Helpful tips for new and returning Pokemon players

It’s never too late to get into the Pokemon core series games, and now is as good of a time as any. Here are some helpful tips for beginners and returning players.

Getting into a new game can be exciting, but it can also be a little overwhelming. When that game comes from a series that has been around for over 20 years, it can be very overwhelming. This is the case with Pokemon. It is a huge series with a big universe and a deep history, but that does not mean it is impossible to get into now.

One thing that makes Pokemon a great franchise to get into is that there are so many different ways to get into it any given time. It may be most notable for its core game series, but there is also the television series, the movies, the card game, spin-off games, and mobile games. All of these can be used to as a way to get into the franchise and learn more about the games.

1. Choosing where to begin

Choosing how to get involved is often the hardest part to any new activity. Fortunately, Nintendo recently released a game designed specifically for new players. If you have a Nintendo Switch, Pokemon Let’s Go is a great introduction to the series. The games are a throwback to the first generation where it all started and they do a great job introducing players to the world and battle mechanics.

If you do not have a Switch, don’t worry, there are plenty of other ways to get started. The games are, for the most part, independent of each other. This means that you do not need to play the first six generations to play and understand the seventh. Starting on generation seven (Sun and Moon) is also not a bad idea, if you have a 3DS. It is the most recent core game and includes all the latest core series mechanics.

2. Learn the basics

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 19: Contestants compete during the 2016 Pokemon World Championships on August 19, 2016 in San Francisco, California. Over 1,600 contestants from more than 30 countries are competing in tournaments of the Pokemon video game, Pokken and Trading Card Game events during the 2016 Pokemon World Championships. $500,000 in scholarships and prizes will be awarded to winners. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Once you have decided where to begin, it is important to learn about the game itself. These are fairly simple games at the core and revolve around catching and battling Pokemon. These creatures can be encountered in the wild and caught with Pokeballs. Battles can be won by knocking other Pokemon out with specific moves in turn based combat, and winning battles will grant experience. When they gain experience they level up, enabling them to learn new moves and, in some cases, evolve to a stronger Pokemon.

Pokemon you have seen and caught can be found in the Pokedex, which will be given to you at the beginning of whichever game you are playing. The Pokedex will give information on Pokemon. This will include its type, where to find it, and a little bit of background information on it. The Pokedex can be used to help new players learn about different species. There are also many helpful websites new players can use to help get acquainted with them.

Items are another important part of the games. There are many types of items, but the most important ones are Pokeballs, TM’s, and recovery items. Different types of Pokeballs can be used with different levels of success to catch wild Pokemon. TM stands for “technical machine” and these can be used to teach new moves. Finally, recovery items restore health or cure status conditions.

3. Learning how to battle

The ultimate goal in every game is to become the League Champion. This is done by catching and training Pokemon so that they are strong enough to beat the Elite Four, and take down the reigning Champion. To do this, you will need to understand how to battle.

A huge aspect of battling is typing. Each Pokemon and every move has a specific type. These types will determine how effective a move is against the opposing Pokemon. For example, if you use a fire-type move against a water-type Pokemon, it will not do as much damage because water resists fire. If a water-type move is used on a fire-type Pokemon however, it will do double the damage because water is super effective against fire.

In addition to move-types determining effectiveness against opponents, there is STAB, which stands for same type attribute bonus. This means that if a Pokemon is the same type as the move it uses, that move will be 1.5 times stronger. This should be considered when teaching new moves.

Typing is not the only aspect to battling, however, there are also statistics to be considered. Each Pokemon will have a base set of stats that can be impacted by a number of different variables. These stats can be augmented by moves and items during battle to help strengthen your Pokemon or weaken the enemy.

4. Getting a party together

You can have up to six Pokemon with you at a time, these are the Pokemon you can battle with and this is known as your party. Assembling a good party is one of the most enjoyable parts of the adventure. It is fun to choose who you will play the game with, and it is important to make sure the party is strong enough to win fights against tough opponents.

There is no “best” way to assemble a party. Every player will have different strategies to form their party. Some people go with their favorites, others go with the strongest, and some people just like to experiment. As a newer player, try to get a variety of different types to have better match-ups against opponents.

Along with choosing your party, you will need to train. To get the best training, you will want to battle with each member of your party. Even if you choose to use the experience share (which will grant each party member experience), a Pokemon that fights in a battle will receive more experience than one who only receives experience from the experience share. It is important to keep your party adequately leveled so that each one can be used in battle.

5. Branching out

Once you feel comfortable with the game and mechanics, it will be easier to branch out. There are way more to the games than just beating them. You can try to complete the Pokedex by collecting all the Pokemon, you can battle competitively against other players, or you can get into breeding or shiny hunting. You can also play older or newer games depending on which game you started with.

You can also choose to get into other Pokemon media, such as the television show or card game. These are readily available through Pokemon’s website and can be accessed for free by anyone. Pokemon GO is another option. This game allows you go catch Pokemon and battle at real life locations on your phone for free.

Next. There's always more Pokemon here. dark

Remember that no matter what anyone says, you are not too old and it is not too late to get into Pokemon. Now is as good of a time as any, especially with the next generation arriving later this year for the Nintendo Switch. There are plenty of great resources and websites that can help get you involved in different communities as well. This is an amazing franchise, and it will be around for a long long time, so get involved!

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Helpful tips for new and returning Pokemon core series players

By Nathaniel Searl | Mar 10, 2019