Pokémon Trading Card Game: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 14:21, 12 November 2022

This article is about the Trading Card Game itself. For the Game Boy game related to this game, see Pokémon Trading Card Game (game).
International logo

The Pokémon Trading Card Game (Japanese: ポケモンカードゲーム, Pokémon Card Game), often abbreviated as Pokémon TCG or just PTCG, is a tabletop game that involves collecting, trading and playing with Pokémon-themed playing cards. It has its own set of rules but uses many motifs and ideas derived from the video games. There are Pokémon cards for every species of Pokémon, as well as Trainer cards featuring characters, items and other themes of the franchise (each with a different use) and Energy cards to power attacks. The artwork for the cards is often created specifically for the TCG by numerous artists, though occasionally pre-existing art made for the core series is used.

The Pokémon TCG is a popular and steady aspect of the Pokémon franchise and is played and enjoyed by many fans. As of the end of March 2021, over 34.1 billion Pokémon Trading Card Game cards have been produced worldwide in 13 languages, and being sold in 76 countries and regions.[1] The game is part of the Play! Pokémon organized play along with the video game series and is also used in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online.

History

Original back of Japanese cards

The Pokémon Trading Card Game was originally published in Japan in October 1996 by Media Factory. While other series of collectible Pokémon cards existed in the past (such as the Pocket Monsters Carddass Trading Cards released in September 1996), this was the first card game based on the Pokémon series. The first Pokémon TCG sets took inspiration from the then released Pokémon Red, Green, and Blue video games and initially featured illustrations by Ken Sugimori, Mitsuhiro Arita and Keiji Kinebuchi. Soon new expansions began to release with many new artists contributing artwork. Three years later in 1999, Pokémon TCG was introduced in North America by Wizards of the Coast with the Base Set, and worldwide soon after. In 2003, Wizards of the Coast's license was transferred to The Pokémon Company International.

With the release of Pokémon Gold and Silver video games, the Neo Series (the second series of expansions), started bringing several new Pokémon into play. The Metal and Darkness types of Pokémon cards were also introduced, along with Light Pokémon and Dark Pokémon. These were eventually discontinued to prevent confusion with the Darkness type, but returned briefly with the release of the Neo Destiny expansion. The e-Card Series used Game Boy Advance add-on e-Reader to display Pokédex data about the Pokémon, play a minigame, play various tunes in a Melody Box, or activate a special attack for that Pokémon. The EX Series was released next (the first series released by The Pokémon Company International instead of Wizards of the Coast), introducing the stronger Pokémon-ex into the game. The Diamond & Pearl Series brought Pokémon LV.X, which were stronger, "Leveled-up" versions of final evolutions. Pokémon LV.X essentially replaced Pokémon-ex and continued until the Platinum: Arceus expansion. The HeartGold & SoulSilver Series featured two more types of card, Pokémon LEGEND, two-part cards with one Pokémon on each card, and Pokémon Prime, Pokémon with powerful and/or tactical attacks. With the release of the Black & White expansion, Poké-Powers (Poké-POWERs and Poké-BODYs) were combined into one mechanic and renamed Abilities. Pokémon-ex returned as Pokémon-EX in the Black & White Series starting with the Next Destinies expansion. The Dragon Pokémon type was introduced in the Dragon Vault expansion of the Black & White Series. M Pokémon-EX were introduced in the XY expansion and introduce the Mega Evolution mechanic featured in the Pokémon X and Y video games to the TCG. The XY Series also introduced the Fairy type Pokémon. Pokémon-GX was introduced in the Sun & Moon Series.

With the release of the EX Series worldwide, Pokémon TCG started publishing directly under Nintendo via its whole owned subsidiary The Pokémon Company International, instead of Wizards of the Coast. In 2006, The Pokémon Company replaced Media Factory in distributing the cards in Japan starting with the Diamond & Pearl Series.

Two Game Boy Color video games based on the card game were created: Pokémon Trading Card Game was released in 1998 and worldwide in 2000, and its sequel, Pokémon Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR!, was released three years later. Pokémon Card Game: How to Play DS was released in Japan in 2011 and taught players how to play the Pokémon TCG. In 2011, the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online was introduced as a browser-based game but later became a downloadable game for PC, Mac, and iPad. Other media related to Pokémon TCG include several manga titles, such as the series How I Became a Pokémon Card.

