Poké Ball
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A Poké Ball (Japanese: モンスターボール Monster Ball) is a type of item that is critical to a Trainer's quest, used for catching and storing Pokémon. Both a general term used to describe the various kinds as well as a specific term to refer to the most basic among these variations, Poké Balls are ubiquitous in the modern Pokémon world. Up to six Pokémon can be carried with a Trainer in Poké Balls, while any number of other Poké Balls can be held in the bag for later use.
The strength of a Poké Ball is determined by how much it raises a wild Pokémon's catch rate, and may in fact vary depending on the conditions of the battle. Poké Balls limit the power of Pokémon contained inside, taming them, though they do not cause the Pokémon inside to always obey the Trainer.
The invention of Poké Balls apparently occurred in the Johto region, where Apricorns grow; these fruit were cut apart and carved out, then fit with a special device, and used to catch wild Pokémon prior to the mass production of the Balls that occurs in modern times under Silph Co. and the Devon Corporation. Some Trainers still use Poké Balls made from Apricorns, while Kurt, a resident of Azalea Town, still constructs them.
Prior to the invention of Poké Balls, Pokémon were referred to as "magical beasts" (Japanese: 魔獣 majū), indicating that the name Pokémon, short for Pocket Monster, did not come into common parlance as a term until these devices allowed the various Pokémon to be stored in pockets easily.
Mechanics
Though the technology behind a Poké Ball remains unknown, the basic mechanics are simple enough to understand: in a Pokémon battle, once an opposing wild Pokémon has been weakened, a person, the Pokémon Trainer, can throw a Poké Ball at it. If the Poké Ball hits the Pokémon and is not knocked back by it, the Poké Ball will open, convert the Pokémon to a form of energy, and pull it into its center, closing. A Pokémon in this state is given a chance to struggle to attempt to escape, at which point the ball will either be destroyed (in the games and some manga) or will return to the Trainer (anime), who can attempt once again to capture the Pokémon. A Pokémon who does not escape the ball will be caught.
As seen in several anime episodes, such as Gulpin it Down! and Claydol Big and Tall, normal Poké Balls have difficulty catching Pokémon which are extremely large or extremely heavy. In the latter episode, it is revealed that ancient civilizations overcame this issue by constructing immense Poké Balls made out of stone, however, due to the difficulty of manipulating one of these large objects, later technology and the development of Heavy Balls provided a better alternative.
When a Pokémon is released from a Poké Ball, it will be accompanied by a bright light as it returns from its energy form, and materialize nearby, often on the ground. This bright light has been shown to vary depending on the type of Ball that the Pokémon is contained in in the games, while it has always been shown to be white in the anime. Recalling a Pokémon to its Poké Ball is also relatively simple, as all a person must do is hold up the Poké Ball with its button pointed at the Pokémon. A beam of red light will shoot from the button, converting the Pokémon back into energy and returning it to the Ball. The beam, however, has a limited range, and can be dodged by the Pokémon. If the beam hits a person, they will be stunned for a moment, but aside from that no ill effects will make themselves apparent. Releasing Pokémon from a Trainer's ownership, unlike normally sending the Pokémon out, will bathe the Pokémon in a blue glow, and the Poké Ball will no longer mark it, making it able to be caught by another Trainer's Poké Ball. A Poké Ball can also be broken, which will release it from ownership, and if a Trainer has done so accidentally, it must somehow be fixed before the Pokémon can be recalled.
Several Pokémon have shown the ability to leave and return to their Poké Balls at will, most notably among them Jessie's Wobbuffet, Misty's Psyduck, and Brock's Croagunk, which tend to do so in every episode they appear. In Dig Those Diglett!, many Pokémon belonging to Gary Oak, as well as other Trainers, including Ash Ketchum demonstrated the ability to prevent themselves from being sent from their Poké Balls, as they refused to fight against the Diglett, though this has not been demonstrated since.
Poké Balls are not always at full size. Pressing the button on the front will convert it between its full size, about the size of a baseball, to a smaller size about that of a ping-pong ball, and back again. The larger size makes throwing the ball easier, while the smaller one makes for easier storage on a belt clip or in pockets.
