Entertainment

Adventures in AR Games
With Holly

@PkmnmasterHolly dishes about all things Pokémon GO and her thoughts on the future of augmented reality apps.

Samsung recently hosted Pokémon GO Community Day in the heart of the Big Apple—and who better to have guided the hunt than #TeamGalaxy’s very own Holly Patterson (better known as @PkmnmasterHolly). We took this opportunity to get her thoughts on AR games along with some bonus pro tips for catching the rarest Pokémon.

You’ve basically seen Pokémon evolve as gaming evolves with the times. What has that experience been like for you?

Having grown up playing Pokémon trading cards and then playing the game through console, mobile, and now mobile via AR, it is honestly a dream come true. When Pokémon GO AR+ came out, and the AR technology allowed us to catch Pokémon in real life, I knew the game was going to be an instant success. I believe one day Trainers will be able to walk up to each other in real life, have a 3D battle in real-time right in front of each other, and catch Pokémon in the wild through wearable technology. Pokémon can only go up from here!

Holly Patterson walks on the High Line in New York City, playing Pokemon GO AR+ on the Galaxy Note10 and catching pokemon along the way. Holly Patterson walks on the High Line in New York City, playing Pokemon GO AR+ on the Galaxy Note10 and catching pokemon along the way.
Immersive AR
Transport to other worlds through AR capabilities.

How do you feel about AR’s integration into mobile games?

I think that [they] are the way of the future. If gaming companies can make this technology readily accessible through mobile devices, rather than forcing gamers to buy consoles, this will allow their games to grow rapidly. We've seen it with Pokémon GO: the game introduced millions of first-time players to the Pokémon franchise. I think any game that was originally on a console, that also utilizes AR and VR will continue to grow their audience and build new lifelong fans.

An in-game screen recording of a pokeball shooting up into the air and back down repeatedly in front of a shiny green Trapinch pokemon. The pokeball is switched and thrown to catch the Trapinch. An in-game screen recording of a pokeball shooting up into the air and back down repeatedly in front of a shiny green Trapinch pokemon. The pokeball is switched and thrown to catch the Trapinch.

If you don’t mind sharing your secrets, do you have any tips for finding rare Pokémon?

I pride myself on being a "shiny hunter" and a tip to anyone who wants to also hunt "shinies" (different-colored versions of Pokémon) is that you simply need to encounter that species of Pokémon as many times as possible in order to increase your chances. It's all a numbers game. Therefore, if you want to find a "shiny", go to a "nest" of that species, which is usually a park or grassy area where the Pokémon is typically found. When it comes to finding "shinies" in Raids, you simply need to Raid that Pokémon repeatedly until you finally encounter the "shiny" form.

"I think that AR and VR
games are the way of the future."

Next-Level Power
Maximise your game time with a large battery and AI power management.

How has your device helped to level up your game?

My Galaxy Note10 has incredible cameras built-in. Pokémon GO uses those cameras to create seamless AR experiences, making the Pokémon appear in front of me with crystal-clear definition ... I was able to go the entire day playing heavily on Trapinch Community Day, and I never needed to charge once. I also enjoy [its] native screen recorder, which makes it easy for me to record my gameplay so that I can share it on YouTube with other Trainers.

Ready to nail that Curveball
with Holly?

From life-like Pokémon encounters in AR via pro-grade cameras to all-day gameplay on a single charge—Holly turns to her Note10 to capture her best Poké-ventures.

Read these stories next