I have fond memories of the early days of Pokemon Go obsession. When it’s shiny, new, and exciting. I do understand why some people are still into it, but I don’t regret that I slowly quit gaming. Pokémon’s never-ending treadmill of collection and improvement is a perfect fit for the brutal and compelling cycle of mobile gaming—but I’m glad I quit.
But now, with Pokémon Trading Card Game PocketI’m worried I’m back again.
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It’s a good fear, though. Just like what you experience before riding a scary looking roller coaster. I’ve only played a small portion of the new digital iteration of Pokemon Card Collectors and Battlers, but it’s enough to know that once it comes out, I’ll everywhere. This will be a bed game. Train game. Toilet games. “My wife spent a long time in the store” game. But – and perhaps most importantly – this will be the kind of mobile game I launch and play in time no Time is wasted waiting for one thing or another. This will be a game I actively play for the sake of gaming.
Of course, there have been digital representations of Pokemon TCG before. In fact, there are already some. But I never really felt caught by any of them. The new one-hour TCG Pocket feels more inviting and exciting sky The gameplay of its predecessor – thanks to some brave and clever design decisions.
Bravery is perhaps the most impressive. The Pokemon TCG is an established and beloved game. It was popular, successful, and appealed equally to those who participated in international tournaments as to those who played loose versions of the game with their own rules. But Pokemon TCG Pocket says: Forget all that. Let’s do something new.
To be clear, this is essentially the same game. But existing trading card games are viewed more as a framework. The goal is to create a new Games that resonate the same way feelings and follow the same broad flow Originally a tabletop game – but still optimized for mobile and digital gaming, its efficiency is almost brutal. The results are very good.
The deck is reduced from 60 cards in the main game to only 20 cards. Gone is the concept of six “prize cards” that were drawn to your hand after defeating your opponent’s Pokémon and used to mark your path to victory. It’s now points-based, with each elimination awarding one victory point, of which three are required.
The biggest change is: the energy card disappears. An energy is automatically generated at the beginning of each round. If you use a multi-type deck, it’s divided into up to three types, and the type of energy dropped at the start of each turn is completely random – just like drawing cards from an energy-inflated deck. Hence, smaller decks, shorter games, less hanging around, and less ability to get bogged down when drawing cards over multiple turns. The result is a version of the game that’s snappier, faster, and better suited to playing on mobile devices when you have a few minutes to spare.
In a way, even the cards are different. The Pokémon Company focuses on showcasing new stylish, fully art animated cards; the camera zooms and pans through beautiful environments to reveal the world of Pokémon beyond the cards. This is apparently only possible with digital cards, at least this side of some earth-shattering breakthroughs in quantum physics – so of course they’re going to show it off. But what’s more interesting is the utility of the cards, with familiar-looking cards being redeployed here, as well as beloved artwork from the Pokemon TCG’s entire 30-year history – but it’s the abilities of these cards and their role in the game that The balancing approach is different and is usually unique to Pocket Edition games.
Again, everything has been balanced specifically for this mobile experience, maximizing the best version of the Pokemon Trading Card Game format.
I actually like the word maximize. In a sense, Pocket is a kind of minimalism, a glorious contradiction. It minimizes the Pokemon TCG experience into a more streamlined format – but does so in a maximalist way, with the developers making the most of much of what’s left.
Doing the most also means doing it Smooth as hellso this game also features cute-looking and beautifully animated menus. The whole thing feels like a premium experience – something that previous mobile versions of the TCG couldn’t match. This feels like an app I would enjoy spending time in. way of beating someone up – a beaten Charizard.
In terms of content, there are challenges to play against artificial intelligence, as well as challenges to match up with fellow humans. Obviously, a big part of the appeal of the game is building decks and creating interesting game settings – as well as collecting cards. Here it is, dear reader. money enters the equation.
You can tell this is an important part of the game. Part of the lovely presentation style I mentioned earlier are things like the extravagant pack opening animations, where each booster pack obtained opens gorgeously and the cards are displayed individually, from common to rarest, just like you’re Make a breathtaking package opening for YouTube. The cool digital effects on the rare cards look fantastic – and there’s obviously a collecting aspect too, with various booster sets being released over time, each begging to be made into a complete collection.
Boosters will be unique to the game and not match the tempo or theme of current real-life decks. Boosters are available for free – but of course, you can get them faster by paying some cash.
At base, you receive a power-up every 12 hours; therefore, you can earn two free packs per day as long as you play regularly (idle players will stop receiving packs until they return). But there are ways to speed this up; hourglass items that can be earned and purchased can “fast-forward” the countdown to your next pack, and there are battle pass-style monthly subscriptions, one of the benefits of which is that every 24 Get an extra booster every hour.
Beyond that, there are some delightful cosmetics available for purchase: game mats, card holders, and more. The monetization cues are taken directly from the tabletop game, and in terms of feeling innocuous, it works – although being at a preview event with tons of currency preloaded is obviously not the place to judge. The real verdict will come when we’re able to experience the final game for real money.
But, honestly – I can see myself spending the money. Even the short time I spent playing Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic taught me that this is about scratching the right itch in the right way. This is one of those rare mobile games where I’ll be there on day one – and I can see myself becoming a competitive collector and player in this app, not just a little bit – but long-term. I’m optimistic—but of course, I’m worried about my wallet. I’m looking forward to next month.
The Pokémon trading card game Pocket will launch a mobile version on October 30, 2024
