This isn’t going to be a long blog. I just want to acknowledge that I am level 41 and had no idea this was a thing until recently. I think that means there are probably other clueless people out there, so I’m going to go ahead and pass this information along. These are both things I’ve found because I’ve been trying to engage in the buddy feature more.

The only reason I started this was because I know as you level up, there will inevitably be requirements to have a certain number of best buddies to continue. Now, I totally understand this will not be happening for me any time soon. The amount of XP needed to even move on to 42 is obscene. There’s no way this is in my near future, but because it takes a while to get that 4 heart status, I figure it’s never too early to start.

My first and only best buddy so far is noivern. I had him as my buddy because noivern takes sooooo much effort to evolve (he’s a 5km per candy pal and requires 400 candy to evolve). You know he is my best buddy because of the little icon next to his name. Basically, you earn hearts every day with your buddy and they gradually build up your friendship level with them. If you give them a poffin, you can earn extra hearts.

Unfortunately, this ribbon is also slapped on your Pokemon. I think best buddy ribbons are ugly. It makes me not want to get them. Nothing takes away from the dope demeanor of a Pokemon more than a goofy little red/yellow ribbon stuck on its chest. But hey, guess what? You can toggle them off. Crisis averted! Just go into your settings and uncheck “Show Pokemon Ribbon”.

The other thing I just recently uncovered is how to tell if I’ve visited a Pokestop before. I feel like this is totally amateur, but I had no idea there was an indicator on the map. Part of leveling your Pokemon’s friendship level (and earning credit towards a medal) is visiting new places. I don’t remember which places I’ve swiped before and which I haven’t if I’m not frequently in the area, so knowing if I was somewhere new always evaded me. Well, guess what! If you look at the Pokestops on the map, stops with white circles around them mean you haven’t visited them before. My mind is blown. Look at all those stops I’ve never swiped!

Anyway, I’m sure most seasoned players know these things, but since I’ve been playing since launch and didn’t know this, I thought I’d go ahead and showcase my stupidity in an effort to help others. Are there any basic features you’ve accidentally overlooked in a game?