Pokemon Trading Card Game News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Post-rotation decks for the online game are here with the new Temporal Forces release. Players are now navigating the best ways to make it to the Arceus League in the new Standard Format. With cards like VIP Pass and Mew VMax out of the way, new decks make it to the forefront, with more potential to come for the next few months. Consider using some of the new Pokémon card archetypes to outplay your opponent.

A newly revealed promo card from ’s expansion may be one of the best in recent times and players should not miss out on the opportunity of collecting it when it is released. Twilight Masquerade is a new Western set that is themed after the DLC for games for Nintendo Switch. A lot of the cards in the expansion are focused on the Land of Kitakami, its inhabitants, and its Pokémon. , for instance, brings Ogerpon and the Loyal Three to the spotlight, as well as Bloodmoon Ursaluna.

Special promo cards from the will be available outside of Japan for the first time ever, breaking a 26-year-long tradition. The new expansion box from the series is hitting shelves later this month and fans are already excited about the cards they will be seeing. News of which Pokémon will get Secret Illustration Rares in has already come out, and other potential cards have been leaked, leaving fans hoping the leaks are accurate.

Cards for the have been printed in both English and Japanese since 1998, but not all cards are created equal. The card flipping market has always existed to some extent. But it's taken off in recent years, catapulting some of the rarest cards to astronomical prices. As a result, many collectors have looked into buying Japanese cards, which, much like their English counterparts, can become precious collectibles in their own right.

The new expansion set for the is almost here, and many beautiful Secret Illustration Rare cards have been revealed. is due to be officially released on May 24, 2024, with 167 cards in the main set plus many more secret cards whose numbers go above the set number. For, many of these include references to the recent video games' DLCs, and .

The expansion for has had several of its cards revealed prior to its release in Japan later in April. The new set is part of the era for the and is focused on portraying the characters and the elements of the first expansion for the Gen 9 games,. As such, Pokémon like Ogerpon, Poltchageist, and Sinistcha, as well as Trainers like Perrin will all be translated into cards for the upcoming set. Ogerpon’s masks and other Kitakami elements have also been confirmed for.

A new ACE SPEC card from ’s upcoming expansion has been revealed, showcasing what may be a very powerful asset to add to several types of competitive decks. ACE SPEC cards are a fairly new gameplay mechanic to return to the after its original debut back in 2012. ACE SPEC cards in are unique assets that often represent Item, Pokémon Tool, or Special Energy cards. In general, the rule of thumb is that only one ACE SPEC card is allowed per deck, forcing players to be additionally careful when picking.

New and exclusive cards for the Battle Academy 2024 Box Set have been revealed, hinting at this year’s contents inside the upcoming product. The Battle Academy is a product set to help players learn and master the mechanics of the and the cards themselves. They usually contain a few 60-card decks, as well as a game board, and several guides and tutorials, for both new and advanced players, who can try and refine their strategies. This year, a new version of the Battle Academy is arriving in Japan and exclusive promo cards have been revealed.

A new binder for the is a perfect nostalgic callback for those who played in the '90s. The series has been relishing in nostalgia recently, particularly with 's set, which launched in September 2023 and featured the original 151 Pokémon from Gen 1's Kanto region.

The long-running 's latest set, has some of the hardest pull rates for Hyper Rare and Special Illustration cards yet, according to new data. was released on March 22, 2024, and are derived from their Japanese equivalents from the and sets that were released in January. The set is made up of 218 total cards, 161 of which come from the main set, and 56 that are secret rare cards, and reintroduced the ACE SPEC mechanic from the set to the game.

The latest expansion set for the is here:, adding even more highly collectible and valuable cards to the game. The set was released on March 22, 2024, with Walking Wake ex and Iron Leaves ex as its featured cover art Pokémon. There are a total of 218 cards included in this launch, with 162 as part of the main, numbered set, and another 56 as Secret Rares that offer beautiful full-art illustration variants of some of the cards included in the main set.

