Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • GTA 6 cover art revealed
  • Summer Preview
  • Prime Day deals
  • Best gaming tech
  • New Games 2026
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Adventure
  3. Pokemon
  4. Pokemon Go

Pokemon Go datamine points to long-rumored routes, tappable rewards, and rating challenges

News
By Austin Wood published 13 April 2021

Building and sharing your own route sounds mighty cool

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Pokemon Go
(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

A big Pokemon Go datamine compiled by the sleuths on the Silph Road subreddit has uncovered traces of routes and their rewards, as well as new challenges including an almost dog show-esque Pokemon comparison. 

Reddit user martycochrane collected the recent findings in a tidy, not-so-little write-up. The headliner was the new route feature which, according to the datamine, would add a new type of challenge and routine to the game. From what we've seen so far, routes are essentially player-made paths that string together hotspots, landmarks, Pokestops, and other in-game bonuses to create a fun and profitable route to take while playing the game. This is all unofficial and subject to change, but it sounds like the augmented reality equivalent of building and uploading a custom level.

Completing a route would award a route badge, and each route would be dotted with trade opportunities, collectible stamps and postcards, and potentially tappable rewards like candies and coins. Route badges seem to be the central collectible for the feature. They'll seemingly display who created a route in the first place, how many times you've cleared a route and your fastest clear time, as well as what stamps you've earned along the way. 

Latest Videos From
Watch full video here:

Routes may also add, or launch alongside, a new type of contest currently known as the Compare Challenge. It's pretty much what the name implies: you'd enter one (or perhaps more) Pokemon into a contest based on certain parameters such as height, weight, or HP. If your Pokemon proves to be the smallest, thickest, shortest, or what-have-you, you win the challenge and get… something? This is one of the fuzzier features in the datamine report, so there are still plenty of questions to be answered regarding rules and rewards. The biggest question is probably whether this challenge can only be waged against NPCs, or if players can also compete with each other. With more details cropping up in datamines, there's a good chance these features are nearly ready to come out of the oven, so hopefully we get an official answer later this year. 

Pokemon Go tips | Pokemon Go Eevee evolutions | Pokemon Go Giovanni counters | Pokemon Go Cliff counters | Pokemon Go Sierra counters | Pokemon Go Arlo counters | Pokemon Go Ditto | Pokemon Go evolution items | Pokemon Go 41-50 level guide | Pokemon Go Unova Stones | Pokemon Go A Thousand-Year Slumber | Pokemon Go shiny list | Pokemon Go XL Candy

You may like
  • Pokemon Go codes Pokemon Go codes (June 2026) and how to redeem them
  • Posing with cotton spores in Pokemon Pokopia Pokemon Pokopia players turn to "broken" Minecraft tactics to make gathering one of the game's rarest materials a breeze
  • A trainer looking out at the ocean during the trailer for Pokemon Winds and Waves Pokemon Winds and Waves: Everything we know about the next Pokemon game so far
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Android iPhone Platforms Mobile Gaming
Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Social Links Navigation
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

Read more
Pokemon Go codes
Pokemon Pokemon Go codes (June 2026) and how to redeem them
 
 
Posing with cotton spores in Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia players turn to "broken" Minecraft tactics to make gathering one of the game's rarest materials a breeze
 
 
A trainer looking out at the ocean during the trailer for Pokemon Winds and Waves
Pokemon Pokemon Winds and Waves: Everything we know about the next Pokemon game so far
 
 
Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia player builds a working calculator less than 3 weeks after the life sim's release
 
 
A Ditto takes a selfie with Cinderace and Chef Dente at a Pokopoia event.
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia events explained, what's next and when
 
 
Key art for Pokemon Champions
Pokemon Pokemon Champions: Everything you need to know about the Nintendo game
 
 
Latest in Pokemon
Pokemon Chaos Rising card and booster pack laid out on a dark background
Tabletop Gaming Pokemon card fans seem to agree that card grading culture sucks and makes the hobby "a lot less enjoyable"
 
 
Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Mega Manectric deck
 
 
Pokemon TCG Pocket best decks
Pokemon Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Giratina ex deck
 
 
Best decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Mega Scizor ex deck
 
 
Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Meowscarada ex deck
 
 
Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia makes splash with free underwater update and paid DLC, coming later this summer
 
 
Latest in News
A screenshot from a Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer clip featuring Spider-Man web-swinging while holding a man
Marvel Movies Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already broken a record before it's even hit theaters
 
 
House of the Dragon
Fantasy Shows House of the Dragon fans are debating one of the show's biggest changes to George R.R. Martin's book
 
 
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead season 11
Horror Shows After 16 years, Daryl Dixon star Norman Reedus is walking away from The Walking Dead
 
 
The Buttons & Bugs: Pub Crawlers box amidst lichen and a smoking cup
Board Games Gloomhaven RPG spinoff Buttons & Bugs gets its first expansion with new classes and a pub crawl
 
 
The Flash
DC Movies Supergirl is tracking to earn less than The Flash in its opening weekend
 
 
Slay the Spire 2 classes line up on red background
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 update fixes RNG after one player's "eight-hour descent into madness"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Forza Horizon 6 Nissan Silvia next to Treasure Hunt chest on a beach in the Nangan Region overlooking Tokyo City
    1
    Where to find the Forza Horizon 6 Nangan Region Treasure Hunt chest
  2. 2
    House of the Dragon fans are debating one of the show's biggest changes to George R.R. Martin's book
  3. 3
    After 16 years, Daryl Dixon star Norman Reedus is walking away from The Walking Dead
  4. 4
    A wild Hori Ditto compact carry all case has appeared, and my Switch 2 needs it
  5. 5
    Supergirl is tracking to earn less than The Flash in its opening weekend

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...