Testing Pokémon Go PLUS+

Back in the day, I was so tempted to buy the first iteration of this device. My Note 8 overheated like crazy, depleted my battery too much to survive but a couple of hours, and too few Pokémon to keep interested - especially at the time that you HAD to GO places that I could not even by bus. The price tag was too high for my budget too, so I gave up the idea of a chance of buying it and eventually stopped playing the game altogether to preserve my phone life.

Come 2023, in a much better place now with only a little more income and decide I can afford one of these things. Yes, you pronounce plus twice, and yes I know it is dumb but Nintendo HAD done this type of thing before for a Nintendo DS version so it was bound to happen again. Kind of miss the unique design, fusing the Google Maps icon, but with the extra features I will see how much more was packed into it. Upon opening the cute packaging, the instructions were barren of explanation regarding syncing and a color key guide, so I had to figure some of it out. As you read along, it will be building up bit by bit with things I found since starting this blog entry. I will mainly abbreviate Pokémon Go PLUS+ as it's quite a mouthful (or eyeful, I guess).

Day one of using it Real world use of Pokémon Go PLUS+:

• On the first try using it, I had to pair it to my phone bluetooth, unpair it and then pair it in-game to get it recognized. Otherwise, the PGP+ would just keep having trouble pairing with the app.

• Using it for Pokémon Sleep for more than one person can get tricky. Check this section for more info on more than one person using it.

• Light at the center of the PGP+ is exceptionally bright, so cover that over with solid colored tape or custom a fit sticker paper over it. There are also "button caps" when searching for this device on Amazon, if you want something more official or on brand.

• Vibration is very strong, so do not take it to work nor have it on if you work near other people... or boss... hopefully there is a way to add a vibration adjustment option.

• As you play the game with the PGP+,

• Green means a Pokémon is nearby to catch, click to catch.

• White, I take it as the movement of the pokéball when catching.

• Multicolor is success? I personally click it anyway, just in case it helps with anything.

• Red means unsuccessful, which surprisingly appeared more times than doing so manually.

• Blue means there is a PokéStop, click to spin. It will also spin for gyms. Red and Multicolor meaning also applies.

• You CAN use it without the app open, just make sure you opened it before doing anything else and have it in the background. When the app gets terminated, a Pikachu sound will let you know.

• Just like with the phone, it will not pick up on PokéStops or Gym spins if you go too fast on a vehicle so make sure to go slow enough.

Playing POGO with PGP+:

• You can change the pokéball used for auto catching.

• You can also use it while playing the game doing other things not in the over-world. Organize Pokémon, your items, fix settings and still catch passively.

• Can automatically catch Pokémon, 50/50 success so far. More Pokémon caught manually doing it on the phone because berries and stuff. Duh.

• Tried Great balls. Only slightly more success than regular pokéballs. Would only use it only for passive activity/catching/spinning and not expect too much yet. Have yet to test the success with Ultra balls as I am in low supply.

• Gotta click for PokéStops. Dunno if the Auto-spin setting works on its own, but when passing 3 PokéStops, it didn't do anything.

• Did I already mention about the vibration? It literally crawls when vibrating so make sure it is in a pit of something or hang it.

• I will say this anyway, do not use it for Pokémon you genuinely want to catch. Berries and Nice/Great/Excellent throws help out a LOT.

For two people using it:

• If you are gonna use it with a second person or more people in mind, it will remind you it will delete Pokémon Sleep data when changing from the paired phone to a different device. I do not know if there is a way to sync out the data before doing the change.

• Switching phones can be a pain at first in the method I explain on the first point of this list, needing to re-pair the PGP+ over again. It seems to get easier to do after the first few times of switching, just need to make sure the person lending the PGP+ taps the 'eject' icon when it says Disconnected. Otherwise, the next person's phone will NOT be able to pick up the PGP+.

Tonight gonna test it with Pokémon Sleep and see how well it works. Let's see what happens.

Week one of using it:

Playing POGO with PGP+:

A few more things that I found after playing the game along with the device for an entire week, including at work (because I can):

• It doesn't seem like there's a way to keep it permanently on. Even connected on someone else's phone it turns off after a while of not actively interacting with the game. The top button, which is supposed to be a quick connect, doesn't work as such either.

• It works with Pokémon Sleep for sure, especially if you're afraid of suffocating your phone on the bed or having it fall. However, I don't know if it turns off on its own during the night since I'm always up rushing in the mornings.

• Forget your phone OR the device in the other room? Don't worry, it continues to catch! Just make sure the PGP+ is in a vibration-crawl safe space to prevent falling.

• Noticed that the PGP+ activates even when no Pokémon show up on the game's overworld. Either my phone or internet can't catch up to actual activity in the game or this is a hidden bonus of some kind.

• You can continue to catch even when in a battle, Gym, Raid, Campfire app or Pokémon Sleep.

• If there are too many Pokémon near a PokéStop with Auto-Catch off, it may not spin the Stops in attempts to let you know about the Pokémon glowing green. So make sure the second option of detecting Pokémon is off too if you are aiming for just PokéStops.

• Battery lasts for a pretty long time, but it also turns off frequently. So make sure to check the PGP+ is on every so often (may be my settings too trying to save battery for an "old" phone).

• Seems you can spin PokéStops at a slightly faster pace driving with the PGP+ than manually, or at least with less hassle. Good to have if you drive often and especially in freeway traffic for those pesky elusive off-ramp Stops and Gyms.

• Seems like my Pokémon Sleep info is ok on the app, so not sure what the PGP+ saves. However, there ARE Special tasks that ask for you to track your sleep with it. One thing I want to test is if it's just at any point or if it is consecutively (like the Nice or Great throw tasks, where one has you restarting the task if you break streak).

• In order to use it for Pokémon Sleep, you click the center button to activate it and it will glow blue (if the Pikachu voice setting is on, Pikachu will sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). If you are or were playing Pokémon Go, you need to close the app in order for Sleep to recognize it.

• The game will often let you know when you caught the Pokémon before the PGP+ finishes with the interaction. Just random info at this point.

Bugs to fix:

• The game instructs the top button of the PGP+ is a Quick-Connect. However, it has yet to function as it says and can only "auto-connect" with a Pokéball icon in a game when in the overworld.

• When trying to turn off certain options, you have to wait in the menu to 'set'. If you quit to early, it will reset to whatever you had before. Sometimes the revert even if I made sure it 'set'.

Things to add:

• A vibration gauge! There is no reason why it should be vibrating THAT intensely, unless you're jogging or biking for miles with the thing.

• Add a 'Use Berry' option for the Auto-Catch. It's already pointless to restrict it to only Pokéballs, at least let me use the overwhelming amount of Berries (an amount that confuses me compared to the amount of Potions I get at any given point).

• A way to limit what Pokémon to Auto-Catch. Tired of seeing Bunnelbys, Bidoofs and Geodudes stuffing by bag.

• A way to prioritize Pokémon or PokéStops if both Auto are on?