Pokemon
Pokemon
Pokemon TCG Pocket: How to find and open Genetic Apex packs
Steven Rondina
While Pokemon TCG Pocket gave players a welcome treat with the Space-Time Smackdown expansion, some might be wondering if they can still open Genetic Apex packs. Thankfully they’re still available, albeit hidden. Pokemon TCG Pocket started strong with the massive Genetic Apex expansion, which featured hundreds of cards to collect including the full original 150 Pokemon. The Mythical Island mini-set fleshed that out further, and it wasn’t long until Space-Time …
Pokemon
Space-Time Smackdown brings new tools to Pokemon TCG Pocket
M Alzamora
While players are poring over the revealed full art cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket, the new tools cards may end up becoming the best pulls. Pokemon TCG Pocket has a number of exciting upcoming features coming to the game. Most notable is the second full booster set titled Space-Time Smackdown and featuring Generation 4 Pokemon. Pokemon TCG Pocket is also finally giving players access to player-to-player trading, albeit in a …
Pokemon
Can you buy cards from other players in Pokemon TCG Pocket?
Steven Rondina
Trading is coming to Pokemon TCG Pocket, but does this mean players can buy cards, gold, and other resources from each other? Not if The Pokemon Company has anything to say about it. The Pokemon TCG is known for many things, but in recent years it’s been defined by its rarest, most expensive cards. The 2024 mobile game Pokemon TCG Pocket has broken free from that by offering players an …
Pokemon
Best cards to pull for Space-Time Smackdown in TCG Pocket
M Alzamora
Pokemon TCG Pocket is gearing up to release the second card set titled Space-Time Smackdown, and we’ve got an early look at the best cards to pull from this new set. As the end of January approaches, Pokemon TCG Pocket players have a lot to look forward to. Currently going on is a Psychic Pokemon Mass Outbreak event with no-cost Psychic Wonder Picks. Trading is finally coming to the game …
Pokemon
Pokemon cards coming to US McDonald’s Happy Meals in January
M Alzamora
The nearly annual McDonald’s and Pokemon card collaboration returns to the US in January 2025, with the release date right around the corner. Pokemon TCG collectors and players alike know the value of an exclusive card, no matter the medium or where it’s found. With the Prismatic Evolution Umbreon SIR going for thousands of dollars and TCG Pocket players spending real money to get a digital Celebi ex immersive rare, …
Pokemon
Pokemon TCG Pocket won’t let you trade for rarest cards
M Alzamora
Players excited to finally trade for an immersive art Mew ex in Pokemon TCG Pocket may have to keep waiting, as it appears trading for the game’s rarest cards may not be an option anytime soon. Since the game’s public release in late October 31, Pokemon TCG Pocket has been downloaded over 60 million times. Fans have praised it for being mostly free-to-play and for simplifying the battling process. TCG …
Pokemon
Fans upset about new premium card in TCG Pocket, here’s why
M Alzamora
The January premium rewards are out for Pokemon TCG Pocket, but some fans are upset over the “free” card for the new month. While Pokemon TCG Pocket is a free-to-play game, many have invested in the premium model for its numerous benefits. These include getting to open a third card pack daily and getting regular access to exclusive rewards. But as the January updates have begun rolling out, some premium …
Pokemon
Beat Mew ex with these counters in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Steven Rondina
Mew ex may have become one of the best counters in Pokemon TCG Pocket, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to counter it right back. Pokemon TCG Pocket’s newest booster pack Mythical Island entered the meta with a bang, introducing several game-changing cards. One such card is Mew ex, which needs only three of any energy to steal the opponent’s active Pokemon’s moveset. In practice, this leaves Mew ex …
The best way to counter Celebi ex in Pokemon TCG Pocket
M Alzamora
Pokemon
Celebi ex can be a challenge to try and counter, but there are plenty of other Pokemon in TCG Pocket that can take it down just as quickly as it comes up. Coming alongside the new booster pack Mythical Island, Celebi ex has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the best cards in the Pokemon TCG Pocket meta. The card allows the player to flip a coin …
Pokemon TCG Pocket January events schedule revealed
Olivia Richman
Pokemon
The mini-set Mythical Island just dropped in Pokemon TCG Pocket but fans already want to know what’s coming next. Thankfully, the full Pokemon TCG Pocket schedule of events for January has already been unearthed. Pokemon TCG Pocket has continued to grow in popularity, offering fun, immersive cards to collect and a simplified version of the trading card game. The new mini-set added 86 new cards to the game, shaking up …
The best Pokemon cards to pull in Mythical Island
William Davis
Pokemon
