Is GO Gear the Pokemon GO map app you've been seeking?

Now that we've settled into something of a Pokemon GO status quo, the number one desire of most players can best be summed out by modifying a quote from Rod Tidwell of Jerry Maguire: "Show me the Pokemon!"

That's because we've reached the point where many people have gotten the basics down and are out to track down specific Pokemon for leveling purposes or simply to acquire some they haven't encountered to date. Wandering around aimlessly and visiting new places can help, but it's much better to have more information at your fingertips.

Unofficial Pokemon GO map apps have been proliferating to fill that need, and a new one has entered the fray from Celadon Software, the makers ofPokéBuilder. GO Gear is a paid (99 cents at the time of this article) map app that does what several free apps do, but also adds enough important features to make a potential purchase very interesting.

Getting started with GO Gear is as simple as allowing it to access your location and signing up with a Google account that is linked to a Pokemon GO user profile. Interestingly, the app suggests not using the one that is your primary account for the actual game, though we tested the app simply using a different device instead.

The interface within GO Gear is similar to that of other map apps on the market, showing your location with a blue dot and a shaded area that should represent roughly where you can come in contact with nearby Pokemon. The map can be rotated and zoomed with common touch gestures, and it's very intuitive to move around.

A button in the lower-left corner allows you to scan for nearby Pokemon, though the app appears to do that automatically as well since you'll see some pop up on the map with no action required on your part from time to time. A small image of the silhouette of a Pokemon will pop up, showing its location and telling you how long it will be there.

Tapping on the info icon within any description opens up several option, including the ability to get directions to the pinned Pokemon location or share it via messaging or social media. These are both helpful features that we've not seen in other map apps. Notifications are also huge.

Last but not least, GO Gear has both blacklist and whitelist options to let you see exactly the Pokemon you want to on the map. Tired of Pidgey? You can banish him from the maps forever. Conversely, if you need to find mass quantities of specific Pokemon for evolving purposes, you can do that too.

But the big question is this: Does it work? We tested it out in several spots in and around Avalon, New Jersey, and it seemed to provide solid intel. There's probably a caveat necessary in that it doesn't reveal Pokemon spawned by Lure Modules, though Celadon doesn't actually say anything on that front.

Most of the negative reviews for GO Gear so far have honed in on the fact that you can't use it to give Pokemon locations for any area you choose (like PokeVision, for instance), only the area around your current location. That could be a valid sticking point for a paid product, but if it doesn't bother you, it shouldn't detract from the idea that GO Gear is one of the most fully featured Pokemon GO map apps we've seen, one that stands out above what's becoming quite the crowd.