Trainers in Pokémon GO have had the option to have a buddy since December 2019. To strengthen the bond and earn hearts, it makes sense to play with this Pokémon. We at MeinMMO have taken a closer look at how this works and summarized it for you.
What is a buddy? In Pokémon GO, the buddy Pokémon feature was introduced at the end of 2019. The idea primarily recalls the original series, in which Ash adventures with his friend Pikachu. They share a particularly close friendship.
Niantic wanted to capture this in the game as well, creating the opportunity for trainers to not only view their favorite Pokémon in the Pokémon storage but also to go on adventure journeys together.
How do I get a buddy? To initially set a buddy in Pokémon GO, click on your avatar in the bottom left. There you will find the buddy menu, where you can choose any monster from your Pokémon bag and set it as your buddy. This Pokémon will now accompany you, and you can play with it to earn hearts.
The more hearts you collect with a buddy Pokémon, the stronger your bond will become. You can see this by the increasing friendship level status in the buddy view, which is indicated by the four hearts aligned at the top of the screen. Depending on the friendship level you have reached, you can expect different bonuses.
How to play with your buddy
In Pokémon GO, you occasionally encounter field research tasks that involve playing with your buddy or earning a certain number of hearts. The term “play” refers to petting the buddy Pokémon.
To pet your buddy, you first need to open the buddy view. In the normal map view, you will see an image of your avatar in the bottom left corner. Next to it is a smaller circle depicting your buddy Pokémon. Click on it, and the buddy mask will open.
On this page, you will see your Pokémon at the top with the button “PLAY!”. By clicking this button, you will enter photo view, and your buddy will slowly move into the picture. Now you can swipe over the Pokémon and see small stars light up on the display.
Once the Pokémon has been sufficiently petted, a heart will appear and fly upwards. The interaction “play” is thus ended, but you still have other possibilities to earn hearts with your Pokémon in this view.
You can also see how this interaction looks concretely in the following video of a trainer. He also shows in detail how to access the buddy view.
How to earn more hearts with your buddy
Take a snapshot
To earn even more hearts with your buddy in Pokémon GO, you can take a snapshot in the photo view of the buddy mask using the camera icon. With a bit of luck, you might even get photobombed by another Pokémon that you can catch afterwards.
Feed a snack
Another way to earn hearts is by feeding your buddy. This also happens through the photo view in the buddy mask. At the bottom left of the screen, you will see a berry icon. Click on this icon, and a bar with your berries will open.
Which berry you give your buddy is up to you. Generally, depending on the type of berry, you will need 1 to 3 berries for your Pokémon to be full, and you will receive a heart in thanks.
- If you use the Nanab Berry, Himmih Berry, or Sanan Berry, you will need a total of 3 berries to fill the display.
- With the golden Himmih Berry or the silver Sanan Berry, you only need one berry.
The Pokémon will now also appear on your map and explore the surroundings with you. You can perform this interaction 3 times in a day.
This is the effect of Knursp: Only one is needed from Knursp to satisfy your buddy. Additionally, Knursp has a very special property. Your buddy will become particularly excited. This way, you have the opportunity to earn double the hearts in the respective categories. Furthermore, the walking distance of your Pokémon is halved. Thus, it finds candies faster.
Other ways to earn hearts
Once you have fed your Pokémon and it appears on the map, you have the option to walk with this monster. For every 2 kilometers traveled, you earn one heart. Generally, you can earn up to 3 hearts a day. If you visit a new place along the way, you will receive another heart.
Finally, you also have the option to battle with your Pokémon. This is possible in trainer battles, as well as against Team Rocket or in raids. In this case, the Pokémon must also be fed and visible on the map. During the battle, you only need to actively use your buddy, and you can earn up to 3 hearts a day.
What bonuses to expect with your buddy
Depending on which friend level you have reached with your buddy, different bonuses will be available to you. We have summarized which friendship levels exist and what they contain based on information from Niantic (via pokemongolive.com).
| Friend Level | Bonuses |
| Good Buddy (1 full heart) | – Buddy follows you on the map – you can see how it feels |
| Super Buddy (2 full hearts) | – Catch assistance with catching other Pokémon – brings you items (balls, potions) |
| Hyper Buddy (3 full hearts) | – brings souvenirs – explores the area and shows new places |
| Best Buddy (4 full hearts) | – Buddy wears the “Best Buddy” medal – CP boost in battle as long as it is set as a buddy |
In addition to the bonuses related to friendship level, the mood of the Pokémon also has a significant impact on further advantages. Even without Knursp, a Pokémon can become excited with intense interaction. In this case, the walking distance is also halved and more hearts can be earned.
How do you find this feature in Pokémon GO? Which Pokémon do you have as a buddy and why? Have you already achieved the Best Buddy status with your buddy? Let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO.
Do you want to expand your Pokémon bag but don’t have enough coins? We explain how to earn coins in Pokémon GO.
