Pokémon GO: details about gameplay (catching Pokémon, Gyms, more) and screens
Pokémon GO was announced last year during a press conference, but we still know very little about the game. Fortunately, The Pokémon Company sent a press release today to share more details and the first official screenshots!
As mentioned previously, Pokémon GO allows you to catch Pokémon within the real world, using AR. When you’re near a Pokémon, your phone will vibrate to warn you: it’s time to take aim with your smartphone, and use the touchscreen to throw a Pokéball. Of course, the Pokémon can run away, just like in a regular Pokémon game.
If you don’t want or can’t look at your smartphone, there’s the Pokémon GO Plus accessory. It connects to your smartphone using Bluetooth, and notifies you about in-game events via a LED and by vibrating. You can also perform simple actions using the button on the accessory.
The Pokémon Company mentions PokéStops, which are located at “interesting places” such as public art installations, historical markers, monuments, and more (the goal is obviously to have people gather in the same place). At those PokéStops, you can get Poké Balls and various other items (including Pokémon Eggs, which will hatch after you make a certain amount of steps in real life).
Just like in any RPG worth its salt, you can level up in this game, but the main difference is that you’re the one leveling up (as a trainer), not your Pokémon. The higher the level, the stronger the Pokémon you can catch. You also gain access to better items, such as Great Balls for example.
As you can imagine, the Pokémon you can catch can evolve: it wouldn’t a Pokémon game otherwise! But the method to make them evolve is radically different from what you’re expecting. Indeed, to make a Pokémon evolve, you need to catch same species of Pokémon several times.
As mentioned previously, certain Pokémon can only be found in certain places. For example, some Water-type Pokémon may appear only near lakes and oceans, so you really need to pay attention and stay alert at all times if you’re going somewhere on vacations.
Next, we have Pokémon Gyms (located at real life places). At one point in the game, you can decide to join one of three teams. Once you’ve done so, you can assign Pokémon to an empty Gym, or to a location another teammate has placed theirs. However, there’s a catch: you can only place one Pokémon, and at one Gym, so you really need to think carefully about which one to place, and where.
If you find a Gym that’s already been claimed by a team, you can challenge it like you would in a mainline Pokémon game, using your Pokémon.
Pokémon GO will also feature a wide variety of challenges, with activies such as catching Pokémon and exploration. By completing those, you can unlock achievement medals, which will be displayed on your profile.
Finally, here’s the first official screenshots for the game:
Pokémon GO (Android / iOS) will be launched later this year.
Source: The Pokémon Company
