Photo by Laura Cramer
If you haven’t heard of Pokémon GO by now, then you’ve been isolating yourself from social media, news outlets and basically anywhere there’s people. It’s all everyone’s been talking about for weeks. For those who haven’t picked up the game yet, Pokémon GO uses your phone’s GPS, clock and camera to turn the real world into a digitally augmented world swarming with wild Pokémon. After downloading the free app, players (or Pokémon trainers) wander aimlessly through cities and countrysides alike in search of little digital creatures known as Pokémon. As you move around, different types Pokémon will appear depending on your location—except Pidgey and Rattata, they’re everywhere. The idea is to encourage you to travel around the real world to catch Pokémon.
Besides when the game’s server is down or it freezes right as you caught that Snorlax you’ve been tracking for almost an hour, it’s a fun game that gets players walking around F-M parks, visiting local museums and adventuring to businesses in Downtown Fargo. Pokémon GO’s appeal is its ability to inspire locals to get out and explore their city—and Fargo-Moorhead is definitely taking advantage of the craze and sudden increase in foot traffic throughout town.
F-M POKÉMON GO
RESOURCES
Pokémon GO is better when trainers unit as a group to track Pokémon, conquer gyms and share sightings of rare Pokémon with other players. Here are some resources created by F-M Pokémon GO players that will help you find hotspots for rare Pokémon and complete your Pokédex.
Pokémon Go Discord Server
Interested in real-time chat with other Pokémon trainers in the Fargo-Moorhead area, check out the Discord server created specifically for F-M Pokémon GO players called PokemonFarGO. Discord is an all-in-one voice and text chat for gamers that’s free and works on both your desktop and phone. Once you’ve created an account, you can connect to the PokemonFarGO server using the invite code: zZp9KfC. The server has two text channels: one for general Pokémon GO chatting and a second for Pokémon sightings. There are regular updates from local trainers of Pokémon sightings, such as Alakazam on 45th Street or Magnemite at the West Acres Shopping Center.
There are also separate servers for each team: Team Instinct (yellow), Team Mystic (blue) and Team Valor (red). To join your teams server, message the PokemonFarGO server creator, Memento_Mori.
F-M PokéStops/Gyms Map
A Fargo-Moorhead Pokémon GO map was created by Reddit user /u/orey70 and posted in the /r/Fargo and /r/PokemonGoFAR subreddits. The map locates all the PokéStops and gyms throughout the F-M area.
You can find the full map at this Dropbox link. Once you log in or create a new account, you can download the map and zoom in to PokéStops and gyms you want to visit.
The subreddit /r/PokemonGoFAR on Reddit is also full of Pokémon sightings, helpful tips for F-M Pokémon Go players and more.
Poké Radar
Poké Radar was built by Pokémon GO enthusiasts, Braydon Batungbacal and Nick DiVona, for Pokémon GO enthusiasts. It’s a mobile app that shows Pokémon sightings in your area using Google Maps. The map lets you search for rare Pokémon anywhere in the world, and you can even set a filter for a certain type of Pokémon. The map is powered by the Pokémon GO community, so be cautious. It’s possible for players to drop rare Pokémon all over the place. To avoid being fooled, when you click on a Pokémon’s icon, you’ll see who posted the tip and how many other trainers found the tip helpful. If you see the same person posting hard-to-believe tips with low ratings, you know not waste your time looking for that Mewtwo or Charizard.
PokéVision
This is probably one of my favorite finds. PokéVision is a Pokémon tracker/locator for the mobile game Pokémon GO. It shows you where Pokémon are spawning near you (or a selected target location) using intercepting data from the game’s servers. Pokémon nearby will be marked along with their appearance timer on the map, showing you how long they will be at their shown location. These are real time Pokémon locations, meaning they are currently live and can be found exactly at the marked spots.
There are other apps and websites that provide a similar service but this website is one of the more popular and accurate Pokémon locator.
Pokémon Go Maps
Pokémon GO Maps is an interactive online map that Pokémon trainers can submit Pokémon sightings to help other trainers track ’em all. Again, it’s updated by the Pokémon GO community, so some of the submissions may just be trolls trying to fool other trainers. The site still needs a little work but there is talk of an app being released soon.
