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The '''Ball Upgrade''' (Japanese: '''ボールアップグレード''' ''Ball Upgrade''; '''ボールのアップグレード''' ''Ball's Upgrade'') is the act of changing a [[Poké Ball]] to the next level in [[Pokémon Pinball]] and [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]]. In both games, there are four balls available: {{i|Poké Ball}}, [[Great Ball]], [[Ultra Ball]], and [[Master Ball]].

There is also an item named '''Ball Upgrade''' (Japanese: '''アップグレード・アイテム''' ''Upgrade Item'') in the [[Ruby Field]] of [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]].

==Terminology==
The term "Ball Upgrade" is mentioned in the English manuals of both [[Pokémon Pinball]] and [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]]. However, the Japanese "ボールアップグレード" (''Ball Upgrade''; lacking the の between words) is mentioned only in the Japanese manual of the first game, and "ボールのアップグレード" (''Ball's Upgrade''; with the の between words) only in the Japanese manual of the second game. The "Ball Upgrade" item in the [[Ruby Field]] is named in the English manual of [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]], but it has a different name in the Japanese manual: "アップグレード・アイテム" (''Upgrade Item'').

The [[Pokémon Pinball]] manual refers to this act as "evolving" (Japanese: 進化します ''evolve'') the ball. It also calls each ball an "evolutionary state", "Evolution Stage", or "Evolution stage" (the capitalization and use of "stage" or "state" varies as shown here). According to the manual, there are specifically three Evolution Stages, which implies that the Poké Ball is not considered one of them. The English manual does not assign numbers to each stage, but the Japanese manual calls the Great Ball, Ultra Ball, and Master Ball, respectively, {{tt|進化|しんか}}1 (''Evolution 1''), {{tt|進化|しんか}}2 (''Evolution 2''), and {{tt|進化|しんか}}3 (''Evolution 3'').

The [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]] manual refers to this act as "upgrading" (Japanese: アップグレード ''upgrade'') the ball; the act of returning to the previous level is referred to as "downgrading" (グレードはさがります ''lose a grade'') the ball. Unlike for the previous game, all four types of Poké Ball are numbered in both the English and Japanese manuals: Grade 1 (Japanese: プグレード1 ''Grade 1''), Grade 2 (Japanese: プグレード2 ''Grade 2''), Grade 3 (Japanese: プグレード3 ''Grade 3''), and Grade 4 (Japanese: プグレード4 ''Grade 4'') are the {{i|Poké Ball}}, [[Great Ball]], [[Ultra Ball]], and [[Master Ball]], respectively.

==Upgrading==
The Poké Ball is the default ball used in the pinball tables since the beginning of the game. The other balls are available via upgrades, which replace the current ball by the next improved ball. If a minute passes without new upgrades, the ball returns to the previous state. If the player loses the current ball (by letting it fall in the hole at the bottom), the next ball is always a Poké Ball.

There are multiple ways to upgrade the ball in both [[Pokémon Pinball]] and [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]]:

# Turning on the three lights found in each of the three [[Field Multiplier Lane|Field Multiplier Lanes]] at the top of any table from both games.
# Getting the "Upgrade" award from the Slots. (the Slots start by turning on the four lights found in the Out Lanes and Return Lanes at the bottom of any table from both games, then entering the Bonus Cave or Center Hole at the middle) 

Some new ways are introduced in [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]]:
# Getting the "Max Up" award from the Slots, which upgrades the ball directly into a Master Ball.
# Buying the "Upgrade" for 40 coins at the [[Poké Mart]].
# In the [[Ruby Field]], using the Makuhita to throw the ball into the Nuzleaf until he falls down and makes a bridge, then getting the ball upgrade on the other side of the bridge.

If the player "upgrades" a Master Ball, it won't change its appearance or effect because this is the highest-ranking ball, but it won't revert to the previous state until one minute passes as usual.

==Field multiplier==
Aside from the Poké Ball, each kind of ball has a field multiplier. For instance, if an action normally awards 1,000 points (such as turning on any of the "CAVE" or "HOLE" lights in both games), it will award 2,000 points with a Great Ball, and so on for each kind of ball.

* The [[Poké Ball (item)|Poké Ball]] has no bonus multiplier.
* The [[Great Ball]] multiplies bonus points by ×2.
* The [[Ultra Ball]] multiplies bonus points by ×3.
* The [[Master Ball]] multiplies bonus points by ×5 in [[Pokémon Pinball]] and by ×4 in [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]].

