By Hafiz Asnawi
Last two weeks saw Pokemon Go officially being released in Malaysia and it hit most of Malaysians like a storm. People have been “exercising” almost everyday playing Pokemon Go as one of the features of the game is to walk to find and capture Pokemon using mobile phone.
The main objective of Pokemon Go is to capture all 151 species of pokemon to complete Pokedex entries. Those wondering what is Pokemon and Pokedex, might want to know that Pokemon is the short form of Pocket Monster while Pokedex is the short form of Pokemon Encyclopaedia that describes pokemon attributes and also information about their habitat, shape, type and size.
Here are some of tips and tricks for pokemon trainers for finding, capturing and battling Pokemon Gyms. Pokemon GYM means Pokemon Gymnasium where people battle their strongest pokemon with others to show who is the strongest pokemon trainer within the area where pokemon gym is located.
Tips and Tricks
1. Requirements
Before you start hunting pokemon and become “I wanna be the very best like one ever was”, make sure your phone fulfils the minimum system requirement for Pokemon Go application. The requirements are:
Androids
- Android 4.4 to Android 6.0.1
- Preferred resolution of 720×1280 pixels (Not optimised for tablet)
- Strong internet connection (Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G)
- GPS and Location Services
- Intel CPUs are not supported
iOS
- iPhone 5+
- iOS 8+
- Strong internet connection (Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G)
- GPS and Location Services
- Jailbroken devices are not supported
Sadly for Window user phone, Pokemon Go have not yet released at Window Market. No worries, you can download Gameboy and Nintendo DS emulator in your phone and play some other Pokemon games except Pokemon Go.
2. Saving Battery
Pokemon Go uses GPS to track down pokemon to be caught and to catch means to use your phone battery and it’s draining your battery like you are drinking water.
Turn off the media volume, close all the applications that you do not use for the time being and try to turn off your AR camera toggle because you still can catch your pokemon without turning on your camera and if you want to turn on AR camera, make sure you find pokemon at funny places.
Powerbank is important for hardcore pokemon trainer if you don’t want your phone to die in the middle of catching Blastoise.
3. Visit Places of Tourist Attraction
Rare pokemon are likely to spawn at tourist attraction places to fill your Pokedex and you can find a bunch of Pokestop to get your Pokeballs to catch some Porygons. While you are hunting for pokemon, you can visit many beautiful places in Malaysia. Is it great? Catching and exploring parts of Malaysia. But be careful, do not trespass people’s private property. It is not worth it for finding rare pokemon but ending up with getting sued by other people.
4. Pokestop
Pokestop is the place where you can refill your Pokeballs, revive, potion and if you are lucky, you can get Incubator, Incense, Greatballs, Ultraballs, Razz Berries and 10KM Pokemon Eggs. Pokestop also enables people to put Lure Module to attract more pokemon to Pokestop. Visit Parks or Hypermarket for more pokestops. And if you want to double the fun, activate your Incense while Lure Module will still be active to find stronger and rare pokemon to be attracted only to you.
5. Increase Experience Faster
When you reach higher level, your chances of getting stronger pokemon is also increased but the question is how? By using Lucky Egg it helps you by doubling your EXP (Experience) much faster. While activating Lucky Egg, try to catch Pidgey and Rattata that have been swarming your place and evolve them as many as you can because every evolution takes 500xp without Lucky Egg. With Lucky Egg, you can get 1000EXP per evolution.
Try this trick,
Step 1:Activate your dearest Lucky Egg at nearest Pokestop.
Step 2:Activate Lure Module.
Step 3:Activate your Incense.
You can gain tons of EXP and strong pokemon in your hands. If you want to save your Lure Module, just visit the nearest Pokestop with active Lure Module.
6. Catching Pokemon
When you try to catch pokemon, aim inside the colour ring for bonus EXP. The bonus EXP are:
- Nice: 10 EXP
- Great: 50 EXP
- Excellent: 100 EXP
To gain these EXP would depend on the size of colour ring when you throw the Pokeballs; the smaller the colour ring, the chances of getting Excellent is higher. For the Curve Ball, Rub the Pokeballs anti clockwise and swipe right. It gives you extra 10 EXP. Do not throw Pokeball while the pokemon is in attacking mode, use Razz Berry to make it easier to catch.
7. Evolving Pokemon
Most people want the best pokemon in their hands to fight at Pokemon Gyms and defend their Gyms. Evolve pokemon to have higher CP (Combat Power) compared to other pokemon. For example, you have 300CP Slowpoke and 468CP. Evolve the higher ones to gain pokemon that have 1000 and above CP. Evolve the ones that have 500CP and above.
8. Hatching Egg
Hatching an egg helps you to get stronger pokemon and get pokemon that you have not encountered yet. There are three types of Pokemon Egg; 2KM, 5KM and 10KM. The chances are higher to get rare pokemon with 10km Egg. That is where Snorlax and Lapras come from if you are lucky. Do not drive while hatching an egg. It won’t work unless you are driving under 20 Km/H and 10 Mp/H.
9. Battling Pokemon Gym
Pokemon Gym where you fight to prove “I wanna be the very best like no one ever was”. Before you start battling pokemon gym, be sure you have already done your homework by constructing your strategy to attack gym leader weakness.
After you have defeated the gym leader, you can leave only one pokemon per gym. You get your pokemon back when your pokemon is defeated. The higher level have more space for other people from the same team of yours to put their pokemon.
When you leave your pokemon at the gym, you will receive daily Pokecoins, that can be claimed for reward at Shop Button. Put your strongest pokemon at gym to defend your Pokecoins income.
10. GPS
If your GPS does not detect your current location, try to move around a little and switch off the GPS and turn it on again and if it does not work or freeze, Restart or reboot your phone and reopen Pokemon Go application.
11. Hunting with Friends
Pokemon Go is sure fun but try to go for a hunt with your friend who is playing Pokemon Go as well. It will strengthen the bond between you and your friend. Pokemon Go teaches us to be friendly with other people even though we do not know each other and Pokemon Go helps people to start the conversation and interact with one another. Keep it safe and happy hunting. ***