Facebook Groups
F-M Pokémon Go Players
This is the most popular Facebook group for F-M Pokémon Go players. It’s an all inclusive group for local Pokémon trainers to post sightings, events and mostly just connect with others who share their obsession to catch ’em all.
Team Groups
When players reach level five, they are provided with one of the most difficult questions they’ll have to make: what team do you want to join? The three teams are Team Instinct (yellow), Team Mystic (blue) and Team Valor (red) and are most important for conquering gyms around Fargo-Moorhead. So when a player from Team Instinct takes over a gym, it turns yellow — and so on for the other teams. This has created a divide among Pokémon Go players and an increase in team members uniting against others. Multiple groups have been created in Facebook, so find your team and join in on the battles.
TEAM VALOR
TEAM MYSTIC
TEAM INSTINCT
F-M POKÉMON GO
DISCOUNTS
In order to get free Pokéballs, which are used to capture Pokémon, players visit PokéStops that are often located near businesses. Another one of the game’s features allow players to battle other’s Pokémon at gyms, which are also only available at certain real-life locations.
Since the game’s launch on July 6, traffic has increased in and around businesses of Fargo-Moorhead. Downtown Fargo, West Acres Mall, college campuses, Red River Zoo, city parks and other locations scattered around the F-M area are hotspots for Pokémon catching. Instead of fighting the craze, businesses are jumping on board and using nearby PokéStops to lure customers into their stores.
Pika your interest? Here are some of the businesses that encourage Pokémon trainers to catch ’em all in their stores.
Sam's Club
Until July 31, Sam’s Club is offering Pokémon Go players a free day pass to shop in its stores and a free cookie. The pass waives the 10% upcharge that non-members typically pay for shopping privileges. Just head to your local store and show your phone to an associate with the app installed, of course. In return, you’ll get a free one-day shopping pass, access to a ton of bargains and a free cookie from the bakery to replace some of those calories you’ve walked off.
4831 13th Ave. S., Fargo
2800 27th Ave. S., Moorhead
Website
Red River Zoo
The first Pokémon Go social event was too much fun to not do again. On Saturday, July 30, the Red River Zoo is hosting its second Pokémon event from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and lure modules will be activated on the PokéStops from 1 pm. to 4p.m. All it costs is the regular admission rate. Now, while you’re visiting the red pandas and Bactrian camels, you can hit up the eight PokéStops, hatch some eggs and catch dozens of Pokémon that spawn around the zoo.
4255 23rd Ave. S., Fargo
Facebook Event
Website
Borrowed Bucks
Since Borrowed Bucks is marked as a Pokémon gym, it hosts Gym Holding Contests where Pokémon GO players battle for their teams spot as gym leader. Every half hour, prizes are given away to the team that holds the gym. The next Gym Holding Contest to get your Pokémon trainer some bonus XP, and possibly even level them up, is scheduled for Thursday, July 27. So grab your Pokémon and enjoy a beer—you might also need a charger for the all night playing.
1201 Westrac Dr., Fargo
Facebook
Website
Sky Zone
Sky Zone has jumped in on the fun. Show the Fargo Sky Zone PokéStop to an employee and get $3 off for open jump. If a Pokémon GO player spots a Pikachu at Sky Zone in Fargo, they will get a free pair of orange SkySocks. It’s a great way to feed your Pokémon Go addiction.
940 40th St. S., Fargo
Facebook
Website
Arc Attic Treasures
Pokémon GO is like thrift store shopping, you never know what you’ll find. Now you can use your Pokémon GO addiction to get you sweet deals while you’re shopping for small treasures. Arc Attic Treasures stores are offering a 15% discount on your purchase if you catch a Pokémon at either location, take a screen shot and show the picture at the register.
255 N. University Dr., Fargo
3201 43rd Street S., Fargo
Facebook
Website
Several businesses from around Fargo-Moorhead are still planning to have events, discounts and specials available for Pokémon Go players soon.
Comment below if you know of more discounts or resources for F-M Pokémon GO players.
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