The crazy world of Pokémon is expanding as a new generation of characters is hatched for fans.
Pokémon Go is a phenomenal success since launching on smartphones and tablets just six months ago.
To keep fans busy hunting the cartoon creatures, Nintendo is reviving seven old characters from the old Pokémon Gold and Silver games such as Togepi and Pichu.
But instead of appearing on the screen for capture, they will hatch from eggs.
The eggs are in PokoStops, but players cannot tell from the egg which Pokémon is inside.
To hatch an egg, the game demands the egg is put in an incubator while the player walks a set distance of between two and 10 kilometres.
Incubation on the move
Igglypuff and Cleffa are in two kilometre eggs and change into Jigglypuff and Clefairy.
Pichu and Togepi are in five kilometre eggs and morph into Pikachu and a yet to be revealed Pokémon.
Magby, Elekid and Smoochum are in 10 km eggs and evolve into Magma, Electabuzz and Jynx.
The catch is the game only lets players hold none eggs at a time – so the randomness of which Pokémon is in an egg and the minimum 18-kilometre hike to attach them means plenty of players must keep on the move if they want to nab all seven.
Developer Niantic Labs has also revealed other favourite Pokémon from older games are already on the way.
“Professor Willow has discovered Togepi and Pichu hatching from Eggs!” said a statement from Niantic.
“Trainers have the opportunity to hatch these and several other Pokémon that were originally discovered in the Johto Region in Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver video games.
“These are the first of more Pokémon coming to Pokémon GO over the next few months.”
Ditto in disguise
Ditto was the first extra character to join the Pokémon horde last month.
Ditto comes with a twist – no one can see the blobby character and the only way to catch it is by accident because it is always in disguise as another Pokémon.
Besides the Ditto dilemma for gamesters, catching four of the first generation of characters is proving frustrating.
Zapdos, Articuno, Mewtwo and Moltres are coded as uncatchable by the developer.
Another surprise on the way for Christmas is a Pikachu sporting a Santa hat.
>