==Bonus stages==
In [[Pokémon Pinball]], the bonus stages (such as the Seel Stage or the Mewtwo Stage) are always played with the regular Poké Ball and don't award any field multipliers. When the bonus stage ends, the normal gameplay resumes with the kind of ball the player was using when they entered the bonus stage.

In [[Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]], the bonus stages (such as the Duskull Stage or the Groudon Stage) start with the same kind of ball that the player was using when they entered the bonus stage, and the field multiplier bonus applies as usual. For instance, hitting a Duskull in the Duskull Stage awards 100,000 points with a Poké Ball or 200,000 points with a Great Ball. Unlike in the normal gameplay, having a certain kind of ball for one minute does not cause the ball to downgrade in a bonus stage. However, each time the player loses a ball during a bonus stage, the next ball will be downgraded; for instance, if the player loses an Ultra Ball during any bonus stage, the next ball will be a Great Ball. When the bonus stage ends, the normal gameplay resumes with the kind of ball the player was using when they left the bonus stage.

==Gallery==

===Poké Balls===
{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color}}; font-size:80%"
| {{color2|000|Pokémon Pinball|Pinball}}
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:20px" | [[File:Pinball Poké Ball.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:20px" | [[File:Pinball Great Ball.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:20px" | [[File:Pinball Ultra Ball.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:20px" | [[File:Pinball Master Ball.png]]
|-
| {{color2|000|Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire|Pinball RS}}
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:20px" | [[File:Pinball RS Poké Ball.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:20px" | [[File:Pinball RS Great Ball.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:20px" | [[File:Pinball RS Ultra Ball.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:20px" | [[File:Pinball RS Master Ball.png]]
|-
|
| {{color2|000|Poké Ball (item)|Poké Ball}}
| {{color2|000|Great Ball}}
| {{color2|000|Ultra Ball}}
| {{color2|000|Master Ball}}
|}

===Slots===
====Pokémon Pinball====
{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color}}; font-size:80%"
| English<br/>Japanese
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Ball Upgrade Great.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Ball Upgrade Ultra.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Ball Upgrade Master.png]]
|-
| French
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Great Ball French.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Ultra Ball French.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Master Ball French.png]]
|-
| German <!-- the 3 first images are subtly different from the English version, without a space between "up" and "grade" -->
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Great Ball German.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Ultra Ball German.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Master Ball German.png]]
|-
| Italian
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Great Ball Italian.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Ultra Ball Italian.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Master Ball Italian.png]]
|-
| Spanish
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Great Ball Spanish.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Ultra Ball Spanish.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball Upgrade Master Ball Spanish.png]]
|-
|
| {{color2|000|Great Ball}}
| {{color2|000|Ultra Ball}}
| {{color2|000|Master Ball}}
|}

====Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire====
{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color}}; font-size:80%"
| English
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Ball Upgrade Great.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Ball Upgrade Ultra.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Ball Upgrade Master.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Max Up.png]]
|-
| Japanese <!-- the 3 first images are subtly different from the English version, with a space between "up" and "grade" -->
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Great Ball Japanese.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Ultra Ball Japanese.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Master Ball Japanese.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Max Up.png]]<!-- identical to English version -->
|-
| French
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Great Ball French.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Ultra Ball French.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Master Ball French.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Max Up French.png]]
|-
| German  <!-- the 3 first images are identical to the English version -->
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Ball Upgrade Great.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Ball Upgrade Ultra.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Ball Upgrade Master.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Max Up German.png]]
|-
| Italian
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Great Ball Italian.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Ultra Ball Italian.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Master Ball Italian.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Max Up Italian.png]]
|-
| Spanish
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Great Ball Spanish.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Ultra Ball Spanish.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Upgrade Master Ball Spanish.png]]
| style="{{roundy|10px}} border: 2px solid #{{Poké Balls color dark}}; background: #{{Poké Balls color light}}; width:80px; height:40px" | [[File:Pinball RS Max Up Spanish.png]]
|-
|
| {{color2|000|Great Ball}}
| {{color2|000|Ultra Ball}}
| {{color2|000|Master Ball}}
| Max Up!
|}

==Trivia==
* Poké Ball, Great Ball, Ultra Ball and Master Ball (the four Poké Balls available in both Pinball games) are the four obtainable kinds of Poké Ball in the [[Generation I]] [[core series]] games.
* The "Upgrade" prize in the Slot has three different artworks because it always displays the next kind of ball available to the user.

{{Project Sidegames notice}}

[[Category:Pokémon Pinball]]
[[Category:Game mechanics]]