Starter tips for your Pokémon Go journey

In 2016, Pokémon Go took the mobile gaming world by storm thanks to its mix of real-world location data and Pokémon-catching nostalgia. Pokémon Go is still going strong nearly ten years later, and now is a great time to check it out if you haven't already.

These quick tips will help you when you're just starting out on your Pokémon Go journey. It's a simple game to jump into, but there are a few hurdles that can slow your progress early on. By overcoming these, you'll be catching them all in no time.

Once you've collected a few Poké Balls and caught a few Pokémon, you'll quickly realize that your inventories for both items and Pokémon will quickly become a limitation. As you collect PokéCoins – the premium in-game currency acquired through gameplay and real-world purchases – the first thing you should invest in is more space for both storage sections.

You never want to be put into a situation where you encounter a rare or shiny Pokémon, only to realize you either don't have room to put it after it's caught or you don't have the Poké Balls to attempt the catch. By focusing your early PokéCoins on storage upgrades, you'll avoid this scenario and be able to catch any Pokémon at any time.

The art of catching Pokémon in Pokémon Go is much different than the classic games you may be used to. You're not selecting a Poké Ball and watching it be thrown – here, you're actively catching a Pokémon by aiming and swiping to launch the ball at them correctly.

The best way to get better at this new method for catching Pokémon is to encounter every Pokémon that pops onto your screen. Early on, you'll be able to use these underpowered Pokémon as perfect target practice, where you can get used to the aiming circle, curveballs, and some of the other catching techniques that will increase your odds of making the catch.

Pokémon Go is a social game, and as such, you can exchange friend codes with other players and add them to your in-game friends list. Exchange codes with as many people as you can, as the friend system in Pokémon Go can be a major boon for your early experiences. The game allows you to exchange gifts with these friends, helping your in-game progress.

Gifts can contain many valuable items – Poké Balls, Berries, even Eggs which Pokémon can hatch out of after a certain number of steps – and the more gifts you have coming, the more items you can capitalize on. If your real-world friends are playing Pokémon Go, connect with them as soon as possible!

Pokémon Go is also an active game; it requires you to get out and get close to certain locations in order to interact with them. You may be tempted to explore your entire neighborhood every single day, but before long, you're going to tire yourself out.

Before leaving your house for a Pokémon Go session, plan a route for yourself. Look at the in-game map, see where PokéStops and Gyms pop up, and structure your route so you can hit as many of them as possible while out and about. This will let you find as many Pokémon as possible, while staying stocked on valuable items thanks to the PokéStops, and make your in-game time super effective.