You’re walking down the street, phone buried deep in your pocket, yet somehow you’re still racking up Stardust and catching that stray Pidgey across the road. That’s basically the dream Niantic sold us with the Pokémon GO Plus +. But let’s be real for a second—carrying around a plastic puck that glows like a rave and vibrates loud enough to wake the neighbors is a weird choice for a grown adult.
I’ve spent hundreds of hours with this thing clipped to my belt or tossed in my backpack. It’s a strange little device. It’s officially the successor to the original Poké Ball Plus and that tiny, easily-lost Pokémon GO Plus clip from years ago. If you’re still trying to decide if it's worth the $55 price tag, you’ve gotta understand that it isn't just a "button clicker." It’s a total shift in how the game feels.
The Great Great Ball Mystery
The biggest selling point of the Pokémon GO Plus + was always the ability to use Great Balls and Ultra Balls. For years, every third-party device and the official Nintendo hardware limited us to standard Poké Balls. If you ran out of the red ones, you were basically carrying a paperweight.
Now, you can finally toggle the settings to hurl an Ultra Ball at that rare spawn. But there is a massive, annoying catch: you have to press the button. Auto-throwing only works with standard Poké Balls. If you want the higher catch rate of a Great Ball, you have to feel the vibration and physically click the center button. It’s a bit of a letdown for anyone hoping for a "set it and forget it" experience for high-tier Pokémon.
I’ve found that I mostly leave it on auto-catch with standard balls during my commute and only switch to manual Great Ball clicking when I’m at a park or a known nest. It’s about managing expectations. You will lose Pokémon. A lot of them. The "flee" rate on these devices is notoriously high because it only throws a single straight ball with no curveball bonus. If it doesn't catch on the first wiggle, the Pokémon is gone.
That Vibration Motor is Overkill
Nintendo and Niantic really leaned into the "sensory" experience here. Honestly? It’s too much. The vibration in the Pokémon GO Plus + is aggressive. If you put it on a wooden table, it sounds like a jackhammer when a Pokémon appears.
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There is no official setting to turn the vibration off. To get around this, some players in the community have actually opened their devices and snipped the wire to the vibration motor. I wouldn’t recommend that unless you’re comfortable with a soldering iron and don't mind voiding your warranty, but it shows how desperate people are for a "silent mode."
The lights are just as loud. The central button flashes a rainbow of colors during a catch attempt and bright red when something flees. It’s flashy. It’s fun for kids, but if you’re trying to play discreetly in a meeting or a movie theater, forget about it. Your pocket will look like a disco.
Pikachu Lives in My Bed Now
The "Plus +" part of the name refers to the Sleep tracking integration with Pokémon Sleep. By holding down the center button, you "go to sleep," and a tiny, pitch-shifted Pikachu voice sings you a lullaby. It’s cute for exactly three nights. After that, you just want to track your REM cycles in peace.
The rewards for using the Pokémon GO Plus + for sleep tracking are actually decent. You get special research encounters with a nightcap-wearing Snorlax, which is currently the only way to get that specific costume. You also get some extra Stardust and buddy hearts when you sync your sleep data with the Pokémon GO app in the morning.
Is the tracking accurate? It’s okay. It’s not an Apple Watch or an Oura ring. It uses an accelerometer to track how much you toss and turn on your mattress. You have to leave it on your bed, not on a nightstand, for it to work. I’ve accidentally knocked mine onto the floor more times than I can count.
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The Connectivity Struggle
We have to talk about the Bluetooth. Anyone who used the old "Gotcha" devices knows the pain of constant disconnections. The Pokémon GO Plus + is better, but it isn't perfect. It stays connected for exactly one hour before the game forces a timeout. This is a hard-coded limit by Niantic to prevent people from just leaving the device on 24/7 at a PokéStop.
Reconnecting is usually just a one-tap process on the game screen. However, I’ve noticed that in high-density areas like New York City or during Community Days, the interference can make it finicky. Sometimes you have to toggle your phone's Bluetooth or restart the app entirely.
Why it Beats the Third-Party Competition
You might be looking at those "auto-catch" bracelets on Amazon that are half the price. Why buy the official one?
The main reason is the hardware stability and the "Great Ball" option. Most third-party devices "trick" the phone into thinking a button was pressed. They are essentially mimics. The Pokémon GO Plus + uses a new protocol that is more stable and officially supported. You won't get banned for using it, which is always a lingering (though small) fear with unofficial hardware.
Also, the battery life is surprisingly solid. I get about two weeks of heavy use on a single charge via USB-C. No more hunting for those tiny CR2032 coin batteries like it’s 1998.
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Real World Performance Numbers
When I’m walking through a suburban area with decent spawns, the device usually attempts to catch about 2 to 3 Pokémon per minute.
- Catch Rate: In my experience, it’s about 40-50%.
- XP Gains: If you’re moving, you can easily pull in 20,000 XP per hour just from passive catches and spinning stops.
- Stardust: This is the real winner. Even if you don't care about the Pokémon, the passive Stardust accumulation is the fastest way to power up your Raid teams without staring at your screen for hours.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of It
If you just bought one, or you're about to, do yourself a favor and buy a small protective case. The white plastic scuffs if you look at it wrong. Also, turn off the "Voice" settings immediately in the Pokémon GO menu unless you want Pikachu shouting "Pika-pi!" every time you plug it in to charge.
- Manage your inventory: You will burn through 100 Poké Balls in thirty minutes. You need to constantly clear out your storage and make sure you have "Spin PokéStops" turned on so the device can replenish its own ammo.
- Use it for the "Daily Adventure Incense": If you're driving (slowly!) or on a bus, the device can sometimes snag those incense spawns that you’d otherwise miss.
- The "Sock Trick" for Sleep: If you don't like it in your bed, some players put it in a sock and hang it from the bedpost. As long as it senses some slight movement from the bed, it’ll think you’re sleeping.
The Pokémon GO Plus + is a tool for efficiency. It’s for the player who wants to keep their "Streaks" alive without being tethered to a screen. It isn't a replacement for manual play—you’ll still want to throw those Excellent Curves yourself when a Shiny legendary pops up—but for the "grind," there isn't anything better on the market right now.
Actionable Next Steps
To maximize your experience with the Pokémon GO Plus +, start by adjusting your in-game settings. Navigate to the "Connected Devices" menu and ensure that "Auto-Spin" is prioritized over "Auto-Catch" if you are low on items. This ensures you don't run out of balls while the device is trying to catch a common Rattata.
Next, sync the device with Pokémon Sleep at least once a week to claim your Snorlax encounters. Even if you don't care about sleep tracking, the rewards in Pokémon GO are worth the minor effort of letting the device sit on your mattress for a few hours.
Finally, invest in a "silencer" case or a padded pouch. This significantly muffles the vibration motor, making the device much more usable in public settings without drawing unwanted attention. By managing your bag space and focusing on standard Poké Ball accumulation, you can turn a mundane commute into a massive Stardust farm.