The Poké Ball Plus is a

video game controller A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an input device or input/output device used with video games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game. Input devices that have been classified as game controllers in ...

for the

Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...

. It was developed and manufactured by

Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles. The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...

and released on November 16, 2018. It is based on a Poké Ball, a device used in the ''

Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise consisting of List of Pokémon video games, video games, Pokémon (TV series), animated series and List of Pokémon films, films, Pokémon Trading Card Game, a trading card game, and other related media. The fran ...

fictional universe A fictional universe, also known as an imagined universe or a constructed universe, is the internally consistent fictional setting used in a narrative or a work of art. This concept is most commonly associated with works of fantasy and scie ...

to catch Pokémon. The controller is compatible with the video games ''Pokémon GO'', '' Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!'', and ''

Pokémon Sword and Shield and are 2019 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch console. They are the first instalments in the 8th generation of the Pokémon (video game series), ''Pok� ...

.'' It substitutes the ball's button for an analog stick that can be pressed inwards to function as the A button, while a hidden button atop the ball acts as the B button. It also contains

motion sensors A motion detector is an electrical device that utilizes a sensor to detect nearby motion (motion detection). Such a device is often integrated as a component of a system that automatically performs a task or alerts a user of motion in an area. T ...

to simulate throwing the ball,

HD Rumble Joy-Con are the primary game controllers for the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid video game console. A set of Joy-Con consists of two individual units, each containing an analog stick and an array of buttons. They can be used while attached to the mai ...

feedback, and

LEDs A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (correspo ...

and speakers to mimic a Pokémon being caught. It has further functionality as a ''

Pokémon GO Plus is a Japanese media franchise consisting of List of Pokémon video games, video games, Pokémon (TV series), animated series and List of Pokémon films, films, Pokémon Trading Card Game, a trading card game, and other related media. The fran ...

'', allowing players to catch Pokémon without using their phone directly. The legendary Pokémon Mew is included digitally with every Poké Ball Plus. The controller received positive reviews from critics, who highly recommended it to fans of the franchise due to its high quality, despite its lack of functionality elsewhere.

Features

Each controller contains an

accelerometer An accelerometer is a device that measures the proper acceleration of an object. Proper acceleration is the acceleration (the rate of change (mathematics), rate of change of velocity) of the object relative to an observer who is in free fall (tha ...

, gyro sensor,

, speakers, and LEDs. They can function in a similar manner to a

Joy-Con Joy-Con are the primary game controllers for the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid video game console. A set of Joy-Con consists of two individual units, each containing an analog stick and an array of buttons. They can be used while attached to the mai ...

while being used with the

games. While it can be used as a full one-handed controller in ''Let's Go'', its compatibility with ''Sword and Shield'' is more limited, with the player able to use it to unlock Mew, as well as load Pokémon into it and take them for a walk to earn bonus item rewards.

Release

The Poké Ball Plus was initially priced at $50 USD, and bundled with copies of ''Let's Go'' for $100 USD. It later dropped to a price of $40 USD for a limited time.

Reception

Damien McFerran of ''

Nintendo Life Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British digital media company based in London. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and ot ...

'' rated the Poké Ball Plus 7/10 stars, calling it part of Nintendo's unique legacy to link players and software in new and lucrative ways, citing the

DK Bongos GameCube accessories are hardware that are compatible with the Nintendo GameCube home video game console, which first launched in 2001. Accessories can be either first-party releases from Nintendo or third-party devices from an outside manufacture ...

as another example. Calling it one of the most perfect realizations of any ''Pokémon''-based device, he said that it made players really feel like a trainer. However, he criticized its lack of precision compared to the Switch's Joy-Con controls, saying that even a single Joy-Con was more precise, and said it was only truly useful if players were also using it for ''Pokémon GO''. Sam Loveridge of ''

GamesRadar+ ''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and '' Compute ...

'' rated the controller 4.5/5 stars, calling it a "must-buy" for fans, and saying that it was everything his "inner child" imagined it would be. He praised its matte finish, calling it a "tactile joy". Allegra Frank of ''

Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure made up of line segments connected to form a closed polygonal chain. The segments of a closed polygonal chain are called its '' edges'' or ''sides''. The points where two edges meet are the polygon ...

'' called the controller "charming", but "not as fun as it looks", calling its inputs "awkward" and "limited", and remarking on its small size. She nevertheless called the idea "rad", and the controller's design "very, very pretty".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poke Ball Plus Pokémon Nintendo controllers Products introduced in 2018 Nintendo Switch accessories