Poké Balls are able to communicate with a Trainer's Pokédex, as the system updates itself with information on newly-caught Pokémon, and keeps track of how many Pokémon the Trainer has with them. If a Trainer catches a new Pokémon with the full six already with them, the Pokédex will automatically send the newly-caught Pokémon in its Poké Ball to the Pokémon storage system that the Trainer is using. As shown in Two Degrees of Separation, a Pokémon caught by a Poké Ball is "marked" by it, and thus a Poké Ball thrown at it will have no effect aside from temporarily stunning it. In the games, as well as in Bad to the Bone, however, the Trainer of the Pokémon will block a Poké Ball thrown by another, though it is possible that this is more out of courtesy to their Pokémon than to prevent capture outright.
Poké Balls are able to be decorated to no ill effect, with several Poké Balls that have been painted with special colors being seen in the anime. To alter the way in which the Pokémon is sent out, however, a Ball Capsule and seals must be used, which can release special effects when the Pokémon is sent out.
When a Pokémon is released from its ball, it usually has a burst of light come out with it, which varies depending on the Ball the Pokémon is contained in (normally a white light in the anime).
Poké Ball accuracy
Except for Master Balls, all Poké Balls have a chance of breaking and not capturing the Pokémon in question, however, in several cases, it is possible for the Poké Ball to miss the wild Pokémon completely.
- In Generation I games, there was always a possibility that the Poké Ball would miss a Pokémon, usually occurring when battling in the Safari Zone, or while battling a wild Chansey, Snorlax, or legendary Pokémon. Rather than the ball throwing animation playing, a message would come up stating "You missed the Pokémon!".
- In Generation I as well as in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the ghosts in Lavender Town's Pokémon Tower would dodge any ball thrown at them unless they were unmasked by the Silph Scope. The Marowak ghost will dodge even if it is unmasked.
- A Poké Ball cannot be thrown during a wild double battle when the player is partnered up with one of the stat Trainers, unless one of the two wild Pokémon is defeated, with the game claiming "It's no good! It's impossible to aim when there are two Pokémon!". This is odd, of course, as a player can snag Pokémon in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness even if there are two on the opposing side of the field.
Types of Poké Ball
Introduced in Generation I
The following Poké Balls were introduced in Pokémon Red and Green, and have appeared and been available in all games since then, with the exception of the Safari Ball, which is not present in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal.
Poké Ball
- Japanese: モンスターボール Monster Ball
- Found: Lying on the ground in various areas, most Poké Marts.
- Price: $200
- Catch rate: 1×
- Bag description:
- GSC: An item for catching Pokémon.
- RSE: A tool used for catching wild Pokémon.
- FRLG: A ball thrown to catch a wild Pokémon. It is designed in a capsule style.
- DPPt: A device for catching wild Pokémon. It is thrown like a ball at the target. It is designed as a capsule system.
Generation I Poké Balls
In the games
| Artwork | Name | Catch rate | Notes | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
 Poké Ball(モンスターボール Monster Ball) |
1× | None | $200 | ||
|
 Great Ball(スーパーボール Super Ball) |
1.5× | None | $600 | ||
|
 Ultra Ball(ハイパーボール Hyper Ball) |
2× | None | $1200 | ||
|
 Master Ball(マスターボール Master Ball) |
255× | Guaranteed to catch any catchable wild Pokémon | — | ||
|
 Safari Ball(サファリボール Safari Ball) |
1.5× | For use in the Safari Zone only | — | ||
|
| ||||||
These Poké Balls were first introduced in Generation I and have appeared in each game since, with the exception of the Safari Ball which did not appear in the second Generation of games.
The Poké Ball is considered the most basic and universal form of Ball. Nearly every Poké Mart carries it or one of its two upgrades, the Great Ball and Ultra Ball. The only known place where these three Balls are not plentiful is Orre, due to its lack of wild Pokémon. With the discovery of Poké Spots, however, they are becoming more commonly available in this region as well.
