Is Pokemon GO Plus Worth it? My Initial Thoughts

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Is Pokemon GO Plus worth it? Seems to be a hot question since its release date the other day. Pokemon GO fans eagerly anticipated the device, but not everyone wants to rush to purchase it. Understandably so. Thankfully for you, I am impatient and ordered it as soon as I could with one-day shipping.

So far, I can only give you my thoughts from one day of Pokemon GO Plus usage, but I will continue to update this post as I get to know it more.

What is the Pokemon GO Plus?

Pokemon GO Plus is a device that connects to the Pokemon GO app via Bluetooth. It's an accessory to the game that you can clip to your clothes or use the included strap to wear around your wrist. Once synced with your app, the device will vibrate and glow when a Pokemon or Pokestop is nearby. A simple press of the button gets you one shot (with a regular ball only) at the Pokemon, or collects from the Pokestop.

Pokemon GO Plus Cost

I purchased mine from Amazon for the suggested price. That is when Amazon has it to sell. Once they sell out, the third party sellers jack up the price. Of course, prices change on Amazon all the time. At the SRP amount, Amazon Prime users get free shipping. Non-prime users would have to add something extra to get that penny to give you free shipping. I also read in groups about Pokemon GO fans flocking to their nearest GameStop to get the device. Many were sold out. Feel free to shop around, but I usually just choose Amazon for the simplicity of it! Plus, I had gift cards racked up from Swagbucks, so it was a no-brainer.

My Thoughts

My Pokemon GO Plus arrived just in time for me to run errands with my sister. We had plans to go with the kids to a few places. I was driving, so she got to mess around with it during our ride. She doesn't have the device yet, so it was extra interesting to see what happened between our two phones. It's also important to note that I have an iPhone, and she has Android.

Pros:

More Mons: The Plus vibrated way more than my sister's phone even detected nearby Pokemon. At one point, she saw a Dratini on the radar, yet it never popped up for her. Sure enough, with the push of a button, that Dratini was in my collection. By the end of our trip, my phone caught sixty Pokemon. Never have I ever caught that many during car rides as a passenger. Of course, this also means I got all that Stardust and XP. Sweet.
No Animation: When you push the button, it doesn't mess around with animation. In other words, the Pokestop doesn't spin, or you don't see the ball thrown at the Pokemon. This shaves off some time. In a moving car (once again — not driving), this means a lot more opportunity.
Less Distraction: Pushing a button is a lot less distracting than going through the regular motions of Pokemon GO on your phone. So, it doesn't take away from conversations or other activities. That comes in handy quite a bit.
Inconspicuous: If I am totally honest, I don't always announce to the world that I am playing Pokemon GO. I am fricken 38 years-old, okay? Not that I am ashamed, but sometimes the game shouldn't take priority. At the checkout lane in the grocery store, the people behind me don't give a Rattata's tail if there's a Drowzee I need to catch. They want me to get out of the way. Now I can just push a button to avoid any awkwardness.
Runs in the background: You can use other apps while Pokemon GO runs in the background. So, I can finally switch over to Instagram or my camera during our walks to take pretty pictures without the worry of missing a Pokemon.

Cons:

Only Regular Balls: You get one shot to catch the Pokemon with the Plus. It throws one regular ball, and that's it. Yes, you catch a lot of basic Pokemon, but that can lead to leveling up fast.
Burns Through Balls: <<< That should be on the funny quotes post. During our trip, I think I went through 100 balls. I caught 60 guys, so not complaining. You also get the stops, so it can be okay, but something to keep in mind.
Screen Must Stay On: You have to stay in range of your phone, and the screen must be on for the Plus to stay synced.
No New Guys: It will only try to catch Pokemon currently in your Pokedex. It won't attempt to capture new ones.
No in-depth Instructions: The box contains instructions on how to sync it and install the strap. As far as the vibrations and blinking activity, I had to google how that works. Unless I missed something in the box, but it's pretty common sense, too. Not a huge deal.
A Little Glitchy: A few times it seemed to un-sync for no reason and behaved a bit strangely. Thankfully, it's easy to re-sync, and that seems to clear things up.