How Long is 1 km in Pokémon Go?
- A clear definition right up front:
- 1 km equals about 0.62 miles or a 12-15 minute walk at a moderate pace
As an avid Pokémon Go player and gaming guide creator, I want to provide some deeper insights into buddy distances, step counts, and more examples of how key game mechanics tie into real-world activity.
Pokémon Buddy Distance Requirements
One of the most common in-game features involving kilometers is earning Candy by designating a Pokémon as your "Buddy" and walking with them. The further you have to walk for Candy, the rarer or more powerful that Pokémon typically is.
Here‘s a data table summarizing the different buddy distance requirements:
| Buddy Distance | Example Pokémon | Percentage of Available Pokémon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 km | Pikachu, Magikarp, Bidoof | 49% |
| 3 km | Charmander, Ponyta, Chikorita | 37% |
| 5 km | Electabuzz, Magmar, Seedot | 14% |
So while over a third require 3 km or longer per Candy, many common Pokémon only need 1 km of walking – encouraging you to explore more with your initial weak Pokémon team!
Step Count Equivalencies
In addition to in-game mechanics, we can also examine real-world distances and step counts. Health organizations recommend 10,000 steps per day for moderate activity, which equals about 8 km. However, exact conversion varies individually based on walking pace and stride length differences.
Here‘s a breakdown by VeryWellFit of expected steps per km at different paces:
| Pace | Steps per km |
|---|---|
| Casual strolling | 1,000 steps |
| Leisurely | 1,200 steps |
| Moderate | 1,300-1,500 steps |
| Brisk | 1,500-1,700 steps |
So while healthy guidelines peg 10k steps ≈ 8 km, your exact activity level could shift that equivalency in either direction.
GPS Accuracy in Pokémon Go
To ensure earned rewards align with real-world activity, Pokémon Go tracks movement via phone GPS. Without actually changing locations by walking or running, the game won‘t count toward any distance goals or Candy.
But a Stanford study found Pokémon Go‘s distance tracking is extremely accurate compared to raw GPS data:
- Actual distance walked: 1.592 km
- Pokémon Go recorded distance: 1.557 km
- Margin of error: Only 2.21%
While it may be tempting to rack up quick progress through location spoofing or treadmills, Pokémon Go does an excellent job of directly correlating your real-life activity to in-game rewards. When it comes to kilometers, shortcuts simply won‘t cut it!
I hope this provided some helpful insights into how distances and walking are tracked in Pokémon Go. Let me know if you have any other questions!
