How to play and battle with your Buddy in Pokemon Go

Daniel Megarry
A Pokemon Go trainer playing with their buddy

Looking to take a snapshot, walk with, play, or battle with your Buddy in Pokemon Go? Well, here’s exactly how to make the most out of your adorable Pocket Monster companion.

Buddies are a great addition to Pokemon Go, allowing you the chance to explore with an adorable partner Pokemon by your side. It also serves to help you earn extra items, Candy, and XP.

However, as well as exploring with your Buddy, some Special Research or Field Research tasks will require you to complete challenges alongside your Pokemon pal, whether that’s battling with them, earning hearts, or simply playing around.

So, here’s how to play, walk, take a snapshot, and battle with your Buddy in Pokemon Go to ensure you get the most out of your ‘Mon and the tasks at hand.

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How to battle with your Buddy in Pokemon Go

If you want to battle with your Buddy in Pokemon Go, you’ll need to assign a Buddy. Then, simply begin a Trainer Battle or a Team Go Rocket Battle with that same Buddy on your team.

If you’re trying to earn hearts or complete a task that involves battling with your Buddy, your Buddy will first need to be walking with you on the map. You can find instructions on how to do that below.

How to play with your Buddy in Pokemon Go

A screenshot of Buddy Pokemon in Pokemon Go

To play with your Buddy in Pokemon Go, you need to be at least Trainer Level 2 and have a Buddy assigned. To assign a Buddy, find and select the Pokemon you want to use, then scroll down and select the button to make it your Buddy.

Once you’ve done this simply follow these steps to play with your Buddy:

  1. Head into the overworld and tap your Buddy’s icon in the bottom left-hand corner.
  2. Select the big ‘Play!’ button which will activate your phone’s camera.
  3. Find a flat surface big enough for your Pokemon and tap the yellow footsteps
  4. Then simply rub your Pokemon to play with them.

Petting them until they begin to smile and emit a bright light will count towards you playing with your Buddy.

How to walk with your Buddy on the map in Pokemon Go

To walk with your Buddy on the map in Pokemon Go (also known as Buddy Adventure mode), you’ll need to feed them three Berries so that their mood increases and they spawn beside you.

Your Buddy will continue to walk alongside you until their hunger meter depletes, which is usually around three hours. You can always feed them more Berries to keep them around for longer if you want.

Walking in Buddy Adventure mode is an important feature, as you’ll need to do this before you can complete certain tasks or earn hearts for activities like walking together or battling together.

How to take a snapshot of your Buddy in Pokemon Go

To take a snapshot of your Buddy in Pokemon Go, follow these steps:

  1. Tap your Buddy’s icon at the bottom left-hand corner
  2. Select the ‘Play!’ button
  3. Press the camera icon at the bottom of the screen.

You might need to take a snapshot of your Buddy to complete a Special Research task or a Field Research task, so it’s good to know how to perform this simple trick.

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