The Pokémon card game has long stood as one of the cornerstones of the world’s most popular entertainment franchise. There have been many iterations and modifications. This includes a number of video game versions, most recently Pokemon TCG Pocket, a mobile game that simplifies the mechanics and offers fans a new way to collect their favorite creatures digitally. It’s a fun way to experience the Pokemon TCG if you can look past the system that encourages microtransactions and other unhealthy practices.
Put your cards down
Although Pokemon TCG Pocket isn’t The Pokemon Company’s first attempt at bringing a beloved game to a digital platform, But this is the first time the game has been created from the ground up for mobile devices. The game’s greatest strength is simply its methodology. good It felt like I was tearing open an envelope and flipping the cards over. There’s a lot of attention to detail here too. For example, you can flip the pack to open backwards. Just like many players do in real life. When you pull a card out of the pack You can turn the cards sideways to see their edges. This perfectly simulates the feeling you get when you see an upcoming card. And can tell when you’re about to pull something. Hard to find.
It was this iteration that drew me into TCG Pocket in the first place. The desire to open more packs and fill out my Pokedex (which included just under a quarter of the full Pokedex at launch) was met. Backed by the card aesthetics, TCG Pocket features both classic and original card designs, including the Kadabra and Fat Pikachu base sets. The game also introduces Immersive Cards, which feature large animated artwork that can be viewed by pressing your finger on the card. These animations are gorgeous. And I hope the other cards Many more will be realistically implemented in the future. Currently, this perk is only available to Charizard, Mewtwo, Pikachu, and Mew.
Pokemon TCG Pocket lets players open two free packs every 24 hours, each containing five cards. However, there are two ways to speed up the process. You can use the Hourglass Pack, one of the amazing 13 (yes, 13!) currencies in Pokemon TCG Pocket. Pokemon TCG Pocket to reduce your pack cooldown The less time your cooldown is left, The cheaper it is to bypass, you earn Hourglass Packs by completing missions and leveling up. Finally, Hourglass Packs are hard to find, and you need to be careful when deciding how to spend them. Of course, the game makes sure you’re aware that you can use real-world money to buy Poke Gold and open packs too.
Cards can be acquired through Wonder Pick, which lets you snatch a card that a friend or stranger just pulled from their own pack. The catch is All cards are turned over. And you have to choose one card at random. You have a one in five chance of drawing the card you want. And according to the Shell game style You are always shown where the card is after you make your selection. Wonder Pick has its own currency. This will recharge over many hours in the real world. But don’t worry, Poke Gold is here again to save the day if you run out of Wonder Hourglass. Of course, there’s also a monthly subscription that increases your “free” daily packs and rewards.
It’s hard not to be cynical when the Pokemon TCG Pocket is blatantly praying about our worst instincts. It uses beloved assets to encourage players to spend real money to get what they want. Feeling bad when I opened the 10th Charizard pack in a row hoping to get a Starmie, but instead got the 12th Sizzlipede. Of course, everyone It could be argued that this dynamic exists in the Pokemon TCG as well, but at least there’s the obstacle of having to go to the store and open the pack yourself. And it can handle no more than ten currencies.
as an adult I know when to stop and put the game away. But I fear the kind of relationship that young fans will develop with this game. It’s really a pity. I feel like Pokemon games should have some kind of disclaimer before you download them. It’s a trend that’s all the same in the mobile space. And I could just as easily criticize a game like Genshin Impact or Marvel Snap – after all, these systems create delicious cash cows for publishers. But it creates diminishing returns for players in the long run.
Decorated already
Stepping off your soapbox, opening packs, and collecting cards is only half the experience in Pokemon TCG Pocket, as with any game. You can be perfectly content collecting cards to show off to your friends and other players, but there’s also the option of bringing them into battle.
Battles in The Pokemon Trading Card Game play out quite differently than the main Pokemon games, and TCG Pocket does a great job of simplifying the mechanics. and makes it easier for newcomers. As a kid, I was confused by the multitude of Energy, Trainer, and Support cards I pulled from packs, but the UI and tooltips in TCG Pocket clearly laid out when it was time. It’s fine for me to cast a Professor Oak card or if I’m going to end my turn without spending energy on a Pokémon. There is a graphic that clearly shows the type’s weaknesses. And the animations make the battles look a little more lively.
I’ve seen die-hard TCG fans describe Pocket’s combat as a dumbed-down version of the original game. And they might even be right, but I liked it. The battles were fast-paced. This is perfect for the pick-up-and-play approach I have with mobile games. If you’re not an experienced deck builder, TCG Pocket will build a deck for you based on the card types you need. It’s a great way to skip the headache of deck building and get to what players actually want to do. As you learn more about the game You can go back and make specific changes to these decks and customize them however you want.
Rewards can be earned through online battles, although Exp is only gained when you win. which feels unnecessarily cruel. Since the Pokemon TCG Pocket is currently only a fraction of the full Pokedex, the meta is quickly shaping up to revolve around a handful of powerful decks. If you only organize a few online matches You’re guaranteed to find a combo. Mewtwo/Gardevoir, Pikachu EX, or one of those super fun Misty decks is annoying, but I think the meta will play out when Pokémon are added to the game again.
Just keep pulling.
I like Pokemon TCG Pocket the most in spite of it. which is hardly played at all Logging in every day to pull free packs and receive my free rewards is a simple and peaceful life. However, the more time I spend on the app, The more I became annoyed with the game’s negative feedback loop and distortion system. There’s no doubt I’ll be keeping an eye out for new events and eventual Pokedex expansions, but as a huge fan of the franchise, It’s best that I keep the Pokemon TCG Pocket handy.
This review is based on the iOS version of Pokemon TCG Pocket Pokemon TCG Pocket is available for free on iOS and Android devices.
