The Poké Ball is an iconic part of the Pokémon franchise and, luckily for collectors, there have been a steady stream of high-quality replicas produced in recent years. Manufacturers such as The Wand Company have created die-cast versions of many types of Poké Balls and the franchise’s official Pokémon Center brand has also joined in with a Hisuian Poké Ball based on those used in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Unboxing the replica Cherish Ball
I’ll first apologize for the overexposure in the video above, I have since learned that Adobe Premiere does not play well with iPhone HDR video footage and have smoothed things out going forward.
The Cherish Ball by The Wand Company was released on November 1, 2022 and is available through the official Pokémon Center website for $99.99. It includes both the ball and a case for it, both of which feature lighting effects. The ball does not open.
Some fans have criticized the ball for the dark grey plastic that is used when the art depicts it being darker, possibly black. I felt that it didn’t detract too much and the red metal made it feel pretty premium overall.
My main gripe across all replicas from The Wand Company (I also own the original Poké Ball and the Premier Ball) has been the hit-or-miss quality of lighting effects and the cheap feel of the cases. My Cherish Ball has seemingly already run out of battery and I’ve only actively used it when filming the above video. The Poké Ball’s button seemed to have some issues lighting up when I first opened it, although it has been working fine lightly when I’ve used it to compare in videos.
Whether it’s worth $99.99 to you is really going to come down to how much you like the Cherish Ball design. Personally, it’s one of the most unique balls and it was worth adding to my collection for me.
Hisuian Poké Ball unboxing
The Hisuian Poké Ball has a really fun design in Legends: Arceus, so it was definitely something I wanted to add to my collection when I saw it pop up. Made by the Pokémon Center, this figure is made of polystone and is a bit heavier than The Wand Company’s replica balls because there is no internal lightweight electronics since there are no lighting effects. As such, the price is cheaper and it will run fans $69.99.
Although it does not open, the ball is sculpted very realistically and even includes a “hinge” on the back for display. The wood grain is also realistic and I was thankful that wasn’t just painted on. The only (minor) complaint I had was that the sculpting around the clasp at the front could have been more distinct, because I feel like that’s the only area that doesn’t look quite as realistic. I could see where there may have been fears that fans would try too hard to open it if it looked like it could be though.
Unlike the cases which come with The Wand Company’s balls, this figure comes with just a base which the Poké Ball can be placed on. It’s modeled after the roofs of the buildings seen in the game and, while simple, looks very nice.
Personally, I liked the simplicity of the figure and not having to worry about any delicate electronic features inside. I would definitely recommend if you enjoyed adventuring in Hisui!
Bonus: Unboxing a $400 crystal Poké Ball
Last year I made my most expensive Pokémon purchase ever with the crystal (type of glass) Poké Ball from Baccarat. Was it worth it? I think to a lot of fans, it would not be, but I really enjoyed the craftsmanship and look of the ball.
That being said, I don’t know that I’ll be dropping that much on any Pokémon item any time soon.
Let me know in the comments if you have any Poké Ball replicas, if you want to buy any and what the most expensive item of your collection is! Our Discord also has a dedicated channel to discuss merchandise as well, so feel free to share pictures of your memorabilia with our community!