Mythical Island has arrived in Pokemon TCG Pocket, and these cards will make the best additions to any player’s collection. Pokemon TCG Pocket’s mini set just dropped, bringing 86 new cards to the popular free-to-play mobile app. Out of the 86 Mythical Island cards, 68 are numbered, six are illustration rare and 10 are special illustration rare variations of those cards, one is an ultra rare immersive, and one is …
Here are all the 2024 Pokemon cards coming to McDonald’s
Steven Rondina
Pokemon
The 2024 set of Pokemon TCG promo cards has arrived in McDonald’s locations in France, giving international fans a look at what’s to come. On an annual basis, Pokemon has partnered with McDonald’s for a line of Happy Meal toys. Though extra trimmings are added each year, the centerpiece is always the lineup of cards. While the prices for these promos aren’t nearly as high as the collector’s pieces found …
M80 absorbs beastcoast; what next for its Pokemon, Dota 2 teams
Steven Rondina
Pokemon
Esports organization beastcoast, known for its Rainbow Six, Dota 2, and Pokemon teams, is no more and will be absorbed by M80. beastcoast founder and CEO Grant Zinn, alongside M80, announced the news on Twitter. M80 has been a staple across multiple esports, most notably Rainbow Six and Valorant. Its Valorant roster disbanded after failing to earn a promotion to VCT Americas. The team finished in second place in VCT …
New Pokemon Legends: Z-A details possibly revealed in anime
Steven Rondina
Pokemon
The Pokemon Horizons anime has been a staging ground for upcoming video game content, and a new Poke Ball shown in the anime may be a key element in the upcoming Pokemon Legends: Z-A. During Ash Ketchum’s 26-year run as the main character of the Pokemon anime, the show was largely separate from the games. They shared Pokemon and characters, but Charizard disobeying Ash even after getting eight gym badges, …
Max Mushrooms coming to Pokemon GO; here’s how they work
Steven Rondina
Pokemon
Max Mushrooms are coming to Pokemon GO, but anyone hoping for a shortcut to building up a roster of Dynamax-ready Pokemon will be disappointed. The introduction of Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon to Pokemon GO hasn’t gone especially well for Niantic. The mechanic itself wasn’t especially popular when it arrived in Pokemon Sword and Shield. That was the case with Pokemon GO, too, as fans lamented its general similarity to existing …
Pokemon GO is finally making Gigantamax raids worth doing
Steven Rondina
Pokemon
Pokemon GO fans have been underwhelmed by the introduction of Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon, but Niantic revealed upcoming changes that will make them more worthwhile. The Dynamax mechanic was a controversial one when it was first introduced in Pokemon Sword and Shield. In a flailing hate campaign against the games, fans latched onto Dynamax in particular as something to be mad about. This was because the games marked the end …
Pokemon GO: Best counters to Origin Forme Palkia & Dialga
Steven Rondina
Pokemon
Origin Forme Palkia and Dialga are stronger than their counterparts in Pokemon GO, but what’s the best counter to them in raids? The Pokemon Legends: Arceus variants of the gen-four legendaries first arrived in Pokemon GO in January 2024 as part of the Sinnoh-themed Pokemon GO Tour event. While the introduction of new versions of familiar legendaries is always exciting, these two took things a step further. By using candies, …
What is the best deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket?
Jared Wynne
Pokemon
Is there one deck that stands out as the best deck in all of Pokemon TCG Pocket? It depends on who you ask, but there are definitely a few top candidates. Pokemon TCG Pocket has taken the world by storm, with publisher The Pokemon Company already claiming tens of millions of downloads for their new game. Combining elements of the traditional Pokemon trading card game with a simple and user-friendly …
Rumors of updates of a multiplayer Pokemon game sparks buzz
Syed Mujtaba Naqvi
Pokemon
A new update has reignited excitement among Pokemon fans, as rumors continue to swirl about a potential multiplayer Pokemon game. Recent leaks hint at a collaborative effort between Game Freak and ILCA, sparking curiosity and speculation throughout the gaming community. Although concrete details remain scarce, the information revealed so far paints an intriguing picture of what could be the next big thing in the Pokemon universe. Related: New Pokemon TCG …
New Pokemon TCG Pocket leak teases exciting upcoming events and content
Syed Mujtaba Naqvi
Pokemon
Pokemon TCG Pocket fans have reason to be excited as recent leaks reveal thrilling updates, hinting at upcoming events and new card releases for the digital trading card game. The game, which brings the beloved Pokemon Trading Card experience to a digital platform, has been well-received by players. However, many felt it lacked enough content and features. Now, these leaks suggest that the developers are working hard to deliver fresh …
Pokemon stands as the largest cross-media IP in the world by a comfortable margin, but how did it make such explosive gains?
