Pokemon Go Tips and Tricks – Get More Poke Balls, Level Up Fast

Welcome to Prima’s feature that includes tips for playing Pokemon Go. We’ll tell you how to catch Pokemon, gain lots of experience and get more Poke Balls without spending PokeCoins.  Use these tips to level up fast and fill your Pokedex.  Then when you reach level 5 in Pokemon Go, you’ll be able to join one of three teams and battle other players at Gyms.

This Pokemon Go tips feature is a work in progress and we will update it with more strategy over time. If you have a cool Pokemon Go tip or if we missed something, let us know about it in the comments below. Happy hunting! 

How to Catch Pokemon in Pokemon Go

Similar to other Pokemon video games, you must throw a Poke Ball towards a Pokemon in order to catch it, but this works a bit differently than previous titles in the series. Don’t worry! We’ll tell you the best way to catch Pokemon in the game.

The best part? Your phone will buzz whenever a Pokemon is nearby! 

While viewing the world map, wild Pokemon will appear next to your custom Trainer. Walk in the creature’s general direction and then tap the Pokemon. This causes Pokemon Go to transition from the virtual world to using your phone’s camera, giving the illusion of Eevee, Psyduck and Weedle appearing in the real world! 

Adjust your phone screen so you see the Pokemon you wish to catch, and make note of the Poke Ball icon at the bottom of the screen. Place a finger on the Poke Ball and hold. See the white targeting circle? When you press and hold your finger on the Poke Ball icon, you’ll see a green circle appear inside of the white one. This green circle will slowly contract, growing smaller and smaller. Wait until this green circle is as small as possible and then flick your finger towards the Pokemon, sending the Poke Ball in its direction. Based on our experience, this is the easiest way to increase the odds of catching Pokemon in Pokemon Go. If you want an even greater challenge and some exercise, we’ll tell you how to hatch eggs in Pokemon Go to get all sorts of cool stuff.

There’s no guarantee this will work the first try! You may have to throw several Poke Balls until you catch the Pokemon. Even if you trap a Pokemon inside of a Poke Ball, it may escape!  

After catching a Pokemon, you’ll see a red light in the center of the Poke Ball. If this light fades, congratulations! You captured the Pokemon. 

Pokemon Go Tip: If you see some green leaves swirling about on the virtual map, there’s a wild Pokemon nearby. In fact, the game lets you know which Pokemon you’re likely to encounter. Tap the rectangular bar on the bottom right corner of the screen to view these critters.

Now we’ll tell you how to find Pokemon on Google Maps. You’ll need to charge your phone, so we have the best tips for keeping your phone battery charged while playing Pokemon Go.

Get More Poke Balls Without Spending PokeCoins 

This is how you get free Poke Balls in Pokemon Go without spending money on PokeCoins. On the world map, you’ll see floating blue diamonds scattered about. These are PokeStops! You’ll need to physically walk to these PokeStops, and when you’re in range the blue diamonds will change into circular icons, signifying you can interact with them. Tap and you’ll see a real picture of the location, otherwise known as a Photo Disc. Spin the Photo Disc with your finger to get free Poke Balls and other items, like Pokemon Candy used to Power Up you Pokemon. 

You only receive a limited amount of items from PokeStops with each trip. To get more, you’ll need to come back later. We don’t have an exact amount of time, but you should be able to return to a PokeStop at least 10-15 minutes later, based on our experience with the game.

Pokemon Go Tip: Always be aware of your surroundings when playing Pokemon Go. Make sure to look both ways before crossing the street, and watch out for people on the sidewalk. It’s easy to get distracted while walking and looking at the phone screen. We cover this and more in our best Pokemon Go safety tips feature, along with suggestions on how to plan the ultimate Pokemon hunt with friends!

Get More XP in Pokemon Go 

The only way to level up in Pokemon Go is to gain experience, also called XP. The easiest way to get more XP in Pokemon Go is to capture as many Pokemon as possible. You receive 100 XP for catching a Pokemon, but the game will award you with 500 XP if this is the first time you captured Venonat, Pidgey or another Pokemon. You’ll even earn a modest 10 XP for a “nice throw.”

That said, you should capture the same Pokemon to get more XP in Pokemon Go. It’s OK to have five Pidgeys because each one after the first means 100 XP. And if you only want one Pidgey, you can transfer it to the Professor for Pokemon Candy. 

To transfer a Pokemon, press the Poke Ball icon at the bottom of the screen and then access the Pokemon menu. Select the Pokemon you want to transfer, then scroll down until you see the Transfer button. Choose “Yes” to receive your reward. 

Pokemon Go Tip: Incense will attract wild Pokemon to your Trainer for 30 minutes. Not a whole bunch, so don’t expect one Pokemon after the other. You’ll earn Incense over time, or you can purchase some with PokeCoins. 

If you want to get XP the fastest way possible, our next article talks about Pidgey grinding in Pokemon Go.

Get Stardust in Pokemon Go 

You need Stardust and Pokemon Candy to Power Up your Pokemon. To get Stardust in Pokemon Go, simply capture wild Pokemon.

To get Pokemon Candy, transfer unwanted Pokemon with the Professor or visit PokeStops. Remember, each Pokemon has its own candy, so it’s common to have more of one type – Squirtle Candy, for example – over another. 

Pokemon Go Tip: You can’t join a team or take part in Pokemon Go battles until you reach level 5. 

This feature will tell you how to win battles and claim gyms in Pokemon Go. Then find out how to get Pikachu in Pokemon Go. We also discovered a new way to throw Poke Balls in the game. It might work better for you.

Level Up Pokemon in Pokemon Go 

A wild Pokemon only has a certain number of HP (hit points) to spend in battles. To make a Pokemon stronger, you must level up this creature using Stardust and Pokemon Candy. Tap the Poke Ball on the bottom of the screen, then the Pokemon tab on the bottom left. Choose which Pokemon you want to level up, and if you have the appropriate amount of Stardust and Candy, tap the Power Up button.

You can only Power Up a Pokemon so much. When you reach the max number of HP, it’s time to Evolve the Pokemon, but you’ll need lots of candy. Use the same steps as you would to Power Up, but instead, press the Evolve button. In addition to adding a new Pokemon to your Pokedex (Pidgey becomes Pidgeotto, for example) and getting lots of XP, you’ll now have a tougher battle monster to pit against rival Trainers at Gyms.

OK, now you’re ready to fight in Pokemon Go! Good luck!