Poké Ball
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A Poké Ball (sometimes spelled as Pokéball) is a round device used primarily in the Pokémon series of video games to catch and contain Pokémon. The Poké Ball also serves as a symbol for the Pokémon series.
There are many types of the Poké Ball, such as the Great Ball or Ultra Ball. The term can be used to describe the basic style of ball, or for the entire group.
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[edit] Mechanics
While the specific way of how Poké Balls work remains unknown, they can reduce a wild Pokémon's size and capture them. However, most of the time, Pokémon that haven't been weakened in battle can escape from the Poké Ball, bursting it open and leaving it useless. Once a Pokémon is caught, that Poké Ball will be only used to contain it, allowing the trainer to release it in case he or she would like to battle with it. The trainer can then recall it at any time.
The size of a Poké Ball can be conveniently reduced by pressing the button in the middle, allowing a trainer to carry them more easily. Before releasing the Pokémon inside, they need to press the button again to return it to its normal size. When a Poké Ball catches a new wild Pokémon and the trainer already has six in his or her team, the new Pokémon will automatically be transferred to the trainer's storage system. In case the trainer wants to get rid of a Pokémon, he or she can release the Pokémon from its Poké Ball to the wild again. However, the Poké Ball can't work again after this and must be tossed away.
Interestingly, a Pokémon hatched from an egg will be automatically put in a standard Poké Ball, even if the trainer is carrying none of them. However, this is not the case for a Shedinja's appearance after a Nincada evolves into Ninjask. The trainer in this case needs to have a standard Poké Ball in his or her bag and a free space in his or her party to contain Shedinja.
[edit] Types
- Poké Ball: It has a simple red and white design, and it's the most known kind of Poké Ball.
- Great Ball: It is slightly better than the regular Poké Ball.
- Ultra Ball: It is as twice as good as a regular Poké Ball.
- Safari Ball: It can used only in the Safari Zone, in which regular wild Pokémon battles can't be made, so the process of catching is more difficult.
- Park Ball: A type of Poké Ball to be used only in the Bug Catching Contest in Johto. The are also used in the Pal Park in Sinnoh.
- Level Ball: A type of ball whose catch rate becomes better according to how much difference there is between the trainer's Pokémon's level and the wild Pokémon's.
- Lure Ball: A ball that works better with Pokémon found by fishing.
- Moon Ball: The potential of this ball increases if the Pokémon attempted to catch can evolve by a Moon Stone.
- Friend Ball: It has the same chance to catch as a regular Poké Ball but makes the Pokémon more friendly to the trainer as soon as it is caught.
- Fast Ball: A kind of Poké Ball that works better with Pokémon that like to flee from trainers. It is normally associated with Raikou, Entei and Suicune.
- Heavy Ball: A ball whose catch rate increases as the weight of the targeted Pokémon does.
- Love Ball: A ball that works better if the trainer's Pokémon and the wild Pokémon have opposite genders.
- Luxury Ball: A Poké Ball that makes the Pokémon caught more friendly.
- Premier Ball: They act the same way as a regular Poké Ball but has a completely white design and is given as a gift when ten or more Poké Balls are bought at once.
- Net Ball: A Poké Ball that works better with Bug and Water-type Pokémon.
- Dive Ball: A type of ball that works better with Pokémon found underwater.
- Nest Ball: A kind of ball that becomes better if the level of the targeted Pokémon is lower.
- Repeat Ball: A ball that works better if the trainer has registered the Pokémon already in his or her PokéDex.
- Timer Ball: A type of ball that works better as more time passes since an encounter with a wild Pokémon.
- Heal Ball: A regular Poké Ball that heals a Pokémon as soon as it is caught.
- Dusk Ball: A ball that works better in dark places or at night.
- Quick Ball: A kind of Poké Ball that works better the sooner it is used in battle.
- Cherish Ball: A type of ball inaccessible by anyone, and from an unknown origin. Event Pokémon are given in Cherish Balls since Generation IV.
- Master Ball: A very rare Poké Ball that never fails in an attempt to catch a Pokémon. A prototype was being made by Silph Co., designer of Poké Balls and other Pokémon-related items, in Generation I but no complete or official product apparently came out. In Generation II, the player is given one by Professor Elm. In addition, Team Aqua/Magma's base and Team Galactic's base each had a Master Ball hidden. One can also be won through lotteries in Jubilife and Lilycove.
[edit] Other Balls
The GS Ball is an enigmatic ball that can't be used to catch Pokémon, and can't be opened at all, not even by the Poké Ball expert in Kurt. However, it has some relation with the Pokémon Celebi, as the player can place it in the Ilex Forest Shrine to make it appear. Snag Balls are in the GC Pokémon games, and can catch Shadow Pokémon with a Snag Machine.
[edit] Super Smash Bros.
The Poké Ball appears in all of the Super Smash Bros. games, from which they become a projectile item that upon impact of a hard surface, releases a Pokémon at random. They are also used by the character Pokémon Trainer as he tosses out his Pokémon to fight.
