, or by purchasing it for real money in the store. Once you reach level five and are allowed to fight for control points, an elixir will become available to heal your Pokemon, as well as an item that allows you to revive them.

How to look for Pokemon?

Most often they are found in crowded places and near attractions. In some places on the map the grass is swaying - stomp there, you are sure to find someone. But sometimes prey just appears out of nowhere. Elemental Pokemon most often live near a suitable place for them, that is, it is better to look for Magikarp near a pond, and Bulbasaur in the park. Some specimens, like the Clefairy, only emerge from their burrows at night.

As soon as you are near a Pokemon, your phone will vibrate and beep. Tap on the animal to start catching it. Having found a Pokemon on the map, you also need to use the camera to find it in the space around you, and then throw a Pokeball at it. This function can be disabled, then after clicking on the icon on the map, the Pokemon will appear in front of you.

How to throw pokeballs?

In games released on Nintendo consoles, the enemy had to be weakened in battle before throwing a Pokeball. This is not required here, but the trap still needs to be thrown correctly. Place your finger on the Pokeball and then swipe it towards the Pokemon. The goal is to get into the white circle. After you press the Pokeball, another circle will appear around the Pokemon and begin to shrink. If you hit it, you will receive 10, 50 or 100 additional experience points, depending on the diameter. You can try throwing a twist, which gives an additional 10 points of experience and increases the chance of catching a Pokemon. All this requires a lot of practice.

Some high-level, as well as especially rare opponents will break out of the pokeballs over and over again, but do not despair and continue to throw pokeballs. They are usually in abundance, and each attempt to catch the enemy exhausts him and reduces his chances of escaping (although especially strong pokemon, with a red or orange sight, can escape after several unsuccessful throws).

The smaller the diameter of the circle into which you throw a pokeball, the higher the chance of catching. After a twisted throw, the chance to escape is completely minimal. After the seventh level, you can get berries (Razzberry), feeding which to the Pokemon will greatly reduce its chance of breaking out or escaping. After level 10, cooler Pokeballs will become available, which also increase the chances of being caught. You can get them, like berries, only at PokeStops.

What is a PokeStop?

This is a point on the map, geographically linked to a landmark or a separate location, such as a metro station. They are indicated on the map by a spinning cube that turns into a Pokeball icon when you approach it. By tapping on it, you will open a PokéStop and see its photo. Slide your finger across it sideways and items like Poké Balls or Pokemon Eggs will fall out. You can collect such a “tribute” about once every five minutes. If there are pink petals hovering around a PokeStop, it means that someone has placed bait there and it makes sense to keep watch.

Why are Pokemon eggs needed and how to hatch them?

All Pokémon hatch from eggs, which can be placed in an incubator to begin the hatching process. Eggs come in three types, depending on how rare the Pokémon they can hatch from. You can distinguish them by the inscription below: 2, 5 or 10 kilometers. This is the distance you need to go with this egg in the incubator for a Pokemon to hatch from it.

You can only carry one egg in the incubator at a time (but you can buy additional incubators). The game monitors your movement speed, and if it exceeds 25 km/h, progress stops being counted until the speed returns to normal. So transport won’t help, although players have already come up with a bunch of life hacks, like tying your phone to a toy train railway or a fan.

Why do we need stardust and candy?

In the Pokemon's description there are Power Up and Evolve options for strengthening and evolution. They are the ones who consume star dust and candy. Each Pokemon has its own candy, and you can increase their number by catching the same Pokemon. Stardust is also mined using the same method. Each Pokemon has a CP parameter ( Combat Power) and HP: they are the ones that are increased by the Power Up option.

Any of your Pokemon can be sent to Professor Willow's vault in exchange for one candy. To do this, click the Transfer button in the Pokemon's profile. Please note that you cannot take your pet back!

We recommend keeping dust and candies until level 20, by which time you will have caught strong Pokemon, and they are worth leveling up and evolving. An exception can only be made for rare specimens like Lapras, which are very difficult to find.

What are the best Pokemon to level up? The question is subjective, but if you really want to get maximum performance from your pets, then here is a list of recommendations from experienced players.

