"Pokémon GO" recently took the U.S. by storm. Whether it is the realization of your 10-year-old self’s wildest dreams or you have just been caught up in the bandwagon, the game is highly addictive. Go to a ‘hotspot’, such as practically any college campus, and you’ll see hoards of people traveling around in pursuit of Pokémon. Some stay in their cars; some run in good old fashioned running shoes; others opt for bikes, scooters and skateboards. The game does not limit itself to any one age range.
While the crazy news headlines may deem the app somewhat controversial, the excitement surrounding it is overwhelming. If you’re addicted, or would just like a little boost on your quest to catch ‘em all, then these three methods will better your "GO" game.
1. Max out lucky eggs.
A lucky egg will double the XP you earn for 30 minutes. Instead engaging in a random XP scramble, save up your evolutions. Evolving any Pokémon is worth 500 XP, but it is then worth 1,000 XP with a lucky egg. That's right, all those Pidgeys do have a use after all. So, save up candies for Pokémon like Weedles and Pidgeys that only require 12. (Also, be sure to save enough Pokémon to evolve.) By saving up about 60 evolutions and then using your lucky egg, you can receive 60,000XP (with a slight lag). Hatching a few eggs won't hurt either.
2. Make the most of temporary incubators.
Hatching eggs is a great way to get some awesome Pokémon and extra goodies. Everyone has one incubator with infinite uses, but players can also receive incubators with limited uses. To get the most out of each step, save these for the 10 kilometer eggs (or five kilometer eggs if you're running low). By doing this you will get 30 kilometers worth of eggs out of a 10 kilometer walk.
3. Pick your Eevee evolution!
Yes, after speculating about the influence of location or moves, it has been revealed that you can pick your Eevee evolution. Remember 'The Battling Eevee Brothers'? To pick your Eevee evolution simply nickname your Eevee after the brothers' Eevees: 'Sparky' for Jolteon, 'Rainer' for Vaporeon and 'Pyro' for Flareon.
Whether you are a novice or pro, "Pokémon GO" is a fun way to get out and about and meet some new people. Yes, we may be divided by Instinct, Mystic and Valor (for the win), but I have had nothing but great conversations with fellow trainers. Catch 'em all and be aware of your surroundings.