Walkthroughs

Pokémon GO guide: how to battle, train, find PokéStops, and more

How to be the very best, like no-one ever was

Pokémon GO guide: how to battle, train, find PokéStops, and more
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So Pokémon GO is out! Huzzah! But now you've managed to download it using our handy guide, you want to know how to be good at the game.

Well, if you want to know how to find more Pokémon, how to get more items, and how to level up (and more!), then you've come to the right place.

How to find PokéStops and Gyms

PokéStops are usually local landmarks: street art, pubs, football stadiums, and other points of interest will often yield some Poké Balls for your bag.

Remember to spin the badge in the middle of the screen to obtain the items - it's easy to get distracted by discovering new landmarks in your own neighbourhood but catching Pokémon is serious business!

Gyms, meanwhile, are more commonly found in parks and open areas, so go outside and get the sweet, sweet smell of freshly mown grass in your nose while you train your Pokémon.

How to catch Pokémon Pokémon GO

First, you need to find the damned things. Head out and keep an eye on the bottom right corner of the screen - the silhouettes will tell you which Pokémon are nearby, and more footsteps mean they're further away.

Then just tap on the critter you're after, and flick the Poké Ball onto its head like a good bowl of porridge: not too soft and not too hard, and voila!

If you're struggling to find Pokémon, or you don't want to leave the house, use an incense to attract them to you. For the Trainer who just doesn't want to get out of bedTM.

How to train your Pokémon Pokémon GO

You can power up and eventually evolve your Pokémon by feeding them the candy of their family - so Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Pidgeot all get their precious nutrients from Pidgey candy.

Getting more candy is easy - just transfer any duplicate Pidgeys you catch to Professor Willow.

Then give these sweets to your strongest Pidgey - but don't do this too early! It's best to wait until at least level eight, or there's a good chance you'll find a stronger one (rendering all that candy farming pointless).

How to battle Pokémon GO

Once you're level five or higher, you can assign one of your Pokémon to defend a Gym. This brave little guy or gal will then fight any other players' Pokémon in the area, or you can train them against your own Pokémon for experience.

To win in battles, swipe when you see the opponent motion to attack, then hit back by tapping.

It's also important to bear in mind the CP (combat points) of the fighter you select: the higher the CP, the stronger they'll be. And the harder they'll fall, or something like that.

How to save battery

If you enable 'battery saver' in the game's settings, tilting your device upside down will turn the screen dark, so you can carry on your quest all the way to the Pokémon League in one go! (Or to that big Sainsbury's, whichever's closest.)

Oscar Dayus
Oscar Dayus
Oscar grew up playing games in the 90s, and as such can't help but jump on any sort of moving platform. He hasn't yet perfected the art of double-jumping in real life, though, so has now turned to writing instead.