You might think the most important part of the Pokémon games is, well, the Pokémon, but think about this:
You’re walking through the tall grass on your way back to town. Suddenly, you come across that rare, wandering Pokémon you’ve been traveling the entire region to find. You paralyze it, lower its health, and then, when it’s at the perfect level, you open your bag—and see you have nothing useful to catch it with.
Really makes you realize the importance of having the right Pokéballs, doesn’t it?
They all have different purposes, and are not all created equal. So here are a few of my favourites, and what they’re useful for!
Quick Ball
This is my all-time favourite Pokéball. I would be nothing if it wasn’t for this.
It’s a little cheap because you can use it to avoid the tedium and risk of lowering health and inducing status effects, but that’s exactly why I like it.
Main purpose: Filling your ‘dex by catching plenty of low-levels easily in post-game.
Ultra Ball
The only problem with Quick Balls is that you don’t get access to them until later in the game. So until I get them, this is what I rely on.
There’s a bit of a theme here—I really don’t have much patience when it comes to catching. Besides, think about it economically. Is it cheaper to use six Pokéballs, or one Ultra Ball?
Main purpose: Catching when the Quick Ball fails you.
Pokéball
This is the super-vanilla option that you get in the beginning, but hey. If Ash can catch stuff with them, so can you.
Oh wait…
Main purpose: Nostalgia.
Cherish Ball
These aren’t available in gameplay, and they don’t necessarily have any special powers, but I like them anyway.
They’re actually used in the game to identify special event Pokémon, and they have the entry animation and the aesthetic appeal to prove it.
Main purpose: Aesthetic appeal and self-justification for hardcore collectors.
