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5 Pokémon Go Tips & Hacks That You Need to Know

By Brooke Wilson, 8 years ago

Everyone is playing Pokémon Go right now - are you? Even as an adult, I have to admit that I have been quite enjoying the game. For me it is fun to get out walking, and it is also a trip down memory lane. It helps me to get some exercise and it is totally free to download which is a definite bonus.

The only thing I have found is that I can't keep up with everyone who is taking over gyms or capturing the rarest Pokémon of them all. So I set out to create a list of Pokémon Go tips and hacks for us to use - so maybe we can catch up!

Pikachu Starter Pokemon

When you first launch the game, you are told to catch a Pokémon. You are presented with the three classics: Bulbasaur, Charmander and my favourite - Squirtle. But did you know that you can get a Pikachu instead? Tried and true - keep ignoring those three starter Pokémon while walking around and eventually you will be presented with a Pikachu to catch for yourself. Once you catch him, you may want to purchase a Pikachu T-shirt to go with your bragging rights.

Elusive Eevee Evolutions

Try saying that three times fast! Eevee is so totally adorable - but has three different evolutions. You can control what your new fluffy friend evolves into though - and it is super simple. The three different Pokémon that Eevee can evolve into are Jolteon (electricity), Vaporeon (water), and Flareon (fire).

So click on that Eevee and then click it's name. Name it one of these specific names to get the evolution that you desire:

Sparky - Jolteon/electricity
Rainer - Vaporeon/water
Pyro - Flareon/fire

Radar - There It Is!

So many times I have had a rare Pokémon pop up in my "Nearby Pokémon" on the app. I have walked 500 miles and I will walk 500 more, no not really. The song was just stuck in my head. Seriously though - there are apps out there that will help you locate that elusive Lapras. You can try Pokévision which is actually just a website with no download required. I also enjoy Pokéwhere which I have downloaded to my iOS device. Both of these will allow you to scan your local area to see what Pokémon are nearby.

Get Double the XP

This hint is super easy. Collect your self a Lucky Egg from a nearby PokéStop. Of course, you have to be lucky enough to find one. You can also buy one from the shop if you desire. But wait to evolve any Pokémon until you have a Lucky Egg active - and then you will earn double the XP for everything you do within the half hour time frame. That is your best chance to evolve anything or catch Pokémon. Watch how fast you level up and leave your friends in the dust behind you.

Hatch Those Eggs - Lightspeed!

Rare Pokémon can be found in those eggs you have sitting in your "bag". While walking is one of the points of the game - sometimes you can't and you really want to see what is inside that egg. Eggs are hatched when you move a certain distance - 2 km, 5 km or 10 km. They won't hatch when you're driving a car though! Pokémon Go knows when you are going above 50 km/hr and will stop calculating your distance.

There are ways around that though. Stick your phone in your pocket with the app open and go for a bike ride, or drive really slowly around the block (without looking at your phone). I've also seen people strap their phone to their dog or ceiling fan - but that seems a little risky.