What are these commands and why are they needed?

At level five you will be allowed to join one of the teams fighting for supremacy in Pokemon world GO. Having chosen a team, you can represent its interests, that is, fight for it. There are three teams: Team Instinct, Team Mystic and Team Valor (yellow, blue and red), and each has its own philosophy. Team Instinct believes that Pokémon are talented in their own right, and in battle you need to rely only on instincts. Team Mystic are dedicated to science and the pursuit of Pokémon evolution. Team Valor, on the other hand, is classic Ash (or Satoshi) from the original anime and believes they have to train hard and become the best. This is where all the differences between the teams, in general, end.

What are these huge towers on the map?

These are the “jims” - the points of influence of your team. Whose team controls the point controls the entire area. If the tower is white, it means it is free and you can take it without a fight. If it is wearing the colors of the opposing team, you will have to fight.

The battles take place in the format of a fun mini-game. There are three actions available: tap on the screen to attack, press and hold on the screen to activate a special attack, and swipe sideways to dodge a blow. The task is simple - take away all the health of the enemy Pokemon and stay alive. After victory, the tower comes under the control of your team, and you can leave one of your Pokemon there as a guard. Fights for Jims are a great opportunity to upgrade your Pokemon and earn Pokemon coins.

What to expect in the future?

Currently, there is not much content in Pokemon GO, and activities are limited to collecting and training Pokemon, as well as fighting for jims. In the future, they promise to add the ability to fight directly with other players (which, in fact, is the point of the Pokemon universe). The number of Pokemon will likely increase: there are currently 151 in the game, but some are not yet available or are only available on one continent (there are 721 Pokemon in total). In the near future, Nintendo plans to release Pokemon GO Plus, an accessory that allows you to catch Pokemon and open PokeStops without taking your smartphone out of your pocket. Whether you need it is another question.

What else should I remember?

Most importantly, do not forget about your safety. Catching Pokemon is fun, but if you keep your eyes on your phone while you're walking down the street, there's a chance you'll crash into a pole or get hit by a car. Well, night is generally not the safest time to walk with a phone. If you can't live without Pokemon, at least take your friends with you. Happy hunting!

We found out whether the trend from last summer is still alive in Russia.

Last summer, the whole world became obsessed with the augmented reality game Pokemon GO. “Pokemon” literally blew up the Internet, the media, the minds of young people and broke several records at once App Store. For example, Pokemon Go reached the 10 million downloads mark the fastest of all mobile gaming applications.

But by the end of August, interest in the game began to fade, and if you believe Yandex statistics, it completely died out in Russia.

Just a month ago, the media remembered the game again. The reason was the sentence imposed on blogger Ruslan Sokolovsky for publishing a video of him playing the game Pokemon Go in the Church on the Blood. The blogger received a three and a half year suspended sentence.

We will not comment on the court’s decision, but will try to find out what happened to the game in a year, whether Pokemon are still alive, whether they are in Russian churches, and whether we can expect new “viral” explosions from the game. The creator of the largest Russian-speaking community GOpokemonGO.ru, Victor, will help us with this. Let's go!

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The Pokemon GO community and the decline in interest

– Tell us about yourself, how long have you been interested in the world of Pokemon, why did you decide to make a website about them?

Initially, I became interested in the game Ingress, which I was developing Niantic. After playing for a while, I abandoned it. A few months later, I accidentally found out that Niantic was planning to release new game(Pokemon GO), based on augmented reality technology. I was immediately very interested in this project.

Since there was practically no information in Russian, I decided to launch a website, which I began to gradually fill, making translations and adaptations of English-language articles. Over time, the site has grown into the largest Russian-speaking community for the game Pokemon GO.

– What is the audience of the site and group? VKontakte(age, gender), are these regular Pokemon fans? Or those who became interested in them after the release of Pokemon Go?

More than half of the visitors to GOpokemonGO.ru are men aged 25-34 years. Not all of them are fans of Pokemon - many are simply attracted by the concept of the game (exploring the world around us, walking in the fresh air).

– What was the interest at the peak?

– About 150,000 people visited the site per day. For comparison, now on average about 5,000 people visit the site per day.