The Master Ball is the final and best upgrade of the Poké Ball, as well as the most rare. It was developed by Silph Co., but only a few were created before Team Rocket invaded and the project was discontinued. Master Balls are now given only to esteemed Pokémon researchers. Because of this, only one can be found normally in each game (though it can be won in all other generations after the first; it is the grand prize for the Lucky Number show, Lilycove City's Lottery, and at Jubilife TV). It could be sold for $0 in Generations I and II, but in later Generations the Poké Marts would refuse it.
The Safari Ball is the only one of the original Poké Ball forms that is not considered one of the basic Poké Ball types. When playing a game in the Safari Zone, thirty of these will be provided to catch Pokémon with. If the game ends before all thirty are used, the remainder are returned when leaving the Safari Zone. It is as strong as a Great Ball, but catching Pokémon is often more difficult with it due to the fact that there are no formal battles with Pokémon in the Safari Zone.
List of Master Ball locations in the games
| Generation | Game(s) | Location | Requirements | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Pokémon Green, Red and Blue Versions, Pokémon Yellow | Silph Co. | Talk to the president after defeating Giovanni. | |
| II | Gold, Silver, and Crystal Versions | Professor Elm's laboratory | Talk to Professor Elm after earning the first eight badges. | |
| Johto Radio Tower | Match all 5 numbers in the Lucky Number Show. | |||
| III | Pokémon Ruby | Magma Hideout, Maxie's office | None | Entrance is blocked off after battling Groudon (Ruby only). |
| Pokémon Sapphire, Pokémon Emerald | Aqua Hideout, Archie's office | None | Entrance is blocked off after battling Kyogre (Sapphire only). | |
| Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald Versions | Lilycove Department Store | Defeat the rival in front of the store, match all 5 numbers in the lottery. | ||
| Pokémon Colosseum | Agate Village | Receive incomplete email from Eagun in Realgam Tower | Eagun's email is cut off before it can mention the Master Ball. | |
| Pokémon XD | Pokémon HQ Lab | Talk to Professor Krane before heading to Citadark Isle | ||
| FireRed and LeafGreen Versions | Silph Co. | Talk to the president after defeating Giovanni | ||
| IV | Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum Versions | Galactic Veilstone Building | Defeat Cyrus | |
| Jubilife TV | Earn the Coal Badge, defeat the Galactic Grunts near the northern exit of Jubilife City, match all 5 numbers in the lottery. | |||
| Pal Park | Catch a Pokémon that has been migrated from a Gameboy Advance Game Pak when a Master Ball is held. | |||
| HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions | Professor Elm's laboratory | Talk to Professor Elm after earning the first eight badges. | ||
| Johto Radio Tower | Match all 5 numbers in the Lucky Number Show. | |||
| Pal Park | Catch a Pokémon that has been migrated from a Game Boy Advance Game Pak when a Master Ball is held. |
Super Smash Bros. Series
Normal Poké Balls are also an item in the Super Smash Bros. series. When thrown, on top of doing a small amount of damage to any opposing character they may hit, they release a randomly selected Pokémon.
Super Smash Bros. Melee Trophy information
These balls are used to catch and contain wild Pokémon. Most Pokémon must be weakened in some way before they can be caught, but once they're inside a Poké Ball, they enjoy their new home, since Poké Balls contain an environment specially designed for Pokémon comfort. Master Balls are the strongest type.
In the anime
Beyond any doubt, the original Poké Ball is the most commonly used type of Ball in the anime. The vast majority of Pokémon are stored in regular Poké Balls, to the point that large collections of Poké Balls can be seen with no variations among them. Even Ash's Pikachu, which spends all of its time out of its Poké Ball, is shown to have a regular Poké Ball with a little lightning bolt drawn on it in Pokémon - I Choose You!. On the other hand, the Great Ball and Ultra Ball upgrades are very rare or even non-existent.
A Master Ball has been seen in Whiscash and Ash. It was used by Sullivan in his attempt to catch a Whiscash. However, despite the fact that the Master Ball cannot be escaped from, he did not catch the Whiscash; instead, the Pokémon swallowed it whole and escaped back into the water. However, much time prior, a Master Ball sort of appeared, albeit as a beach ball in Beauty and the Beach, and after in A Hot Water Battle.
