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Pokemon TCG Pocket

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Pokemon TCG Pocket

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Pokemon has always been more important than video games. Since the mid-1990s, Pikachu and friends have dominated everything from anime to McDonald’s Happy Meal toys. Now Pokemon TCG Pocket is upgrading another pillar of Pokemon. This free digital game recreates the Pokemon Trading Card Game so you can catch ’em all on your phone. While Pokemon TCG Pocket isn’t our favorite option for adorable monster battles, it’s a cool way to enjoy virtual pocket monsters.

Collecting Digital Pokemon Cards

Don’t confuse Pokemon TCG Pocket with Pokemon TCG Live, the previous and now outdated mobile app for Pokemon card games. Pokemon TCG Pocket is a fresh start for your card collection, and the collectible element is the app’s greatest strength. Pokemon TCG Pocket recognizes that the unpredictable physical process of unlocking new Pokemon cards—suspense, anticipation, and release—is a vital component of the gameplay experience. It must be preserved as best as possible, even in virtual form.

TCG Pocket gives you your first set of cards. You start by looking at the shiny foil Genetic Apex boosters, the first set of cards in the app. From there, you use your phone’s touchscreen to open the package and view the new rewards. This tactile pleasure combined with flashing lights and sound effects never gets old. You get new packs by patiently waiting for your stamina to replenish or by spending money, which we’ll explain later.

The cards are attractive. You manipulate base and EX cards (more powerful variants with more vibrant visual design) in 3D space to admire their high-resolution images. As you receive new cards, watch as new monsters from different generations populate your Pokedex registry. There are about 300 cards in the game, including Bulbasaur, Sizzliped and Zapdos. We expect more to be added over time.

Pokemon TCG Pocket also recognizes the huge social component of the genre. The efficient -esque interface makes it easy to interact with other players in a variety of ways. You can show your cards in a folder or use Wonder Pick to get a copy of a random card from a stranger. The sharing feature is coming soon, but you’ll be able to view decks in the community showcase, including your friends’ collections if you have their account IDs.

Dull Pokemon battles

Pokemon TCG Pocket places an emphasis on collecting mechanics, but with an emphasis on the competitive aspect. This is where the app starts to lose its appeal. The tutorials do a good job of teaching you a simplified digital version of the real game. You fight with your main Pokemon, and the rest remain on the bench. Each turn you draw new cards and gain energy to launch attacks or make tactical retreats. Destroy three enemy monsters to win.

Strategic options include knowing type advantages, evolving Pokémon into stronger forms, and playing support cards with special properties. You can rent starter decks or create your own. The nice thing is that you can practice against opponents offline before trying your luck in online multiplayer mode.

Even thinking strategically, I got bored when the battles turned into monsters repeatedly hitting each other for several turns. The layout is also not particularly convenient for quickly using the phone with one hand.

Other modern mobile card games do a much better job of making their battles more creative and interesting, such as the dramatic combo potential in and . When it comes to Pokemon, I’ve had better battles in RPG games on the Nintendo Switch.

Premium Perks

It’s no surprise that Pokemon TCG Pocket is a free game with in-app purchases. It has various currencies that will help you build your collection. Opening new boosters requires stamina, and waiting for one day accumulates enough stamina for one booster. However, spending an hourglass increases your stamina and reduces your waiting time. By playing matches, collecting cards, and completing daily missions, you earn pack points that can be redeemed for certain cards.

Additionally, you can purchase gold packs with real money to exchange for these currencies, starting at $1 per five gold coins. Or you can sign up for a Premium Pass ($9.99 per month) to get ongoing perks like premium missions and add-on packs.

If you think about it, card games may have given rise to this lucrative and possibly exploitative economic model. So in some ways, a free-to-play mechanic seems appropriate here. However, there is a difference between paying for a real Pokemon card that you can hold in your hand and paying for a blank image on your phone.

Verdict: collecting is cooler than fighting

Pokemon TCG Pocket is a fun way to get started collecting Pokemon cards without filling your house with folders and boxes. Free boosters and online social features fuel the digital leap. While combat isn’t as fun as collecting, it does add more substance to the overall experience. Pokemon TCG Pocket delivers on its promises for a Pokemon mobile card game—just don’t empty your wallet trying to collect them all.

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