There are some significant implications for the being carried by the announcement of. While a new mobile game was announced alongside the new title for Pokémon Day 2024, no correlation was drawn between the two aspects of the wider franchise. Nevertheless, considering past development patterns, will have a huge impact on the TCG, with one potential change in particular being especially notable.

New cards for the upcoming expansion are shining light on a roster of Legendaries and special characters from ’s DLCs. The release of is set for late May, and will delve into the first of the DLCs for the Generation 9 games:. Within the set, players and collectors will be able to acquire cards that are directly linked to the Land of Kitakami, the citizens of Mossui Town, and the several different types of Pokémon that inhabit the location.

The offers a bit of nostalgia with its set, which features all 151 of the beloved Pokémon that started it all. These classic Gen 1 pocket monsters from the Kanto region were the originals, and remain some of the most familiar and beloved characters in the franchise today. 's charm makes it a popular set, mostly due to the love that many fans of the series have for these original 151 characters and the memories that accompany them.

New details for just dropped and introduced a new Ogerpon ex card with dazzling foil artwork, showcasing her power with her various masks. This set includes six distinct Ogerpon cards, four of which are ex cards for each one of her masks, as well as other Pokémon introduced in the from Kitakami like Sinistcha and Bloodmoon Ursaluna.

The release date, details about new cards, and product sets for ’s expansion have been revealed, though a lot still remains in secrecy. is an expansion of the series, initiated in 2023. The new set was first discovered in January 2024, when its trademark was originally filed, but little else was known about it so far, other than the heavy speculation that it revolves around the Stellar Type mechanic, introduced with the DLC for the video games.

The is currently releasing card sets based on the video games and their corresponding Generation 9 Pokémon. This doesn't mean people have forgotten about the cards from the previous set, however, and many of the cards from that era remain quite valuable in collectors' markets. As is the case with all card expansions, some of the more rare and special pieces continue to stand out as being worth quite a lot of money.

, the new in the franchise, has only just been announced, and it is already met with a huge problem ahead of its release. was one of the announcements featured during the special Pokémon Presents broadcast scheduled for 2024’s Pokémon Day. The event brought forth all the new additions to several of its existing games, including,,, and more. Aside from the significant updates to these titles, Nintendo also revealed two upcoming games. The most notable one is the new game, set in a rather unexpected region.

The first cards of the new expansion for have been revealed, showcasing Bloodmoon Ursaluna’ debut in the, as well as a variety of new prints. The tabletop game has embraced the era and has started to transition away from older sets, though several of its expansions are still valid in the Standard format. While the focus is currently on the set and the upcoming release of , details about a new set have emerged.

The Secret Rare cards in ’s expansion for will likely be the most sought-after items in the collection. Not only are they hard to obtain from boosters given their low pull rate, but they also boast exclusive artwork. Secret Rares tend to be the most valuable cards in any set and are composed of different categories. As of the start of the series, Illustration Rare Pokémon, Full Art Pokémon, Full Art Supporters, Special Illustration Rare Pokémon, Special Illustration Rare Supporters, and Gold Cards are all considered Secret Rare cards.

The exclusive promo card for Pokémon Day 2024 has been revealed, prompting collectors and players to get ready to claim it. Every year, Nintendo celebrates the anniversary of its classic monster-catching franchise in February, which lines up with the release of the first titles in Japan. The company does so by hosting a special broadcast in which it announces the upcoming releases for the following months and years. This includes new sets, video games, animation series, movies, and much more – game announcements on Pokémon Day tend to be the most common, however.

Despite the release of the series of expansions, ’s best deck continues to be one composed primarily of old cards from previous expansion packs. Since early 2023, the trading card game initiated a new series to reflect the current moment in the Generation 9 games. The new expansions of the series added creatures from Paldea and brought back older gameplay mechanics, such as Pokémon ex. The cards, for instance, highlight creatures from the Gen 9 region, as well as Shiny versions of several monsters, including Charizard and Palafin.

