Nintendo released an all-new “Pokémon” trading card game (TCG) app called “Pokémon: TCG Pocket” on Oct. 29. The game went live then, but many users had trouble accessing the title, including myself. After a week of the app crashing before loading anything, I and many others were able to finally take part in this exciting project.
“Pokémon: TCG Pocket” focuses on card collection, my forte. Every day, users are offered the opportunity to open two booster packs from the “Genetic Apex” series. These packs consist of five cards and come in three variants based on popular Pokémon: Mewtwo, Charizard and Pikachu.
You have the opportunity to find some really interesting cards, such as the much desired “Pikachu EX” card that, once selected, allows you to dive into the card and look around the scenery. Pikachu is pictured ahead of you standing on a log, but once you go in you’ll find that there are several other species like Butterfrees fluttering about, Poliwags basking in a river and Ponytas grazing on the grass.
Each pack comes with a scene card such as this one, as well as other interesting variants of regular Pokémon cards. My favorite is the Bulbasaur card — given they are the best Pokémon — which features a shiny frame of pinks, blues and yellows, as well as a Bulbasaur depicted coming out of some brush.
In addition to the daily booster packs, you can also partake in something called “Wonder Pick.” This feature lets you look at some of the cards other players have pulled and offers you a chance to get one of their cards. They won’t lose that card, you’ll merely get to obtain it as well. The only downside to this method is that the card you want is not guaranteed, as it will shuffle the cards and array them face down, thus making it impossible to know where it went.
The app contains missions you can complete in various ways, such as daily objectives, completing the card dex, collecting highlight cards of certain premade decks and event objectives.
You can also buy a premium pass for $9.99 per month if you want access to more missions. This pass would also allow you to open one extra booster pack per day.
On top of the collection aspect, the app will help you learn how to participate in a “Pokémon TCG” battle. You can fight in solo matches against a computer or in versus matches. Before you can start battling others, however, you have to complete the guide for new players first. Even if you know how to play, it is nice to have a refresher. You also receive two-pack hourglasses, an item that reduces the waiting time to open more packs.
For the battles, you can either build your own deck out of the cards you’ve been collecting or you can use one of the rental decks provided. You can gain access to these rental decks by collecting their highlight cards for deck missions. If there is a card you need that you can’t seem to collect, there is also a feature called “Pack Points” that allows you to buy certain cards. You get pack points by opening packs, so it really is just a vicious cycle of collecting.
Another feature is the social hub that contains community showcases and a card trading feature not yet available. In the community showcases you can view those of random players or your friends. I, for example, can see my fiancé has way more rare cards than I do, which is a problem. Looks like I’ll have to keep avidly collecting.
Finally, the app offers a shop where you can buy hourglasses that lessen the pack opening wait time or the wonder pick wait time, a special shop ticket used for special accessories and supporter/item cards.
Overall, this app has clearly proven to be a much better version of the previous “Pokémon: TCG” app that was riddled with glitches. I’ll never forget opening a physical booster pack and trying to transfer it over to the app, just for it to not register. I’m highly excited to see what comes of this and I recommend this app to those who are getting started in the “Pokémon” TCG world.
5/5 stars
pbortner@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @PokemonTCGP, X