Safari Balls were seen in EP035. In this episode, Ash received thirty with which he could catch Safari Zone Pokémon. However, despite his best efforts to catch other Pokémon, he ended up using all thirty to catch a herd of Tauros. They appeared in Safari Balls in Showdown at the Po-Ké Corral; however, in all subsequent airings they have been in regular Poké Balls.
Occasionally, an item will be caught instead of a Pokémon, such as a rice ball or something else that would be smaller than the Poké Ball. The best example, if not the only, is when Ash tried catching Mankey in Primeape Goes Bananas.
If a Poké Ball is used to try to catch a human, the human will get shocked with electricity instead of being caught.
Named in Journey to the Starting Line, the Poké Ball a Pokémon is temporarily held in before being given to beginning Pokémon Trainers is called a "starter Poké Ball". In the anime only, a Pokémon is held in one of these temporary containments which do not 'mark' the Pokémon, so it can then be assigned to one of the six regular Poké Balls given to the Trainer. Starter Poké Balls look identical to regular Poké Balls, but are occasionally marked with some form of identification, such as a lightning-bolt or writing, such as the one which held Ash's Pikachu. In the games, however, the player is simply given 5 Poké Balls plus the Pokémon, already assigned a ball.
If a Poké Ball should crack or break, it must be taken to a Pokémon Center to be repaired, or the Pokémon must be registered to a new ball as seen in Pokémon Food Fight!. Wealthier trainers or pet Pokémon owners may also purchase fancy Poké Balls. These balls are only cosmetically modified, and treated like fine jewelry. Meowzie's owner purchased a diamond-studded ball for her in Go West, Young Meowth as seen in Meowth's flashback.
It should be noted that the various types of Poké Balls are more relevant in the Johto saga, as Ash uses some specially made balls by Kurt to capture Pokémon such as Totodile.
Generation II Poké Balls
In the games
| Image | Name | Apricorn | Catch rate | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
 Level Ball(レベルボール Level Ball) |
|
Varies | Catch rate if the player's current Pokémon's level is:
| ||
|
 Lure Ball(ルアーボール Lure Ball) |
|
3× | Wild Pokémon must be hooked by a Fishing rod | ||
|
 Moon Ball(ムーンボール Moon Ball) |
|
4× | Only if the wild Pokémon evolves with a Moon Stone | ||
|
 Friend Ball(フレンドボール Friend Ball) |
|
1× | The wild Pokémon has a happiness value of 200 after being caught | ||
|
 Fast Ball(スピードボール Speed Ball) |
|
4× | If the wild Pokémon is one that flees from battles2 | ||
|
 Heavy Ball(ヘビーボール Heavy Ball) |
|
Varies | Catch rate if the wild Pokémon is:
| ||
|
 Love Ball(ラブラブボール Love Love Ball) |
|
8× | If the player's current Pokémon and the wild Pokémon have opposite genders | ||
| Compé Ball Compé Ball (コンペボール Compé Ball) |
- | 1.5× | For use in the National Park Bug-Catching Contest only Named Park Ball (パークボール Park Ball) in Generation II; renamed to avoid confusion with the Generation IV Park Ball. | |||
|
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The Compé Ball is much like the Safari Ball, being equal to a Great Ball in strength. It is used in the National Park during their Bug-Catching Contest. Twenty Compé Balls are provided for this, and the Pokémon can be battled before they are caught. However, while all twenty balls can be used and catch Pokémon before the contest ends, only one Pokémon can be kept for the contest judging.
The Compé Ball was originally named the Park Ball. However, both its design and name changed in Generation IV to prevent confusion with the ball used at Pal Park.
Most of the Poké Balls available in Generation II, however, are the custom Poké Balls crafted by Kurt. This Poké Ball expert can be found in Azalea Town, and once per day he will craft an Apricorn into a special Poké Ball based on its color. Because of the much larger variety of Poké Balls available, Generation II was the first generation to introduce a bag with a separate pocket for Poké Balls.
All Apricorn balls can be sold for $150.
In the anime
In The Bug Stops Here, Ash and Casey compete in the Bug-Catching Contest and use Park Balls to catch Bug Pokémon. Ash wins the contest with a Beedrill, but gives it to Casey instead due to her love of yellow and black Pokémon.