Helping to keep the game fresh and ever-evolving, the is frequently adding new game mechanics to the rules for players to equip in their decks. The upcoming expansion is set to bring back one of these mechanics that has not received new cards for over a decade. Trainer and Item cards classified as ACE SPEC are so powerful that there is a restriction on Trainers to only have one of these bright magenta cards in their deck, regardless of what type of ACE SPEC is held.

The is becoming a bit shinier with the release of its expansion to the card set. has over 240 cards in its collection, with over 100 of those cards featuring Shiny Pokémon. As a collection that focuses on the return of Shiny Pokémon to the, the is a highly desired set.

Eager fans who have been awaiting more news on the upcoming set can rejoice. Elite Trainer Boxes for the Ancient and Future-themed Pokémon are now available for preorder, with new information on the set, including some pictures, appearing frequently. will feature the Paradox Pokémon Walking Wake and Iron Leaves and will bring back the ACE SPEC cards from the era.

The will be getting a game-changing new expansion in a couple of months, with the introduction of, which will add powerful new cards to the experience. Following the typical schedule of new sets every few months, the next expansion will arrive after the set, which releases at the end of January 2024. Whereas the set features many of the shiny variants of cards, appears to be focusing more on Paradox Pokémon and some extra powerful cards.

Pokémon Trainers for the can look forward to a good start to 2024, with not only the upcoming shiny-focused expansion but another new expansion shortly thereafter. The popular TCG is currently focusing on cards that are based on the most current video game entries, with both Pokémon and game mechanics that are similar to what is seen there. Now, a new expansion could be seen in the upcoming months, with ties to the Paradox theme that occurs in the games.

McDonald's 2023 promotion added special cards featuring a selection of characters from the Paldea region that were introduced with in 2022. The fast-food giant has held eight promotions for in the past and its cards can include a special confetti-style holofoil pattern unique to McDonald's. Although the cards are difficult to come by due to a rush of fans wanting to collect them all, this also means that often the Happy Meal event cards can be valued higher and make for fun additions to any collection.

There are many beautiful illustrations and special promo cards for the , but surprisingly, very few of them feature any specific holiday theme. Even cards included in the annual advent calendars traditionally feature reprints of other cards with a special holiday snowflake on them. This is disappointing as the artwork for cards, specifically for Secret Rares, can be beautifully crafted and lend itself well to having more thematic attributes.

The is not slowing down any with its releases of new expansion sets to, and this next one may be the most popular yet. The set will kick off the TCG's 2024 lineup with 240 cards, over 100 of which will feature shiny and new Pokémon ex variations. A comparable set has already debuted in Japan with the name although the full card lists for the two will not be identical. While, at the time of writing, there has not yet been a full reveal of which cards will carry over to, there are many that are expected to.

The will kick off 2024 with the new set, and the Elite Trainer Box is a deluxe way to celebrate the addition. follows the November release of, localizing cards from the Japanese set along with some that didn't make it into the Western launch of The set will be significantly bigger than with over 240 cards in total, and more than 100 of these cards will focus on Shiny Pokémon.

The has officially confirmed its first new set of 2024. The upcoming expansion is titled and will comprise cards from the set that's releasing in Japan on December 1, and it's also expected to include some cards that were left out of the recent release of in the West. Thanks to the official announcement, has been given a release date while also showing off new cards in English and special sets that will be releasing in 2024.

Collecting cards for the can be an expensive hobby, but taking advantage of Black Friday deals can help take a bit of pressure off of a budget. Whether looking for a great holiday gift for someone or adding to a personal collection, has some good deals this season. Of course, while many of these take place at the big-name stores, it is always a great idea to check with any friendly local game stores first to see if they are running any promotions for either Black Friday or Small Business Saturday to support the local communities.

The latest expansion to is the set which includes 84 Secret Rares that go above the basic numbering of the set. These include numerous Special Illustration Rares which have already proven to be in high demand according to market prices on TCGPlayer even before the full launch of the set. Some of these beautiful cards feature truly exceptional artwork that when combined with their rarity makes them all the more special for anyone lucky enough to come across one.

