Snag Machine

The Snag Machine (Japanese: スナッチマシン Snatch Machine) is a machine designed by Cipher for snagging a Trainer's Pokémon. It is used by the main characters in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness for snagging Shadow Pokémon in order to be purified. The Snag Machine was originally developed by Cipher and then given to Team Snagem in exchange for the snagging of high grade Pokémon to be turned into Shadow Pokémon.

Models

The first incarnations of the machines look like orange vending machines with arms protruding from their sides, in addition to wheels. They store their own Poké Balls and convert them into Snag Balls internally. It is believed that they act autonomously, since neither show any signs of a control box or control panel.

The second version is much smaller, being able to be equipped by a person. It consists of a shoulder pad like unit with a spiraling wire that is attached to a concave cover about the size and shape of a rugby or gridiron ball. The shoulder pad is worn over the left shoulder, the wire coiled around the wearer's arm, and the concave cover worn over the wearer's hand. This version does not store or carry its own Poké Balls. For a regular Poké Ball to be converted into a Snag Ball, the wearer must hold an empty Poké Ball in their left hand while wearing the Snag Machine. When the Ball is thrown, the Snag Machine turns it into a Snag Ball.

In the side series games

During a Pokémon battle, a Snag Machine can only be used once per turn because it needs time to recharge.

The Snag Machine also seems to assist in aiming a Poké Ball, as it can target Pokémon in a Double Battle, while a player cannot attempt to capture a Pokémon in a wild Double Battle when two opponent Pokémon are present (the game states that it is impossible to aim when there are more than one Pokémon). It should be noted, however, that the Snag Machine only appears in Generation III, while wild Double Battles only appear in Generation IV and later.

Pokémon Colosseum

At the beginning of Pokémon Colosseum, Wes destroys the original vending machine-like incarnations and steals the second version when he destroys the Snagem Hideout. Near the end of the game, Team Snagem spreads a rumor claiming that they wish to bring the 'vending machine' model back into use, but it's revealed to be a trap meant to lure Wes into their hands (as they admit that there's no repairing the damage he did to it).

Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Michael receives a new version of this Snag Machine, developed by the scientists at the Pokémon HQ Lab. This variant, in addition to being less bulky and more futuristic looking than that used by Wes, is equipped with an Aura Reader to identify Shadow Pokémon and an alarm system which sounds when the wearer attempts to use the machine improperly.

In other languages

This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items.