Pokemon has officially announced that the next Pokeball replica, the Love Ball, is ready for fans to purchase. The Love Ball follows several other official Pokeball replicas that have been quite popular among fans.
Back when it first released, Pokemon Gold and Silver shook up the Pokemon catching mechanic by adding several new Pokeballs for players to use. These were intended to be utilized strategically, adding capture rate bonuses during certain scenarios, like using the Lure Ball while fishing up a water Pokemon. The Love Ball is specifically intended for catching Pokemon of the opposite gender of the player's, making it a niche but helpful choice in Generation 2 and onward.
Now, The Pokemon Company and The Wand Company have revealed their latest collaboration with the Love Ball replica. The replica is a picture-perfect copy of the original design of the ball, complete with the pink color scheme and heart decoration. Like the prior Wand Company Pokeballs, this one isn't a simple prop. It's designed to respond to motion and touch, lighting up when it senses movement and intensifying when it's touched. The front button on the ball can be pressed to trigger a light sequence imitating the capture sequence in Pokemon games and the anime.
The Love Ball has a metal die-cast shell and can be displayed within or outside of an included case. For cosplay enthusiasts or those who demand accuracy in their collectibles, the Love Ball is the exact size of real Pokeballs in the games. All of this will set fans back $99 USD, and the Love Ball can be purchased from the official Pokemon Center website effective immediately.
The Wand Company Pokeball replicas got their start back in 2020, when Pokemon was gearing up to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Since then, the two companies have teamed up to release official replicas of the Master Ball, Great Ball, Ultra Ball, Dusk Ball, Premier Ball, Heal Ball, and Friend Ball.
Part of what makes collecting things from the Pokemon series so much fun for fans is how varied the collectibles and merchandise are. With over a thousand Pokemon now available for players to pick a favorite from, as well as an array of different Pokeballs, protagonists, antagonists, and regions, The Pokemon Company keeps fans happy by releasing products based on a wide variety of themes from the games. And when The Pokemon Company doesn't produce what players are looking for, there are generally Pokemon fan creations that can fill the gap.
Source: Pokemon Center