In this guide, we’ll run you through how to play with your Buddy Pokemon in Pokemon GO. This allows you to improve their relationship with them, earn Hearts with them, and also get a number of bonuses by having them reach the ‘Excited’ status, where you’ll earn Candy’s at a faster rate and you’ll see hearts appear next to them.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into everything you know about playing with your Buddy.
How to Play with Buddy Pokemon in Pokemon GO
- Tap on your Buddy Pokemon in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
Its avatar will be next to your character’s. We’ve circled this in red in the image below.
- Tap the ‘Play’ button.
After doing so, make sure you’ve got plenty of space and a flat surface. Small footprints will appear in your real-life surroundings. Tap on these and your buddy will appear.
- Rub your Buddy Pokemon to play with them, or select the ‘berry’ icon in the bottom left-hand corner to feed them.
Feeding your Buddy will increase their happiness. Keep doing this until the circle at the top of the screen is filled to improve their happiness.
Why You Should Play with Buddy in Pokemon GO
Once you’ve fed your Buddy enough berries, they’ll then join you on an Adventure. This means they’ll appear on the map screen as you’re walking around and will follow you, and that they’ll earn Hearts for walking or battling with you.
This will last for three hours, after which the hunger gauge will appear again and you’ll need to feed them some more berries.
That’s everything you need to know on how to play with your Buddy in Pokemon GO. For more on the game, be sure to peruse the links below, or take a gander at the full Buddy souvenir list, and our picks for the best Pokemon to take to the 1,500 CP limit.