The custom Apricorn Poké Balls were seen and used a few times during the anime. In Going Apricorn!, Ash, Misty, and Brock receive Fast Balls from Kurt, and by the end of the episode Brock uses his to catch a Pineco. By the end of the next episode, Gettin' The Bugs Out, Ash and Misty receive Lure Balls, and Brock receives a Heavy Ball. In The Totodile Duel, both Ash and Misty tried to catch a Totodile with their Lure Balls, with Ash succeeding. Later, in A Corsola Caper!, Misty got a second chance to use her Lure Ball, catching a Corsola with it. The other two Fast Balls and the Heavy Ball were not seen or mentioned again, but a different Heavy Ball was used in Gulpin It Down! to catch a giant Gulpin.
In Pokémon Adventures
Both Gold and Silver received a Friend Ball and Heavy Ball, respectively. Silver said that the Poké Balls would work best if thrown at the point where a Pokémon's life energy is most concentrated.
Generation III Poké Balls
In the games
| Artwork | Name | Catch rate | Effects | Price | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
 Luxury Ball(ゴージャスボール Gorgeous Ball) |
1× | The Pokémon caught will become closer to their Trainer quicker. | $1000 DPPt | ||||||
|
 Premier Ball(プレミアボール Premier Ball) |
1× | Given after purchasing 10 or more normal Poké Balls | — | ||||||
|
 Net Ball(ネットボール Net Ball) |
Varies | Catch rate if used on:
|
$1000 | ||||||
|
 Dive Ball(ダイブボール Dive Ball) |
Varies | Catch rate if used on: | $1000 | ||||||
|
 Nest Ball(ネストボール Nest Ball) |
Varies | Catch rate if the wild Pokémon is:
|
$1000 | ||||||
|
 Repeat Ball(リピートボール Repeat Ball) |
Varies | Catch rate if used on:
|
$1000 | ||||||
|
 Timer Ball(タイマーボール Timer Ball) |
Varies | Catch rate if the number of turns that have passed in battle is:
|
$1000 | ||||||
All of the third generation Poké Balls were developed by the Devon Corporation.
In this generation, the type of Ball used to catch a Pokémon was kept track of by the game itself, so that when Trainers sent out their Pokémon, the type of effect could vary. In this way, two Balls with the same effectiveness, such as the Safari Ball and Great Ball, or Poké Ball and Premier Ball, would differ.
In Generation III, the Luxury Ball is rare, second only to the Master Ball; however, it is available for normal purchase in Generation IV. One can be found on the Abandoned Ship, and others can be obtained from winning Master Rank Pokémon Contests. It is also given in FireRed and LeafGreen by Lady Selphy for showing her the Pokémon she asks for. Taking advantage of being able to track what kind of Ball a Pokémon is in, rather than applying a flat happiness bonus like the Friend Ball did, it heightens the rate at which the Happiness of the Pokémon caught with it increases.
The Premier Ball is given with every purchase of ten or more Poké Balls in Hoenn, Orre, and Sinnoh Poké Marts. However, it is not different from regular Poké Balls in any manner except appearance.
The Net Ball and Dive Ball can only be purchased at the Poké Mart in Mossdeep City. This is likely due to the city's high affiliation with the Template:Type2. It can also be obtained from the Fishing Guru's younger brother in Silence Bridge after showing him a Magikarp.
The Nest Ball can only be purchased at the Poké Mart in Verdanturf Town.
The Repeat Ball and Timer Ball can be purchased in Rustboro City after going through Rusturf Tunnel from Verdanturf Town for the first time or as alternative by talking to the Devon Employee on Route 116 next to the Rusturf Tunnel entrance and receiving a Repeat Ball as a reward for delivering the Devon Goods to Captain Stern at Slateport City which unlocks this feature. For FireRed and LeafGreen these special Poké Balls can be obtained from the Two Island Market Stall after saving Lostelle, beating the Elite Four, buying every item in the stall at least once and then leaving and returning to the area.
All Poké Balls released in Generation I are available as well.
