Some projects show just how incredibly imaginative the Nothing community can be, and Glyph Catch is one of my favorites. About a year ago, we covered this fascinating little game that lets us catch Pokémon using the Glyph Matrix on the Nothing Phone (3). And the best part? To play, we pretty much have to forget about our phones altogether. Such a simple yet brilliant idea!
After a long period of inactivity, Glyph Catch is more alive than ever. The project has received a good number of improvements, expanded its collection to 649 Pokémon from the first five generations, and, with its new version 3.7.0, is also beginning its journey on the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro. And be warned, there's quite a bit of interesting news to share.
From the original 151 to no less than 649 Pokémon
The essence of Glyph Catch remains the same: place your phone face down and let the Pokémon appear in the Glyph Matrix. Instead of constantly checking the screen, the game invites you to disconnect for a bit while expanding your collection.
But what began with the original 151 Pokémon from Kanto has grown immensely. Now we can capture up to 649 creatures, from Kanto to Unova, with their corresponding regions, which we will unlock thanks to the various Pokémon professors.
We also have eggs, Shiny Pokémon, and Legendary creatures with their own items. There are even small details that give the game more personality, like the appearance of Electric-type Pokémon when you plug in your phone to charge. It's these little touches that make Glyph Catch so special.
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The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro joins the adventure
One of the most important new features of version 3.7.0 is compatibility with the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, although it is currently in beta.
On this device, the experience is tailored to its Glyph Matrix. When a Pokémon appears, a Poké Ball lights up on the back to let us know a creature is waiting. We can check which Pokémon it is from the app's main screen or via a dedicated widget and then throw a Poké Ball to try and catch it.
The fun part is that the capture animation plays directly in the Glyph Matrix. A Poké Ball-shaped widget has also been added, and during the initial launch, Professor Oak himself explains how everything works.
I love that developers keep finding such original ways to use Nothing's lights. Ultimately, the Glyph Matrix has so much potential beyond just showing us notifications or the time, and projects like this are a great example.
New items to obtain the Pokémon we are missing
The update also introduces three items that add a little more strategy to our captures.
- Super Repel: Unlocked after catching 150 species, it only allows Pokémon that aren't yet registered in your PC to approach you. Ideal for when your collection starts to grow and you want to avoid repeated encounters.
- Honey: A Bug Catcher gives it to us shortly after obtaining the Sinnoh Pokédex. Using it from our bag will attract particularly sweet-toothed Pokémon, such as Combee or Heracross, for one hour. Additionally, Munchlax can now only be obtained through this method and no longer hatches from Eggs.
- Incense: For one hour, Pokémon appear twice as fast. You can obtain it by completing missions or find it occasionally when catching other creatures.
There's also a detail that legendary Pokémon hunters will appreciate: legendary Pokémon are no longer scared off by the effects of repels. In addition, the main screen displays a notification while Honey or Incense is active, so you know when you're taking advantage of their effects.
Small improvements that are also appreciated
Beyond the new features, this version fixes a bug that could cause your team to appear complete even after releasing one of its Pokémon. The fix also applies to existing save files when opening the app.
The Plain wallpaper has been improved to properly retain its frame in elongated widgets, three new tips have been added, and Glyph Catch now uses version 2.0 of Nothing's Glyph Matrix SDK.
These improvements may not be as eye-catching as capturing a legendary Pokémon, but they also help make the experience more and more complete.
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How to download Glyph Catch for free
And here's more good news: Glyph Catch remains completely free, ad-free, and available in Spanish. Furthermore, according to its developer, it doesn't collect user data.
You can download the latest version directly from their GitHub repository:
Download Glyph Catch from GitHub
This is a community project, not an official Pokémon game or an application developed by Nothing. Installation is done via an APK file, so it's best to always download it from the official repository.
Personally, I'm thrilled to see Glyph Catch continuing to grow. There's something especially fun about putting your phone down, forgetting about it for a while, and then discovering which Pokémon has appeared. And now, with 649 creatures to catch, we've got entertainment to keep us entertained for quite some time. Let's see who can complete the Pokédex!
If you want to stay informed about the latest news and updates on Nothing and CMF products, you can follow me on X (@ruudhesp), Instagram (@ruudhesp) and TikTok (@nothingtec).
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