For a long while, pivoting a video game franchise into a larger brand seemed impossible. Iconic titles like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Resident Evil received TV and film adaptations, with the most common result being catastrophic failure. That was the norm from the 1990s all the way into the 2020s; and it probably shouldn’t have been.
While Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li and Silent Hill: Revelation were irredeemably bad, Pokemon showed that a video game series can be adapted into many different mediums. Here’s a quick history of the franchise and its future outlook.
Pokemon explodes with Game Boy games, quickly expands
Pokemon first arrived in Japan in 1996 with the release of Pokemon Red and Green; a pair of titles for the Nintendo Game Boy. The two games were largely identical, but each one had a handful of Pokemon that were exclusive to those titles. This encouraged players to collect and trade these monsters with others who purchased the games.
Later on in 1996, the game was reimagined as a trading card game. Then in 1997, an anime adaptation launched in Japan.
Both of those rapid-fire expansions earned strong success domestically. More importantly, it primed Pokemon for an overwhelming global push.
In 1998, the franchise officially crossed over into North America, Europe, and Australia. The games were killer apps for the Game Boy but it wasn’t just a video game. An accompanying anime aired new episodes daily, and the trading card game exploded out of the gate. This made it difficult to ignore Pokemon to the point where characters like Ash Ketchum and Pikachu were universally recognizable. Just like that, the franchise was unstoppable.
Pokemon expands beyond Nintendo consoles, grows even further
For decades, Pokemon video games were among the top-selling games each year they came out. The Pokemon TCG was one of the biggest in the industry. The anime was a constant, without even mentioning its many spin-off movies. Licensing characters for toys and apparel was a golden goose for all involved.
But the franchise was still positioned to grow further.
Almost all of the games were exclusive to Nintendo’s gaming hardware, but mobile gaming was on a sharp rise of its own. The franchise also released a long list of spin-offs, successfully turning the series into everything from a pinball game to a beat ‘em up. The Pokemon Company had dabbled with PC and mobile games previously, but started actively partnering with other studios in the 2010s.
The biggest example of this was Pokemon GO. The Pokemon Company partnered with AR game studio Niantic was an instant hit, being downloaded hundreds of millions of times. It was far from alone, however. Battling-focused gacha game Pokemon Masters, MOBA adaptation Pokemon Unite, and puzzle game Pokemon Cafe launched in the following years.
It wasn’t just licensed mobile games, though. Games like Detective Pikachu and New Pokemon Snap gave players fresh and varied ways to enjoy the familiar franchise.
Modern Pokémon games see mixed response, but sales remain strong
Though Pokémon has many lifelong fans, the mainline releases have long attracted controversy within the fandom. Though the first few generations were generally beloved, opinions on new and modern games releases vary wildly. Starting with the Nintendo Switch, critical response to the games wavered.
Reviews for Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee were lower than previous entries in the series. That pattern held with Pokémon Sword and Shield, which were also met with extreme backlash on social media.
Though each mainline game made every monster from previous generations available up until Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, this ended with Sword and Shield. Several fan favorites, including Beedrill and the Unovan starters, were made unobtainable in the game. The mega evolution and Z-move battle mechanics were also removed from the games. It’s unclear why or what methodology was used to determine which of the little monsters were left out.
Reviews sank further from there, with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, then Pokémon Scarlet and Violet garnering the lowest review averages for mainline games.
Despite this, the games were still an enormous commercial success. Pokémon Sword, Shield, Scarlet, and Violet ranked among the best-selling games in franchise history. Its publisher may have heeded some of the fan criticism however, as the company opted against releasing a new mainline game or expansion in 2024. This was the first year without a major game release since 2015.
