Pokemon TCG is the most popular trading card globally, with a large fan base made up of both avid collectors and competitive players. The Pokemon trading card game arrived soon after the success of the incredibly popular video games. Since then, it has been one of the most beloved of its kind due to it’s highly collectible nature driven by valuable cards found in practically all sets that release
Top Picks for 2024
Temporal Forces: ACE SPEC cards make a return to the trading card game with the Temporal Forces set! ACE SPEC cards are very powerful Trainer cards that provide game-changing effects to shift games back into your favour. But make sure you pick the right one for your strategy, as you can only have one in your deck. Temporal Forces is packed with other meta-shifting cards and is the perfect set for anyone looking to flesh out any competitive decks they’ve built. Check out our list of the ‘10 Most Important Cards In Temporal Forces’ for more ideas of cards to include in your deck.
Twilight Masquerade: The latest main set, releasing on 24th May 2024, is set around the ‘The Hidden Treasure Of Area Zero’ DLC of The Scarlet & Violet video games. It introduces brand new Pokemon not ever seen in the trading card game, including 4 versions of Ogerpon each with their own unique mask. ACE SPEC cards will again feature, which bring new meta staple cards into the game.
151: Without a doubt, the most popular set of recent times has been Scarlet & Violet: 151, where the card game returned to its roots in the original ‘Kanto’ region. Celebrating the original 151 Pokemon that existed from the beginning of the franchise, the set is filled to the brim with nostalgic cards of the most popular Pokemon of all time, including multiple variants of Charizard, Blastoise & Venusaur. While players of the game might want a set with more staple cards to be used in competitive play, 151 was clearly aimed at collectors, as it contained numerous valuable chase cards that are meant to be stored and shown off in a binder.
Pokemon TCG Buying Guide
Pokemon TCG has a wide range of products you can pick up, but most revolve around booster packs, which provide 10 randomised cards and a chance at getting a rare and valuable card from the set it’s from. Each set has a different range of cards in it, so make sure you check the setlist beforehand if there’s a particular card you’re after.
Booster packs can be found in a variety of different forms, with the most common way to buy being as a singular booster pack. They can also be bought in larger quantities which, of course, give better discounts, such as 6 pack bundles and booster boxes. Any of these are great for anyone who wants only the cards and no extra items.
Elite Trainer Boxes are another great way to start building a collection and usually come with 9 booster packs, as well as some other goodies, such as a storage box, damage counters, and an exclusive promo card that can only be found in the Elite Trainer Box!
If you’re more interested in playing the game, then the battle decks are a great jumping on point and provide a ready to play deck that does not require you to have any knowledge of how to build a deck. They come in levels 1-3, with level 1 decks being designed for young players around 5-8 years. The level 2 and 3 decks are more suited for older or experienced players and provide more capable decks that would pack a punch at a local Pokemon League event. Want to build your own deck? Check out our guide here!