Pokemon GO! Let's Go!

I wanna be the very best that no one ever was! Pokemon Go has landed in Singapore and it is taking everyone by storm. On it's first day of release in Singapore, I did not see a single soul who is not engrossed in their cellphones while walking or in the bus. When I reached my bus stop, I even overheard somebody say "Just now there's a Charmander here". You can see people walking then stopping to catch a Pokemon that they encountered. Pokemon Go brings back old memories for me. The time when I memorised each name and type of all the Pokemon and can sing the Pokemon theme at a snap of the finger. However, playing the game is not as simple as just throwing the ball. Here are a few tips for beginners to help you become the Pokemon Master that your are meant to be.

1. Pikachu As Your Starter

Right at the beginning of the game when you are given the usual Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle choice, pick none of them. Resist the urge to catch these Pokemon and wait for the fourth time when surprise! There’s Pikachu, joining the party. Now, as anyone knows who has played, your “starter” is ultimately not terribly important (in two days I have all three original starters from eggs/wild captures), but this is a fun little trick you can tell your friends about regardless.

2. Catching Pokemon requires strategy

At first, it is quite easy catch the lower CP (Combat Power) Pokemon. Just direct the Pokeball to the Pokemon and hope that they will stay put. "Gotcha!" seems to be the most awaited word nowadays. However, as the game progresses, you will find a Pokemon with a higher CP. These are a trickier to catch and would require some strategy. Although seeing a Magicarp on your plate seems to be amusing, turning off the AR (Augmented Reality) will make it easier to catch a Pokemon as they won't be moving. This will also help save some juice as playing Pokemon Go often drains the battery faster.

There are also different coloured rings to watch for which will serve as a guide if the Pokemon will be harder to catch.Green shouldn’t be a problem, yellow will be tougher, red will be very hard. You eventually get treats (Razz Berry can be used while trying to catch the Pokemon) you can lob at Pokemon to reduce this level, and make capturing easier. Combine these two tactics, and you should have a better shot at capturing stuff, and later you will unlock more secure types of Pokeballs as well. Try to throw the ball when the ring is smaller and this will, most often then not, help capture the Pokemon.

3. Battle..OMG

I am only at level 9 and I am still having a hard time with battles. So at the moment, I try to catch higher CP Pokemon or using power ups on my stronger ones to prepare for battle. At the moment, all I know is you can dodge attacks by swiping left or right and there is a special meter which builds up for every attack to eventually deliver a "move" to end the battle. I haven't even captured a gym yet. Will update once I get the hang of it.

4. Incubate Eggs

Some Poke-stops will give free Pokeballs, Revive, Potions, Razz Berry and Eggs. These eggs can be incubated to produce a Pokemon. However, the number of incubators are limited unless you buy them. Each egg can be incubated by walking a certain number of kilometers. It covers the distance you WALK (tracked via GPS) and will not work if you use the treadmill or jog in circles. Aside from these, the application should be open the whole time that you are walking. Most of the time I will incubate 2 eggs and just forget about it until a message pops out to tell me that they have hatched.

5. Evolve that Pidgey

Pidgey here, Pidgey there, they are everywhere. You can take advantage of this by evolving the Pidgeys into Pidgeotto for XP. That way, you can level up faster as evolving Pokemon will give XP. Pidgey only needs 12 candies to evolve and if you pair this with a lucky egg (doubles the XP for 30 minutes), it will give you 1000 XP.

6. Use Items

Using Incense is a good way to lure Pokemon to your location for 30 minutes. This is specially useful if you are going to spend time in one location. This will only work for you and anywhere you are. There are 2 free incense during your first game and you will need to buy them using coins. A Lure Module, on the other hand, is used in a Pokestop to attract a Pokemon to it. This will benefit other people nearby. You will see this in the map as a Pokestop with purple petals encircling it. It will also last for 30 minutes and can either bought using coins or if you are lucky, can be found in a Pokestop as well.

Potions will restore the HP (Health Point) of your wounded Pokemon by 20 points. Revive will restore half of a fainted Pokemon's maximum HP. Both can be found in Pokestops. A Lucky egg will help you earn double XP for 30 minutes.

7. Watch your step!

I think this is the most valuable tip that I can give all Pokemon Masters as this game is also known because of some accidents (and trespassing) that was caused by playing Pokemon Go. Although you need to constantly be looking at your phone to catch the Pokemon and not miss a Poke-stop, always keep in mind to watch your surroundings and DO NOT PLAY WHILE YOU DRIVE. This will not only endanger you and your passenger but other innocent people as well. Ash may travel the world and get hurt to become a Pokemon Master, but then again this is the real world and you're definitely not Ash.

At the end of the day, Pokemon Go is a game and is meant for us to have fun. It's goal is for us to go walk, explore our surroundings and socialise with other Pokemon Go players. Playing this game is your choice and with this comes the responsibility to play safely. Be a Pokemon Master and Go!

***Credits to Paul Tassi of www.forbes.com for the pokemon tips. ^_^

#pokemongo #singapore #tips #pokemonmaster #niantic