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How to unlock Great Balls Ultra Balls and Master Balls in Pokemon Go
Image via Niantic

How to Unlock Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and the Master Ball in Pokemon Go

There are Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and Master Balls for you to get in Pokemon Go, and this guide shows you how to unlock them.

There are multiple unique types of Poke Balls you can use and unlock as you play Pokemon Go. The three major ones are the regular Poke Balls, followed by Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and the best type of Poke Ball you can use is the Master Ball.

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Each type of Poke Ball has a different chance to catch Pokemon while you’re playing Pokemon Go. This means you want to have a wide variety in your inventory to catch several types of Pokemon based on your chances. However, you do need to unlock them, and they don’t immediately become available. Here’s what you need to know about how to unlock Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and even the Master Ball in Pokemon Go.

How to Unlock All Poke Balls in Pokemon Go

PokeBall Trio Pokemon GO
Image via The Pokemon Company

It all comes down to your Trainer Level in Pokemon Go. As you progress through the mobile game and level up your account, more Poke Balls become available for you to earn as standard rewards from completing tasks and spinning Poke Stops.

Related: How to Evolve Jolteon, Flareon, & Vaporeon Pokemon Go – Requirements & Nicknames

If you’re looking to unlock a variety of Poke Balls, focus on leveling your character up. The fastest way for your character to reach the XP requirements for the Great and Ultra Balls does mean you have to catch Pokemon and complete Field Research tasks. It’s also important to note that the Poke Balls unlock at different levels, giving you different goals to aim for while you’re playing.

How to Unlock Great Balls in Pokemon Go

Pokemon Go players unlock Great Balls when they reach level 12. This should happen fairly quickly as reaching level 12 doesn’t take too long. Although Great Balls are not the best Poke Ball to use in Pokemon Go, they offer a higher capture rate than the standard Poke Ball, which means you can start earning them from Poke Stops.

How to Unlock Ultra Balls in Pokemon Go

You unlock Ultra Balls when you reach level 20 in Pokemon Go. Like Great Balls, an Ultra Ball has a much higher probability of catching any Pokemon you use it on, but it’s not perfect. Because they’re better than Great Balls, they don’t have the best chance of dropping from Poke Stops, but they’re open to the better Poke Balls that I frequently use on Pokemon in Pokemon Go.

How to Unlock the Master Ball in Pokemon Go

Finally, the Master Ball. It’s the best Poke Ball in Pokemon Go as it will always catch the Pokemon you use it on while you’re playing. It has a 100% catch rate, and because they always capture any Pokemon you use it on, they are incredibly rare for you to add to your inventory. You can only get them from completing specific Special Research projects, and these require you to work through several weeks of tasks, so don’t expect to get them frequently.


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Author
Image of Zack Palm
Zack Palm
Zack Palm is the Senior Writer of Gamepur and has spent over five years covering video games, and earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Oregon State University. He spends his free time biking, running tabletop campaigns, and listening to heavy metal. His primary game beats are Pokémon Go, Destiny 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and any newly released title, and he finds it difficult to pull away from any Star Wars game.