A Breakdown of the Different Paths in the Alola to Alola Special Research Event in 'Pokémon GO'

For the month of May, the Pokémon from the Alola region have been appearing in abundance in the popular mobile AR game Pokémon GO, giving players their first opportunity to capture many of these creatures in the game.

If you've completed the previous Season of Alola special research quests (A Melemele Adventure, An Akala Adventure, An Ula’ula Adventure, and A Poni Adventure) before now, you'll be able to access the new Alola to Alola Special Research tasks for free.

Those who haven't previously completed these quests can purchase access to the research tasks for $4.99 in the game's online shop.

This series of research tasks offers special encounters with region-exclusive Pokémon and you can collect one of the new Oricorio hats.

Unfortunately, you can only choose one island to explore, limiting your options as to which encounters you'll have and what hat you can earn throughout the event. So, what path should you choose? Let's break down the options.

As the current Alola event begins to wind to a close, Niantic has given players one more opportunity to collect some hard-to-get items for free while also bringing rare encounters to the game.

The end-of-season event, which begins on May 25, will let players pick one of four different islands: Melemele Island, Akala Island, Ula'ula Island, and Poni Island. Each of these paths offers different rewards and encounters. Here's a breakdown of the different rewards.

Melemele Island path rewards:

• 2 Poffins
• Lure Module
• 4 Lucky Eggs
• Alolan Raichu Encounter
• Pom-Pom Style Oricoro Hat for your Avatar

Akala Island path rewards:

• Incense
• 2 Incubators
• Super Incubator
• Alolan Marowak Encounter
• Pa’u Style Oricorio Hat for your Avatar

Ula’ula Island path rewards:

• Glacial Lure
• Magnetic Lure
• 4 Incense
• Alolan Vulpix Encounter
• Baile Style Oricorio Hat for your Avatar

Poni Island path rewards:

• Rocket Radar
• 3 Star Pieces
• Premium Battle Pass
• Alolan Exeggutor Encounter
• Sensu Style Oricorio Hat for your Avatar

Each of the paths presents different tasks for you to complete as well. The Melemele Island path focuses on friendship-based tasks like sending gifts to friends, while the Akala Island path prioritizes exploring and visiting PokéStops. The Ula’ula Island path is catching-focused, while the Poni Island path is battling-focused.

Really, the decision as to which path is best to choose really depends on your personal playstyle for Pokémon GO. If you're someone who opens the app just to catch any Pokémon in the area, then you may want the Ula'ula Island path, while those who love the thrill of a battle will love the Poni Island path.

Alternatively, you can see this event as an opportunity to challenge yourself by picking a path that forces you to explore parts of the game you often overlook.

If you're only completing these tasks for the rewards, though, the Poni Island path offers the highest quality items as a reward. Many of the items, specifically the Star Pieces, are hard to come by for free in the game. If you're hoping to snag some of these coveted items without shelling out some of your own cash, then you should pick the path with the items that you know will be of the most value to you.