It's the 30th anniversary of the Pokemon franchise — and that includes the Pokemon Trading Card Game, with new releases for the physical and digital trading card games. It's also easier to get into the trading card game than before; I speak from experience. If you've ever wanted to play Pokemon TCG, then this Heist Guide will explain how.
What is the Pokemon TCG?
The Pokemon trading card game features different Pokemon decks battling each other to defeat your opponent. Some decks focus on one specific Pokemon type while others combine different Pokemon types together. The different Pokemon deck types include:
- Water Type
- Fire Type
- Grass Type
- Thunder Type
- Metal Type
- Normal Type
- Fighting Type
- Dragon Type
- Psychic Type
- Dark Type.
If you're already a fan of Pokemon, then you probably gravitate towards one (or multiple) Pokemon types. If not, you've got plenty of options to choose from. As for me, I chose a Psychic Type Pokemon deck designed around the Pokemon Mega Diancie. In the Pokemon video games, she's a cool and gorgeous Fairy Type Pokemon.
How do you play the Pokemon Trading Card Game?
Right now, there are three ways to play the Pokemon TCG. First, there's the physical card game based on the official rules that you play in person with others. The others are two different digital apps: Pokemon TCG Live and Pokemon TCG Pocket. While Pokemon TCG Live follows the same official rules as playing in person, Pokemon TCG Pocket features a simplified version of the card game.
If your goal is to play the card game in person, Pokemon TCG Live is the best way to learn the game on your own. There is a training section on the app called The Learning Lab that will show you how to play step by step. There are also pre-built decks you can use until you are confident enough to make your own. Finally, there is a Casual Mode that lets you play against other players for practice without having to worry about being ranked based on wins and losses. You also don't have to spend real money to get new cards, as you get them by leveling up your Battle Pass when you play matches.
What's the difference between Pokemon TCG Live and Pokemon TCG Pocket?
If you just want to casually play the Pokemon TCG virtually without worrying about the official rules, Pokemon TCG Pocket is the way to go. Unlike the official card game and Pokemon TCG Live, matches in Pokemon TCG Pocket are more fast paced. You can also use pre-built decks, make your own, trade cards with other players, and display your cards for those online to see.
Believe it or not, I started with Pokemon TCG Pocket before I started learning the official card game in person and online. I used Pocket first because I thought I would only play the game casually. However, Pocket ended up being so much fun that I ended up wanting to play the official card game in person!
How to find Pokemon trading cards
In order to play the card game in person, you'll need a deck of 60 cards. These usually consist of 16 Pokemon cards, 30 Trainer Cards, and 14 Energy Cards. You can either make your own deck from scratch by using card packs or buy a pre-built deck that you can use right away. Both card packs and pre-built decks can be found locally at stores like Walmart, GameStop, Books-A-Million, anime hobby shops, and gaming, collectibles, and/or comic stores.
If you are new to Pokemon TCG, a pre-built deck is the best way to go because you get a deck that's ready to play. Nowadays, there are different pre-built decks suited for different player levels.
Level 1 decks — like the Victini ex Battle Decks —are aimed at beginners learning the card game mechanics, while level 3 decks like the Mega Lucario Ex Deck are for experienced trading card game players who can handle advanced gameplay. My Mega Diancie deck is level 2, with intermediate level mechanics.
How to play Pokemon TCG in person
Perhaps the hardest part of playing any collectible card game is finding other people to play with. Thankfully, there is an online resource you can use to find other Pokemon TCG players nearby: the Pokemon TCG event locator. By putting in your city and state, you can find a store that hosts Pokemon TCG events. If you are a new player, check if the event is beginner friendly and if you need to register at the store in advance.
In my case, I found a card game store that hosts weekly Pokemon TCG events on Sunday evenings. Everyone at these events has been very welcoming to newcomers. During my first event, I got an Eeveelution Pokemon playmat from a girl who liked my Pokemon Eeveelution T-shirt as well as a free card pack. Although I haven't been able to attend every event, I have gradually made progress with learning the card game and now have a good sized Pokemon card collection.
Got any other Pokemon TCG tips? Let us know on Bluesky!