In late October 2023, the card sets, and were released in Japan. While the sets feature some cards that are mostly forgettable, there are a few cards in either set that are the exact opposite and will be eagerly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs from across the globe. Among the best cards from the two sets are the 58 secret rares — some of which have magnificent and unique art that is incredibly beautiful, and will undoubtedly make these cards highly prized by many collectors and fans of the .

There are several expensive cards in the expansion for . The new set has finally arrived, offering players more options to choose from in the current base game. is a expansion that focuses primarily on the several Paradox Pokémon from , both ancient and future. Creatures like Roaring Moon and Iron Valiant are at the forefront of the new cards, and this specific duo also composes the themes for the various t products, such as Elite Trainer Boxes (ETB) and booster packs.

On October 27, 2023, the Japanese card sets, and were released. Though some of the cards from the and sets are fairly forgettable, many of them, particularly a few of the 58 Secret Rares, are incredibly beautiful and are, without question, cards that many of the most dedicated and discerning connoisseurs and collectors will undoubtedly want to have in their collections.

The 's upcoming release of its self-contained game,, includes three ready-to-play decks in addition to its unique carrying case playing field design that holds everything in one board game-style package. The fully evolved starter Pokémon of the Kanto region, Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard, each headline one of the three decks for the Each of these decks has been pre-designed and tested to be fair against each other to give everyone equal footing. The cards may just be a small part of the overall presentation of this product, yet they are the most important piece.

The has been around since 1996, and during those decades, there have been some incredibly powerful cards released for the TCG, including many that ended up so overpowered that they have since been banned from tournament play. regularly debuts new styles of cards with featured abilities to make sets stand out from each other, and sometimes, this leads to certain cards packing a real Pika Punch over the rest. Tournament-allowed cards are reevaluated yearly and adjusted as needed, but casual games can still use some of the overpowered cards if the player has them and everyone is in agreement.

What was supposed to be an adorable collaboration card for the with Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum became a chaotic frenzy for collectors and scalpers who wanted to get a copy of the special Van Gogh Pikachu card. On September 28, 2023, when The Pokémon Company debuted its collaboration collection with the museum, scalpers swarmed in to claim the cards, so they could be resold at exorbitant rates online rather than allowing true fans to be able to get access to them as intended. The Van Gogh collection merchandise was entirely sold out within the first 24 hours of the exhibit's opening, and promo cards were out of stock in minutes online.

The most expensive cards of all time have now seen sales that set new benchmarks for how much money collectors would be willing to invest. The has always been a lucrative arm of the franchise, with some extremely rare cards out there fetching unbelievable prices. A whole host of cards from across the history of the have climbed to significant values, but the cream of the crop is on another level entirely.

Although the latest expansion set to the , ,is surprising some people by having much greater pull rates than previously anticipated, many rare cards are still difficult to come by. This is a special set, being released as number 3.5 for the cards between and the upcoming. Featuring a lineup of the original 151 Pokémon from the Kanto region, this set offers a nostalgic feeling, with some of the most beautiful artwork seen, but it would take a lot for anyone to get a complete set.

's latest expansion, brings original Pokémon from the Kanto region up to date with refreshed gameplay mechanics of, including the ex variant abilities, some of which are fetching decent prices on the resell market. While these characters can evoke memories for those who played back when the original 151 was all there was, they also can prove to be very useful when brought to the table. 's ex cards in particular can offer strategic and powerful benefits that make them stand out from the over 165 cards included in the expansion.

The brings back the nostalgia of years past by showcasing all 151 of the classic Pokémon that were originally discovered in the Kanto region, now as a part of the set. These cards are designed with gameplay mechanics from and include stunning artwork that holds particular attention to evolutions. 's charm could make it one of the most popular sets in years, mostly due to the love that many fans of the series have for these original 151 characters and the memories that go along with them.