Compared to when it first launched back in the summer of 2016, Pokemon GO has made many strides to keep itself in the conversation in the mobile gaming space by implementing new updates, features, and events, to keep Poke-fans coming back time after time. Trading with friends wasn't a thing five years ago; raids were yet to be a thing, and battling with friends was added not too long ago either.

If players want to test their skills against a friend online in Pokemon GO, it's entirely possible now and it's as simple as ever. The only thing that players will need is a stable connection on their smartphone and, of course, some friends who are willing to battle.

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To get to the menu to battle against friends in Pokemon GO, players will need to be on the main screen of the game. Once there, click on the bottom-left icon that shows the player's avatar and Buddy Pokemon. From there, slide over to the right side of the screen to enter the Friends list. By pressing on one of the friends on this list, players will see three options: Send Gift, Battle, and Trade. Of course, hitting the battle icon will be the one to select here.

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After pressing the Battle icon, the game will ask players to choose between three different leagues: Great League, Ultra League, and Master League. These leagues will let players bring Pokemon up until a certain CP level. Great League is for teams under 1500 CP; Ultra is for under 2500, and then Master League has no CP limit at all. Select the League and then the battle will begin once both players confirm that they're ready to go.

The battles are only one on one, with both players having three Pokemon on their team. By tapping to attack, the battle will end once all Pokemon on one player's team has been defeated. Each player will start the battle with two Protect Shields, offering protection from a powerful special attack. It'll be up to the player to strategize the use of these limited items.

How to Battle Friends Locally in Pokemon GO

For those players who simply would like to battle with another player in the same room as you in the real world, hit the Poke Ball icon in the middle of the screen, and then select Battle. Scroll down until a QR code pops up. The other player can scan that QR code and enter a nearby battle with the player, or vice versa. This allows two players to quickly get into a fight without having to add each other as a friend in a separate menu.

Pokemon GO is currently available on Android and iOS.

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