In the anime
The Luxury Ball and the Repeat Ball made a short cameo appearance in the beginning of Jirachi: Wish Maker, containing Brendan's Aggron and Shiftry.
Generation IV Poké Balls
In the games
Five new Poké Balls were introduced in the Generation IV games.
| Artwork | Name | Catch rate | Notes | Price | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
 Heal Ball (ヒールボール Heal Ball) |
1× | Fully heals and eliminates all status problems on a caught Pokémon. | $300 | ||||||
|
 Dusk Ball (ダークボール Dark Ball) |
4× | Catch rate only applies if used within a dark area or during the night;
otherwise 1× |
$1,000 | ||||||
|
 Cherish Ball (プレジャスボール Precious Ball) |
1× | Used to contain Pokémon given out in events. | — | ||||||
|
 Quick Ball (クイックボール Quick Ball) |
4× | For every 5 turns in battle, the catch rate decreases by 1×,
reaching a minimum of 1× |
$1,000 | ||||||
 Park Ball(パークボール Park Ball) |
255x | Used only at Pal Park, however will catch any Pokémon in Pal Park without fail.
Called the Park Ball in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. |
— | |||||||
All of the Generation I and Generation III Poké Balls are also available, though the Dive Ball can only be obtained randomly through the man in Solaceon Town upon showing him the Pokémon he asks for, or transferred ahead held by a Pokémon via Pal Park. The Park Ball is used as a temporary containment for show. It is the only Poké Ball (aside from the Snag Ball) with the ability to override another Poké Ball's "mark" on a Pokémon. Once caught, the Pokémon is put into the Poké Ball it was caught in. Whether the Park Ball would work on a regular wild Pokémon not already caught is not known.
Cherish Balls cannot be acquired for use without cheating; instead, they contain Pokémon distributed at events.
Luxury Balls function differently in this generation: they can be bought, and the factor the happiness is increased by varies with the event. For details, see this page.
Apricorns and the Generation II Poké Balls made from them return in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver; however, they are not available in other Generation IV games, even through hacking. In addition, the Park Ball from Generation II was renamed Compé Ball to avoid confusion with the Generation IV Park Ball used in Pal Park.
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga, one can see the miniature of the Pokémon inside the Poké Ball; the type of ball doesn't matter and likewise, the Pokémon can see outside of its ball. Already caught Pokémon can be re-caught, as shown when Red re-catches Misty's Gyarados.
In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, however, the center of a Poké Ball has a small number to differentiate it from others. In one chapter of this series, Ash suggests to have a large Poké Ball built as a trap to catch a giant Haunter (Black Fog). The plan succeeded, but Haunter used Explosion from inside, destroying the trap in the process.
Other Poké Balls
These Poké Balls are found outside of the standard games. They are often too unusual to fit in with other groups of Poké Balls, and some are so unusual that it is questionable if they even qualify as Poké Balls. Most of these have separate articles, which describe their unique properties in greater detail.
In the games
- Pester Balls
- Seen in Pokémon Snap, this unusual Poké Ball cannot catch Pokémon. Instead, it releases an irritating gas.
- GS Ball
- Seen in Pokémon Crystal, this Poké Ball cannot catch Pokémon. Instead, it is a special item that can be used to make Celebi appear in the Ilex Forest.
- Snag Balls
- Though not a Poké Ball in its own right, this is seen in Colosseum and Pokémon XD. It is a ball that has been modified using the Snag Machine. It is capable of snagging a caught Pokémon during a Pokémon battle as if it were wild. Only useable on Pokémon that are "Shadow Pokémon"
In the anime
- Pre-Poké Ball Objects
- There are multiple artifacts and antiques which have similar properties to modern Poké Balls but are not technically the same thing; some, in fact, are not even balls. These range from unusual artifacts found in the ancient city of Pokémopolis which contain Giant Pokémon inside (seen in The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis) and the jewel scepter (seen in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew) to antique Poké Balls which look similar to their modern-day equivalents but have an altered design and are made from a more fragile material (seen in Just Waiting On a Friend). Given that these were made before the development of the technology used in modern Poké Balls, the workings behind these objects are a mystery. Another early Poké Ball design is seen in Celebi: Voice of the Forest when Sam uses a Poké Ball brought from his own time with a lock on its button to call out his Charmeleon. This model seems to be much closer to the modern design. Hollowed-out Apricorn berries, much like Kurt's custom Poké Balls, may also have been used in the past to hold Pokémon. In Arceus and the Jewel of Life, Pokémon used thousands of years ago by Marcus are controlled by magical armor, however, the will of the Pokémon is able to override this control.
