Who knows if developer Niantic had any idea of the worldwide phenomenon that their augmented reality game, Pokémon Go, would become? But if the numerous memes, message boards, and news surrounding the game after launch were any indications, then the Pokémon Go hype was real.
Now, two years later and the hype has died down a bit. But with millions of users still playing the game, you can rely on a creative soul or two among them to release packages and tweaks to add some entertaining and unique features.
In this guide, we will be rounding up the best Pokémon Go tweaks for users on the iOS platform that have been released and telling you which ones are worth your time.
However, due to the stringent policing done by Apple, these tweaks will require an iOS device running a jailbreak. Now let’s get on with it.
Read: Top 3 alternatives to Pokémon Go that are just as interesting
1. Pokepatch
This tweak is essential if you’re running a jailbroken device and interested in enjoying the vanilla Pokémon Go.
Like many of the other App Store apps, specifically games, Niantic has added jailbreak detection in Pokémon Go’s core code. This effectively locks out all the players rocking a jailbreak on their devices.
However, the workaround is quite easy, and installing the Pokepatch tweak will circumvent the jailbreak check and allow you to play the regular app store version of Pokémon Go. Follow these steps to proceed with this install:
- Launch Cydia on your device and proceed to install the regular Pokémon Go
- Add Ryley Angus’ repo by navigating to the Sources tab in Cydia, tap edit, then ‘Add.’ Enter this URL:
http://ryleyangus.com/repo
and then wait for Cydia to refresh the sources. - Find the Pokepatch package in the repo and proceed to install it.
- Reboot your device and fire up Pokemon Go. You are done!
2. Masterball
Masterball is an alternative to the Pokepatch tweak highlighted above. It is a tweak for users trying to play the regular Pokemon Go on jailbroken devices and needs to circumvent the native jailbreak check.
To install, simply follow the steps for the Pokepatch tweak but add the following repo, http://cokepokes.github.io
to your Cydia sources.
Read: The best Pokémon Go emulators for iPhone and iPads
3. PokemonGoAnywhere
Pokémon Go is all about getting on your feet, stretching your legs, and getting some exercise and sunshine. But sometimes, you just want to kick back and let the game do the heavy lifting; this is where the PokeGoAnywhere tweak comes in.
With this ingenious tweak, simply tap anywhere on the map and watch your avatar move there without you ever leaving the couch.
To protect your account from attracting bans due to Pokémon Go location cheat detection, this tweak will ‘walk’ your avatar there instead of just ‘teleporting’ them. However, it warns that location spoofing is against Pokémon Go’s rules.
Download PokemonGoAnywhere by adding http://williamlcobb.com/repo
repository to your Cydia Sources.
4. Pokémon Lock
If you want all Pokémon Go all the time, and are willing to sacrifice both your iOS device’s security and its battery life, then this tweak is probably for you.
This Pokemon Go Cydia tweak lets you add the game on the iOS lock screen, meaning you’d have to forego both Touch ID or a Passcode and any hope of half-decent battery life so you must really want this.
If you’re still interested in this tweaked Pokémon Go, then you can proceed to install it by adding http://repo.ziph0n.com/
to your Cydia Sources.
5. FlappyGo
With millions of active users, you can expect Pokémon Go servers to get stressed sometimes and take some downtime. In these instances, you’d appreciate this particular Pokémon Go jailbreak tweak that allows you to pass the long minutes with another popular game, Flappy Bird, and the best part is you can do all this without ever leaving the app.
This tweaked Pokémon Go can be installed by adding the modder’s personal repo http://repo.ziph0n.com
/ to your Cydia sources.
And that’s it. Those are the best Pokémon Go tweaks that we recommend you check out. With the Pokémon Go community still thriving, you can be sure that more tweaks are coming down the pipeline.
We will update this list as new tweaks surface, so check in occasionally. For all other Pokémon Go-related things, check out some of our other guides.
Alex is an IT technician who shares his experiences with Apple devices occasionally. He has a collection of Apple devices (from iPhone 4) and has recently started trying out Android.
IG: @I M_Alex