Here's How to Play Pokémon Go, the World's Newest Obsession

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POPSUGAR Photography

The world is obsessed with Pokémon Go, a new augmented reality video game app available for both iOS and Android that lets you catch Pokémon in the real world. Is your mouth wide open in puzzlement after reading that sentence? Don't worry — plenty of people are confused about what the game actually is, how it works, and what it's even good for. We understand (and are still figuring out the game ourselves), but for now, check out our how-to guide ahead to figure out why everyone is attached to their phones on the street and can't get enough of the game.

01
Catch your starter Pokémon.
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Catch your starter Pokémon.

To begin, you get to catch one of three starter Pokémon — Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur — all decent Pokémon that have their pros and cons. If you're new, pick one that you like the best. If you're a fan that grew up with the games, here's a neat hack to make Pikachu your starter Pokémon.

02
Now that you have a Pokémon, start playing!
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Now that you have a Pokémon, start playing!

On your map, you'll see different Pokémon pop up, ready to be caught. If you see a Pokémon, tap on it and throw a Pokéball at it. Open up the app in different areas — you'll find different Pokémon everywhere. You'll also see PokéStops, which are signified by a floating blue Pokéball. Here, you can tap on the icon and it'll spin. You'll get to collect certain items like Pokéballs, eggs, and more. If you see a stop with a lot of fluttering hearts, that is a special Lure module, which means more Pokémon will be at this stop.

03
See what Pokémon are lurking nearby.
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See what Pokémon are lurking nearby.

Tap on the dashboard of Pokémon in the lower right of your screen. There you can see what Pokémon are around and if it's worth it to stick around. Different Pokémon will have a variety of Combat Power (CP) levels based on how you're doing as a trainer and your own level. You can change your Pokémon's CP level or evolve it with different items like stardust or candy.

04
Catching a Pokémon is pretty easy to understand.
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Catching a Pokémon is pretty easy to understand.

A wild Pokémon will appear on your screen; just tap it to try to catch it. Throw the Pokéball in the center of the Pokémon. You can also turn off the augmented reality aspect of it in the top right corner.

05
This is what it looks like normally to find a Pokémon in the wild.
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This is what it looks like normally to find a Pokémon in the wild.

It'll help save your phone's battery to play this way.

06
Once caught, you'll get experience points and other items.
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Once caught, you'll get experience points and other items.

Experience points will help level you up as a trainer.

07
You'll also see new information on your Pokédex and learn a bit more about it.
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You'll also see new information on your Pokédex and learn a bit more about it.

Here, you'll learn how many candies it came with and the amount of stardust you'll receive.

08
Find more Pokémon at a special Lure module PokéStop.
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Find more Pokémon at a special Lure module PokéStop.

If you see a PokéStop with floating hearts, or as people are calling it, "flower petals," head to it ASAP! You're going to see more Pokémon to catch and maybe even meet new people. The best part is that anyone can create these special places.

09
Learn a bit about yourself as a Pokémon trainer.
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Learn a bit about yourself as a Pokémon trainer.

If you tap the icon of yourself, you'll see a bunch of stats, like your experience level and how many Pokécoins you have. To gain more experience, you need to keep catching Pokémon, battling, and visiting PokéStops. When you reach level five, you can also choose from three teams: red team valor, yellow team instinct, and blue team mystic. This makes it interesting when you battle other trainers in gyms.

Want more Pokécoins? Engage in gym battles or buy them.

10
Catch up on your day with the journal.
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Catch up on your day with the journal.

Located in your user profile, your journal documents what items you've collected and Pokémon you've caught. It's really helpful if you want to make sure you're doing as much as you can to gain experience and Pokémon.

11
And don't forget — safety first!
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And don't forget — safety first!

It's a fun game to play, but don't walk into a tree or something worse!