- Green Poké Balls
- Official name unknown. In Pokémon - I Choose You!, in the Pokémon League battle seen at the very start of the episode, one Trainer, presumably Bruno, throws out a green Poké Ball which contains an Onix. This was the first Poké Ball seen in the anime. No details on this Poké Ball were given, and its color has never been explained; shortly after in the episode, regular red Poké Balls are used.
- Interestingly, Brendan's Ruby and Sapphire artwork depicts him holding a green Poké Ball. The reason for this is also unknown.
- Poké Balls in Pokémon Crystal Version will turn green and pink once they have captured a Pokémon.
- Solid Gold Poké Balls
- There are not actually any solid gold Poké Balls in the Pokémon world. However, the idea is often used to fool greedy criminals like Brodie in The Ribbon Cup Caper or gullible consumers like James in Battle Aboard the St. Anne.
- Mewtwo's Poké Balls/Clone Balls
- Marked by an eerie eye incorporated into their design, these Poké Balls were created and used by Mewtwo in Mewtwo Strikes Back. They can be moved around easily with Mewtwo's Psychic powers, and they can catch any Pokémon, including those which have already been caught by a Trainer, and Pokémon which are already inside their Poké Balls. Mewtwo used these to gather Pokémon to be cloned. Mewtwo's Poké Balls do not make the same sound as regular Poké Balls when they open, but otherwise their function is the same. Some Pokémon fans on the Internet refer to them as Shadow Balls, but this is misleading because this type of Poké Ball has nothing to do with Shadow Pokémon; Shadow Ball is also the name of a Ghost-type Pokémon move first seen in the same movie.
- GS Ball
- This was in the possession of Professor Ivy, who gave it to Ash, who in turn gave it to Kurt to study. It was revealed in a 2008 interview that the GS Ball was actually meant to catch a Celebi, but when it was determined that the fourth movie would feature Celebi, it was decided that it would be left with Kurt so viewers would forget about it. There is a large amount of fan speculation as to what purpose it holds. It bears a striking resemblance with the Park Ball (seen above).
- Lake Balls
- These balls were used only in the Seaking Catching Competition, similar to the Park Balls used in the Bug-Catching Contest. They only appeared in Hook, Line, and Stinker, and have not been seen since. They appear as blue and white Poké Balls, with a fish pattern around the edge, and a yellow arrow on the top and bottom of the ball. One interesting feature is that they don't shake after capture, implying an automatic catch.
- These were used by Iron-Masked Marauder in Celebi: Voice of the Forest. Presumably technology of Team Rocket, these Poké Balls will take over the mind of any Pokémon caught by them, making them turn into mindless servants of whoever caught them, as well as raise them to the highest level. These were used to catch multiple Pokémon, including Celebi. The Poké Balls were quite powerful in the movie as one of them was used to catch a Tyranitar without any problem.
- Old Poké Balls
- Used in Celebi: Voice of the Forest and containing Sammy's Charmeleon it is different from other Poké Balls as the knob on the top has to be twisted before it can release a Pokémon.
- Crystal Poké Balls
- These were created by the Unown for Molly to battle with during Spell of the Unown.
- Annie and Oakley's Poké Balls
- These were used in Pokémon Heroes, and look like normal Poké Balls but with a different coloration and style, one contain an Ariados and the other contains an Espeon.
- Rocket Poké Balls
- These were used in Mewtwo Returns, and look like normal Poké Balls but black with a red "R" on them. Hundreds were used by the many Rockets in the special.
- Chansey Poké Balls
- Used by a Nurse Joy in Showdown at Dark City.