– A month and a half after the crazy boom for Pokemon all over the world, interest in the game began to decline, did this affect the Russian fan movement? Did people play and quit?

There is no doubt that the release of Pokemon GO became one of the most significant events of 2016 – and not only in the gaming field. Pokemon GO has made many people think differently about augmented reality. The rise of the augmented reality industry is largely due to this game.

The fact that there was a decline is normal, since the interest at the start was simply mind-bogglingly great. However, constant updates and events bring old players back to the game. Don't forget that Pokemon GO has not yet implemented many important features (such as PvP and trading). The developers have prepared many more surprises for us, there is no doubt about it.

Especially, The game has not yet been officially released in Russia, it cannot be downloaded directly from Google Play.

The official release will also bring a number of new players to Pokemon GO.

– I used to see young people on the streets hanging out at poke stops, throwing “luras”, etc., when I entered the game last week I didn’t see much activity, did the game lose its “audience” or did it seem to me?

Yes, of course, the audience has decreased. Pokemon GO has been downloaded 650 million times (according to the developer's estimates), with an active audience of about 65 million people per month. I repeat – events and updates bring back “old” players to Pokemon GO. Moreover, soon we will see an update to the gym system and the appearance of legendary Pokemon in the game, so I would not talk about the “death” of the application.

We are seeing the constant development of Pokemon GO, many features that should have appeared in the first months after the launch of the game are only now being added to the game.

Game updates and official launch in Russia

– Over the past year, the game has received many updates, which ones were significant? What has changed? Which of them, in your opinion, should have been released as quickly as possible (which did not happen) so that interest in the game would not pass away and newcomers would not abandon it?

Undoubtedly, one of the most significant updates was the appearance of the second generation of Pokemon in the game. In the first months after launch, the developer was busy solving problems with the stability of the game, since no one could have predicted such a stunning success. Therefore, the implementation of many interesting “features” had to be greatly delayed.

The developer has really worked hard in the year since the game launched. Pokemon GO works stably, the necessary infrastructure has been created for further improvement of the game.

– To want to see something new in the game? What's missing?

Many people are really looking forward to legendary Pokemon, the appearance of battles between trainers and trading in the game.

– Are people going to catch Pokemon together (last summer I often saw night “hunters”)?

I often beat opponents’ “gyms” together with a friend - it’s very convenient, fast and fun, but, in general, coaches don’t play together that often. This is largely due to the fact that the cooperative aspect of the game is not yet very developed in Pokemon GO.

However, Niantic CEO John Hanke ambiguously emphasized that this aspect is a priority in the further development of the game. Coming soon global change gym mechanics - and after this we can expect more “coordinated” actions of members of different teams.

– Why do you think the game was never released in Russia? Will we wait?

Only the developer can give an exact answer, but there was no information from him on this issue. There are a lot of speculations on this matter; I see no point in retelling them.

I believe that the Pokemon GO game will undoubtedly be released in Russia, because a similar application, Ingress, by this developer can be downloaded from Google Play and iTunes without any problems.

The future of the game and the Sokolovsky case

– What do you think about the case of Ruslan Sokolovsky? Maybe the reason for the non-release of the game in our country is that there are too many Pokemon in temples and cathedrals (and the developers cannot “drive them away”)

I will not comment on this case. No, I’m sure that this is not the reason that the game was not released in Russia.

– Have you tried to make money at the peak of interest? Advertisers? Souvenir?

The site contains unobtrusive contextual advertising, which can be easily disabled by any ad blocker. When there was hype, many advertisers wrote to me with a variety of offers, especially for monetizing mobile traffic. I rejected all these offers because I was not sure of their honesty. I am glad that GOpokemonGO.ru is a genuine community in which there is a place for friendship, trust, and warmth. Placing aggressive advertising can negatively affect trust in the resource, so such methods of earning money are not used.

– Does the game have any chance of being talked about again?

I don't think the game has been forgotten. Any event or major update is covered on all major resources of the Russian-language Internet. Of course, there will no longer be such “hype” as last year, but this is quite predictable. Although, who knows - Niantic knows how to surprise and present surprises.