How using Ingress may help catch rare Pokémon in Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go players are literally running in packs to catch the rarest of Pokémon in some of the densest regions around the world, but one player has discovered a hack that could make it easier.

When playing Pokémon Go, a "rustled leaves" feature will appear on screen that gives players an idea of where they should be heading to catch Pokémon, but it's not 100 percent clear. There's a helpful tool you can use, according to one Reddit user and confirmed by dozens of other players. If you run ​Ingress, Niantic Labs' other mobile augmented reality game, the image of where Pokemon are hiding becomes much clearer.

The image below shows off a night vision-style version of the map in Ingress, whose areas of action double as Pokémon hotspots. According to the Reddit poster, who claims to be something of an Ingress expert, the white dots mark XM spots.

These spots essentially mark energy hotspots in the game, and the more XM spots in one area, the more likely it is that there are Pokémon to be found in that same region in Pokémon Go. The player discovered that areas that touted extremely high amounts of XM spots were more likely to have rarer Pokémon.

One of the bigger issues Pokémon Go players are having with the mini-hack, however, is the effect on their phone batteries. Pokémon Go already requires quite a bit of battery for continuous play, and according to player testimonies on Reddit, having Ingress run in the background nearly doubles how fast battery life depletes. Not to mention that the data required for using both maps would also double in usage while playing.

Still, for those trying to track down a rare Vaporeon like these New Yorkers, it might make your adventures a little easier.

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