Pokemon Go Items Explainer the Game Should've Shipped With

HIGHLIGHTS

• Some items are only available through the shop
• It's not useful spending money on most items
• Lucky Egg and Incense should be used together

While the Pokemon Go craze has swept the world, the game has very little official documentation to help players out. It's left to the player to figure out how most of the things in the game work - from how to find the best Pokemon, to what the different items you collect in Pokemon Go are used for.

By now, you probably know what an Incense is, but do you know the best time to use one? If your reaction was 'wait, what?' you should definitely read on. In case you're just starting out, we've even got a beginner's guide. And if you're wary about installing the game, see our review. If you're having trouble installing the game, here's how you can get it on Android and iOS.

Here's a complete list of items you'll most likely come across:

Poke Ball
Without a Poke Ball, you can't catch any Pokemon. It's as simple as that. Thankfully, Poke Balls can be found at all Pokestops, and you can also buy them in exchange for Pokecoins at the shop. To use one, a Poke Ball must be flicked towards a Pokemon. If it hits it, the ball opens and the Pokemon is captured. A red light will pulse on the ball and when it stops, you've got the Pokemon. Sometimes, the Pokemon will resist and come out of the ball. If that happens, you will have to try again.

The chances of successfully capturing a Pokemon can be gleaned from the coloured ring that appears around a Pokemon when you touch a Poke Ball. It goes from light green to yellow, shades of orange and dark red. You can increase your chances by landing a Poke Ball inside the coloured ring. The smaller the size of the circle you're able to hit, the more XP you can get - you'll get points for a nice (10XP), great (50XP) or excellent throw (100XP). You can also get 10XP for spinning the Poke Ball before throwing it.