The Pokémon Company and Niantic Inc. have released a few new screenshots as well as a ton of new info for their upcoming mobile game, Pokémon GO. Launching later this year on the App Store and Google Play Store, Pokémon GO will “encourage fans to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokémon.”
In Pokémon GO, using your smartphone, you will be able to catch Pokémon and become the best trainer there ever was. As you explore the world around you, your phone will vibrate and send you notifications if a Pokémon is nearby. By using the touchscreen, you can throw a Poké Ball to catch these Pokémon as you are viewing them overlayed on the real world in front of you. These Poké Balls and other special items will be obtainable at “PokéStops” located at various public places, such as “public art installations, historical markers and monuments.”
As anyone whose played Pokémon can attest to, certain Pokémon are only available in certain areas. This will also be the case in Pokémon GO. If you are looking for a water-type Pokémon, for example, they may only appear near lakes and oceans.
As you continue to catch Pokémon and explore our world, your Trainer Level will increase. This allows you to catch stronger, more-powerful, Pokémon and acquire even better items. You can even evolve particular Pokémon if you catch the same species of Pokémon on multiple occasions. There will even be Pokémon Eggs to be found at the aforementioned “PokéStops” which will hatch when you walk a certain distance with your smartphone.
Gym Battles will also be a huge part of Pokémon GO. You will have the option to join one of three teams to participate in Gym Battles with other teams. Interestingly enough, you don’t have your entire team of Pokémon defend a Gym, but each player must only volunteer one of their Pokémon to an empty Gym, which are positioned at real world locations. These Gyms can be challenged by the other teams and will require strategy to ensure each player chooses the right Pokémon to complement the others.
Lastly, Achievement Medals can be earned by completing various challenges, and you can show off how great of a trainer you truly are!
Pokémon GO will launch later this year, and if you happen to live in Japan, there will be an early user test that will give players the opportunity to try the game while still in active development.
This is an exciting time to be a Pokémon fan. It’s exciting to get more details on this much anticipated game from The Pokémon Company, and we will keep searching far and wide for any more details as we wait, very impatiently, for the release of Pokémon GO.
