'Pokemon Go' Updates, Tips and Tricks: New 'Buddy System' Allows You to Walk with Pokemon; How to Find Out If Your Pokemon is Powerful
Not only can you catch Pokemon in real life, but they get to tag along in your real life journeys around the world! Niantic Labs, the developer of worldwide phenomenon "Pokemon Go", will be releasing a new version of the game where you get to walk around with your favorite Pokemon!
On Friday, Niantic Labs announced in a Facebook post that the upcoming version of "Pokemon Go" will introduce the Buddy System, which allows you to pick your favorite Pokemon to be your buddy. They're exactly what they are named: they will be walking alongside your Trainer avatar as you roam around for Pokemon.
If you've ever played "Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver", then you have a pretty good idea of what that looks like. Walking around with a Pokemon buddy tailing you isn't just for the show, it also offers unique in-game rewards for budding "Pokemon Go" trainers. For every certain distance that you walk your Pokemon, you're rewarded with candy, which can help you boost your stats and evolve your other Pokemon.
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Advantages of the new Buddy System
The new Buddy System helps Pokemon trainers ramp up their game. Now, if they want to strengthen a particular Pokemon, then they can choose that as their buddy and train that Pokemon to gain candy instead of catching or hatching your desired Pokemon repeatedly. It can also create bonds with your Pokemon, much like gaining Happiness stats on its Nintendo counterparts. This is a good thing for "Pokemon Go" because you'll be encouraged to invest more in the game and play more often.
As of now, there's no official word on when the new feature will be out, but Niantic promises to release the update soon.
How to easily win battles in "Pokemon Go": Pokemon Appraisal
The announcement comes on the heels of the release of the new Pokemon Appraisal feature, which helps "Pokemon Go" trainers identify which of their Pokemon can most likely win a battle. You get a quick rundown of your Pokemon's stats and individual values (IVs) so you can be able to judge how well it would do in a battle.
"Pokemon Go" team leaders, Mystic's Blanche, Valor's Candela, and Instinct's Spark, will have a sort of catchphrase that would tell you which of your Pokemon is top-notch: with IVs at 82 to 100 percent. They'll start with, "Overall, your (Pokemon Name)" and follow it up with their own sayings, which were compiled by GamePress:
Blanche (Mystic): "...is a wonder! What a breathtaking Pokemon!" or "Its stats exceed my calculations. It's incredible!"
Candela (Valor): "...simply amazes me. It can accomplish anything!" or "I'm blown away by its stats. WOW!"
Spark (Instinct): "...looks like it can really battle with the best of them!" or "Its stats are the best I've ever seen! No doubt about it!"
