THE Pokémon TCG Pocket app was released on October 30th and I’m already hooked on it. The game brings Pokémon Card collecting and battle on mobile devices, allowing players to open boosters, collect new cards, battle AI or other players, and more. In other words, it’s a virtual preview of what it would actually be like to play the Pokémon card game.
My husband had a huge collection of Pokémon cards from his childhood, and we sold his greatest hits a few years ago for a decent price. But we still have all the “normal” cards, the ones that don’t sell for more than a few cents per unit, and are currently just sitting there taking up space in our closet. I don’t really know what to do with them and I wouldn’t want to add any physical items to my house that I don’t intend to use. That being said, seeing the Pokémon TCG the community’s excitement about drawing certain cards is addictive, and now I can experience that too, thanks to the new Pokémon TCG Pocket application.
Pokémon TCG Pocket isn’t just for existing TCG fans
It was designed to bring in new players
A look at the official Pokémon TCG Pocket The site makes it clear that this app is meant to be for everyone, not just current fans. The header shows a variety of people playing the game, from a few women on their lunch break to a child’s hand interacting with the app. If Pokémon Go brought the joy of catching Pokémon to the general public, TCG Pocket intends to do the same with the collectible card game.
The only experience I have with Pokémon Trading Card Game is with the Game Boy Color game, in the 2000s. I remember being absolutely terrible at it, but enjoying every moment. After playing the new mobile game a few days ago, I can safely say that I haven’t improved one bit and I still love it.
Now that I’m an adult, I have a whole new level of appreciation for the game. The app introduces the trading card game to new players in a fun and no-obligation way, as there is no need to make space for physical cards or spend money. Existing fans already know this, of course, but the art is beautiful, I enjoy opening packs, and I want to keep trying to play and improve.
In that sense, it feels like the app was tailor-made for me, or rather, for people like me. When the Pocket edition of TCG was announced, there was some discussion online about what the goal was. The current community already knows and loves the game, so why bother digitizing something they already enjoy in physical form? But the app wasn’t just designed for today’s community; was expertly designed to attract a new audience and create new fans from people like me.
How Pokémon TCG Pocket Attracts New Players
Pokémon TCG Pocket does things right from the start, keeping the design sleek and simple and introducing every aspect of the gameplay in short, easy episodes. Before players can attempt to fight, they need to learn what decks are, and before they do that, they need to learn how to open booster packs and collect new cards.
Everything is presented in an easy-to-understand way, but without being too verbose, so as not to alienate players who already know how everything works. I can see my whole family playing and enjoying the gamelike we did with Pokémon GO, which is not something I could say about the physical game.
Even the way players interact with cards is meant to mimic the real-life equivalent. The application presents the cards and allows players to “open” boosters in a very physical way, going so far as to let you choose which of the (identical) packages you want to open. This fuels the desire to “blind open”, even more so when I realized I could flip the deck and reveal the backs of the cards first to prolong the mystery.
TCG Pocket It’s a feast for the eyes, with the boost of serotonin I get from opening a deck only heightened by the visual feast the cards present. The cards are absolutely beautiful and I love the ability to move the card around to inspect it, especially when they are specialty or holographic cards as they create a very satisfying 3D effect.
I honestly didn’t even realize I could fight with the cards until I got to level three and unlocked the option. It’s also done incredibly well, taking players through the mechanics and elements of battle one step at a time, offering reinforcement and an intuitive tutorial at every step of the process.
While I think some cards are absolutely beautiful and I wouldn’t mind owning them as works of art, I’ve never had any interest in actually playing the game. Pokémon card game. Now that I have practical experience, I understand the appeal a little better.
What Pokémon TCGP means for the future of the game
I’ve never had an entry point into the game before. I don’t have any friends who play, and the learning curve and existing community seemed intimidating, using a lot of internal terminology that I don’t really understand. I would never have been able to get into the game alone.
But with Pokemon TCG Pocket, I’m tempted to buy a pack or twoperhaps from the low-cost Halloween card packs aimed at casual players rather than hardcore collectors. Maybe I’ll eventually dig up what’s left of my husband’s card collection and even try purchasing some of the newer cards, if only for the gorgeous art on some of the recent sets.
I am confident that the game will definitely attract new players like me. The simple presentation, the step-by-step introduction to the cards and mechanics, and the addictive nature of opening the packs make me want to delve deeper into the subject. Pokémon TCG in general and Pokémon TCG Pocket in particular, and that’s exactly what it was designed to do.