What is Pokemon Go? Here's everything you need to know

After being released only 2 weeks ago, Pokemon Go has become one of the most used smart apps of all time. People are willing to pay thousands of pounds for phones with rare Pokemon, and one man in New Zealand has quit his job to play full time! If you haven't yet played it and are wondering what all the fuss is about, read on and find out why the world has gone crazy for Pokemon.

What do you do in the game?

Pokemon Go can be compared to a giant scavenger hunt. Players walk around with their smartphone trying to locate wild Pokemon, which they can catch and collect. Players also have the option to make Pokemon appear around them through their camera. The game currently features 150 types, some which can be found anywhere and others that are extremely rare. One rare Pokemon almost caused a stampede in central park.

The other feature in the game is battling the Pokemon that you catch with other players. Rare Pokemon are stronger which is what makes them so desirable. These Pokemon can be fought in Gyms which appear in public places, and can be taken over if your Pokemon is strong enough.

Where do you find rare Pokemon?

If you want to join the rapidly increasing players and start catching Pokemon, here are some tips on increasing your chances of grabbing one of the better ones.

• Keep playing the game! The higher your level is the more likely rare Pokemon will appear. When you start out the chances of finding good Pokemon is very low.

• Look in certain areas for different Pokemon: Each Pokemon has a type, which links to where they are often found. For example water type Pokemon are likely to be found near lakes and rivers, while ghost type Pokemon can be found in graveyards and more often at night. Unfortunately 4 Pokemon are region locked, and can only be found in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia respectively, making it very hard for some people to catch them all.

• Use incense and lures: These items are given to players when they level up, incense will attract nearby Pokemon to you only, while lures can be placed on Poke stops (local landmarks) and used by everyone. While these wont guarantee a rare Pokemon, they greatly increase the chances of one appearing.

• Use longer distance eggs: Players also receive eggs which can be hatched through walking distance. Only one egg can gather walking distance at a time, and the further the distance needed to hatch it, the rarer the Pokemon is likely to be. Remember you have to be walking or running, as driving wont count towards hatching it!

Whether Pokemon Go will be a short lived craze or a long lasting phenomenon is uncertain, but right now it is the game everyone's playing with people becoming more active and working together to catch them all.

Have you played Pokemon Go yet? Let us know what you have caught over on our Facebook page!

Pictures credited to: Brand Ready,Mobil Yaşam,Minoxi Resident