After gameplay footage leaked the other day of the new Niantic Labs/Nintendo game Pokémon GO, Niantic Labs has decided to unveil an official look in the form of a brief outline of game play as well as three screenshots from the game.
The screenshots show off the Map View, Close up view and an encounter with a Pokémon – Squirtle in this case.
As far as the game goes, like Ingress, you’ll have to move around to find and capture new Pokémon and they’ll be in areas just like their Pokémon type: Water Pokémon in water areas etc. You’ll need to play regularly to catch the more powerful Pokémon, with a trainer level system in place.
Like Ingress, the game will be location based with real-world points of interest used in Pokémon GO:
Players will walk to hatch previously-acquired eggs that might reveal new Pokémon. Eggs and other special items such as Poké Balls can be acquired at PokéStops – located at interesting places such as public art installations, historical markers, museums and monuments.
Yes, there will be battles. Players will be encouraged to join one of three teams in order to compete over the ownership and prestige of Gyms. They will do this by placing their captured Pokémon in a friendly Gym or by battling with an opponent’s Pokémon in another team’s Gym. Gyms – just like PokéStops – are also found at real world locations.
The game is currently in field trials in Japan, with Niantic Labs advising the game is still in active development. As well as developing the game still, aspects such as features, available languages, design and overall appearance are not yet finalised.
It looks pretty good, but Nintendo and Niantic Labs seem determined to make this game, the very best that it can be, before release.
Yep I’m going to quit my job and become a Pokemon Master.