“Starting later this week, you’ll have the opportunity to catch more than 80 Pokémon originals discovered in the Johto region in the Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver games,” said Niantic in the announcement.
This, coupled with the “baby” second-generation Pokémon added to the game late last year, mean that nearly every new monster introduced in Gold and Silver will soon be available in Pokémon Go. The update also adds “gender-specific variations” to give more diversity to the Pokémon we’ve already seen, and the Kanto-region monster that previously couldn’t evolve will now be able to do so thanks to additional items available at PokéStops.
The update also includes a few changes to the game’s interface — berries and Poké Balls will now be easier to select — and wild creatures will now “react in new ways as you’re trying to catch them.” If you’re getting bored with the look of your trainer, you can also trick them out with a selection of new cosmetic items.
But for all the new content this update includes, what’s just as important is what it doesn’t include. Though mentioned as a potential feature by Niantic back in September, trainers still can’t trade Pokémon with each other, unlike every “main” game in the series. Battles are also still limited to gyms, and fans have been pleading since the game’s launch for one-versus-one matches to be implemented.
Are the new Pokémon enough to get you back into Pokémon Go? Let us know in the comments!