- Other Poké Balls
- In Pokémon - I Choose You!, Pikachu's Poké Ball has a small lightning bolt mark on the top half of the ball, presumably added by Professor Oak to differentiate it from the Pokémon he would usually hand out as starters. However, it is possible that it is held in a similar temporary containment as regular starter Pokémon, and Ash uses a regular Poké Ball to hold Pikachu. This theory is strengthened by Oak giving Ash six Poké Balls as opposed to five in the games, and the Poké Balls containing Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle still being there when Ash gets to Professor Oak's Laboratory in Pokémon - I Choose You!.
- Ritchie's Poké Balls bear a star-shaped sticker on the top half, so that he knows which ones are his if needed.
- Other uses of Poké Balls in the anime
- When Ash and Gary break a rusty, old Poké Ball they fished out of a pond, they each keep a piece as a symbol of their rivalry.
- Poké Balls are used in several places to symbolize Pokémon; for example, the Battle Frontier logo, either three entwined Poké Balls, or alternatively, half a stylized Poké Ball, as seen on Ash's Advanced Generation series and Diamond & Pearl series caps.
- A Poké Ball design marks the floor of most Pokémon Centers. Sometimes the roofs are also designed to look like a Poké Ball.
- The first Pokédex entry given in the anime was for the Poké Ball: "While being trained, a Pokémon usually stays inside its Poké Ball. However, there are many exceptions. Some Pokémon hate being confined. To catch a Pokémon, you usually have your own Pokémon battle with the other."
In the TCG
- Poké Ball
- This ball is found in Jungle, Base Set 2, EX Ruby & Sapphire EX FireRed & LeafGreen, EX Unseen Forces, EX Crystal Guardians, Diamond & Pearl, Majestic Dawn and Platinum.
- Dual Ball
- This ball is found in Expedition Base Set, EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua, EX Delta Species, and EX Crystal Guardians.
- Team Aqua Ball
- This ball is found in EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua.
- Team Magma Ball
- This ball is found in EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua.
- Rocket's Poké Ball
- This ball is found in EX Team Rocket Returns.
- Also, on the card Lt. Surge's Secret Plan, Lt. Surge is seen holding a Master Ball. The significance of this is unknown.
Trivia
- In the handheld games, items are found in what appear to be normal Poké Balls; however, the console games choose to use large Poké Ball shaped chests for this purpose. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen versions, a boy in Fuschia City refers to a Voltorb as an "Item Ball." From this it can be deduced that the balls containing discarded items have their own name.
- Some Generation III Poké Balls are similar in function to some Generation II Poké Balls: Nest Ball is better for catching low-level Pokémon like the Level Ball, the Dive Ball is good for catching Pokémon found on the water like the Lure Ball, and the Luxury Ball raises happiness quicker like the Friend Ball.
- In Super Mario Galaxy, there is a galaxy named Buoy Base Galaxy which has a big sphere above it that looks very similar to a Poké Ball. It even has a button in the middle of it.
- In Generation II, the Park Ball's name is written as one word, rather than two as with other Poké Balls. This is due to space issues due to the Game Boy Color's screen size, as its name is listed on the main battle screen's menu during the Bug-Catching Contest rather than the items menu as with other Poké Balls. The Park Ball in Generation IV is not affected by such an issue.
- In some artwork for Red and Green, Poké Balls are on the ground in two pieces while the Pokémon are in battle. This is implying that Poké Balls functioned differently than later generations and the anime. Interesting, when Pokémon were caught in Generation II, the Poké Ball would split in two, suck the Pokémon in, and close.
| Types of items | |
|---|---|
| General | Evolution stones • Fossils • Flutes • Shards • Held items Evolution items • Escape items • Exchangeable items • Valuable items Battle items • Scents • Nectars • Candy • Ingredients |
| Medicine | Status condition healing items • Vitamins • Feathers Mints • Mochi • Drinks • Herbal medicine |
| Berry and Apricorn | Poké Balls • Apricorns • Berries • Mulch |
| Aesthetic | Decorations • Accessories (Normal • Great • Ultra • Master) Backdrops • Props • Décor Clothing (XY • SMUSUM • LGPE • SwSh • BDSP • LA • SV) |
| Other | Mail • Key Items • Event items Wonder Launcher items • Rotom Powers |
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This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items. |