Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Be Playing Pokémon Go Again

Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Be Playing Pokémon Go Again This isn’t the same game you played at launch! Well...more or less… Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today, we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Be Playing Pokémon Go Again. For this list, we’re looking at the many changes made to “Pokémon Go” that might interest you enough to try the game again.

#10: Bug Fixes

It’s only appropriate to start the list off with something that addresses one of the most glaring issues at the game’s launch. In its first few months, “Pokémon Go” had more bugs than Viridian Forest. The game would freeze at random moments, and sometimes just straight-up crash. These days, “Pokémon Go” manages to function with only minor hiccups. Of course, your phone might heat up, but that’s mainly only if you’ve been playing outside for too long. Otherwise, you can enjoy your walks and catch Pokémon with virtually little interruptions. There are bugs that still come up, but, hey, at least its nowhere near as bad as the launch period.

#9: Reformed Gyms

As fun as it was battling opposing factions for control over a Gym in the game’s early days, it quickly grew tiring. Originally Gyms were organised so that players who were at lower levels were pushed into battle first and had a far less chance of earning coins, since Pokemon had to stay in Gyms for more than 21 hours to earn coins. It was a messy structure that encouraged a pay-to-win model, and it needed some changes. The new system lets players nab coins easier with Pokemon now earning a coin every 10 minutes, (Up to 50 per day) while battle orders are now based on who was there first. Nice to see things are more fair and exciting these days!

#8: Location Hints

Location Hints have had a wonky history in “Pokémon Go”, and for a while, they weren’t exactly helpful. Originally all you had to go on to find nearby Pokémon, was a number of footprints to tell how close you were. But they didn’t tell you which direction they were in relation to your position, and Niantic blocked third party trackers from locating Pokémon. Thankfully, the new system now places the Pokémon near PokéStops, and you can even set waypoints to said PokéStops if you’re not familiar with the area. The only obstacle now is how far you're willing to walk.

#7: Community Day

When you’re maintaining an online game like “Pokémon Go”, it’s important to give back to the community you’ve built. After all, there’s no game without the players! That’s why Niantic occasionally hosts an event known as “Community Day”. During this event, all users get various boosts for XP, Stardust, and/or Candy. The chances of finding a Shiny Pokémon or earning a Lucky Pokémon become greater, too. Sometimes, there will also be a bonus for PokéStops, like locations having lure modules that last for three hours. These days could feasibly get you caught up to everyone else, even if you’ve been away from the game for a while.

#6: Weather System

In the game’s first few months, this was a feature that was heavily rumored to be hidden within “Pokémon Go”, as some users were catching Water-type creatures on rainy days. Whether this was intended or not, Niantic has fully implemented the idea to give your location more Pokémon variety. Different weather conditions will not only cause specific types to appear more frequently, but the Pokémon you’ll find will also be more powerful. Not only that, but your Pokémon’s moves will be enhanced when battling others. Niantic has published a chart to show the different effects on their Support page, and this may prove handy if you’re looking to dominate in Gyms!

#5: Legendary Raids

Aside from catching Pokémon and fighting over control of Gyms, “Pokémon Go” has a new mode called “Raids”. These battles allow you to team up with other Trainers in order to take down a powerful Pokémon. Unfortunately, these are timed events that are always changing, and there are some Raids (like the “EX Raids”) that are only accessible through an invite that require trainers to be at a specific location and time regardless of their own personal schedules. It might be a pain in the butt for players who just want to catch Pokémon, but those who enjoy the battles may find themselves invested.

#4: Research Tasks

In addition to the streak bonuses you can earn from catching Pokémon and spinning PokéStops everyday, “Pokémon Go” has a new feature to keep you playing: Research Tasks. These challenges help entice you to keep playing, and the rewards are well worth the time spent. Some research tasks will reward you with items while others may give you a shot at catching special Pokémon. You might even get a couple of challenges to encourage you in improving your throws. This makes the game more of a game now, and not just a Walk-and-Swipe-a-thon.

#3: Compatiablity with “Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Let’s Go, Eevee!”

They may not be new, core “Pokémon” games, but don’t let that fact stop you from checking them out. Because the upcoming “Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and “Let’s Go, Eevee!”, will allow players to transfer the Pokémon they’ve caught in “Pokémon Go” into these titles. Furthermore any shiny or special event Pokémon you may have caught in “Go” will carry over these traits into “Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee”. “Pokémon Go” may not be required to enjoy the “Let’s Go” games, but it’ll certainly add to the experience!

#2: New Pokémon

At launch, “Pokémon Go” only featured the original 151 Pokémon. Heck, you’d be lucky to fill half of the Pokedex without finding dozens of Rattatas and Pidgeys first! These days, though, that isn’t much of an issue thanks to the inclusion of two other generations - Johto and Hoenn. This brings the number of total Pokémon to over three hundred! So, if you’re looking for a way to keep busy, “Pokémon Go” has you covered, and it’ll occupy your time for days...or weeks...or months.

#1: Friends List

“Pokémon Go” is a great game to enjoy with friends! However, having friends originally didn’t do as much in-game as it did out. Thankfully, Niantic has added a wonderful new feature - the Friends List - and there’s more to it than just seeing your buddies’ ranks and latest activity. You can also trade Pokémon with your fellow trainers to help them fill their Pokédex. You may even get a “Lucky Pokémon”, which require less Stardust to level up and are stronger than normal Pokémon. On top of that, PokéStops now offer Gifts to send to your friends, these containing goodies like eggs that hatch Alolan-form Pokemon, Pokéballs, and more. Plus the stronger your friendship status, the more powerful your team’s Pokémon become in Gym Battles & Raids.