How to play

Back of an English language card
See the Appendix:Glossary for a definition of most the Pokémon Trading Card Game terms.
Also see the Step-by-step Web Browser TCG Tutorials on Pokémon.com for a visual introduction to the card game.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a two player game for all ages. Each player builds a Deck of sixty (60) cards using a combination of various "Pokémon cards" (the main type of cards used to battle), "Trainer cards" (cards with special effects), and "Energy cards" (cards that are required to perform most "Attacks"). New cards and decks are constantly being released, and players may purchase "Booster packs" to integrate these cards into their own decks or purchase pre-made "Trainer kits" or "Theme Decks" that already have all the cards needed to play. The Pokémon Trading Card Game officially requires a deck of 60 cards for Standard or Expanded play, though shorter Matches can be held with "Half Decks" consisting of 30 cards instead. During a 60 card match, only four of any one card, excluding Basic Energy cards, are allowed in each deck. This is further limited to two of any one card in a Half Deck match. Many fans have also created their own game rules and playing methods and have websites devoted to providing alternative playing methods. These rules and methods are not allowed in Play! Pokémon competitions.

Setting Up to Play

To begin a match, players need a coin or a six-sided die (where the even-numbered sides represent "heads" and the odd-numbered sides represent "tails"). One player calls heads or tails, while the other player flips the coin or rolls the die. If the player calling the coin flip gets their choice (heads or tails), that player gets to choose which player goes first. If the player calling the coin flip does not get their choice, the player flipping the coin gets to choose which player goes first. The player who goes first is not allowed to attack or play any Supporter cards on that player's first turn. In best-of-three match play, after a game has been completed, the loser of that game decides who goes first in the next game instead of determining it by a coin flip. This decision is made at the same point during setup that the coin flip would take place.[1] After determining which player goes first, both players must shuffle their own decks and allow their opponent to make a deck cut; alternatively, the opponent may choose to shuffle the other player's deck and allow the deck owner to make a deck cut. Each players then places their deck faces-down in the play area or "field" in a north/south orientation, with the short sides of cards facing each player, and any card sleeve openings facing the opponent. The players then each take seven cards from the top of their respective decks. These cards go into their hand. Players then place one Basic Pokémon from their hand face down as their Active Pokémon. If they have more than one Basic Pokémon, they may place the rest face down onto their Bench. If a player does not have any Basic Pokémon in their hand during this step, they must take a mulligan. For each mulligan a player takes, that player’s opponent draws an additional card and puts it into their hand. Next, each player sets aside six cards from the top of their deck face down as Prize cards. Finally, each player flips over their Active and Benched Pokémon and the game starts.

Turns

At the start of each player's turn, they must draw a card. Then, they may take any of the following actions in any order they like.

Attacking will end a player's turn regardless of how many other actions they have taken, but a player may choose to end their turn without attacking.

Winning a match

To win a match, players must:

  1. Take their six prize cards by knocking out their opponent's Pokémon by using Attacks to reduce the opponent's HP to zero.
  2. Players may also win when their opponent runs out of Pokémon on the field of play, which includes their Active Pokémon and Bench Pokémon, or
  3. If their opponent must draw a card from their Deck at the beginning of their turn, but they have run out of cards in their Deck.


Card types

Pokémon card

Trainer cards

Energy cards

Rarity

On the bottom right corner of most cards, there is a small logo that indicates its rarity.

  • Rarity Common.png (Common)
  • Rarity Uncommon.png (Uncommon)
  • Rarity Rare.png (Rare)

No symbol usually denotes a card that is part of a promotional set or a Basic Energy card.


Wizards of the Coast sets

Generation I

Original Series

Generation II

Neo Series

Legendary Collection Series

e-Card Series

Wizards of the Coast were the western distributors of the game between 1999 and 2003

Promotional series

Unreleased sets


Nintendo sets

Generation III

EX Series

Nintendo has since taken over the TCG from Wizards of the Coast.

Generation IV

Diamond & Pearl Series

Platinum Series

HeartGold & SoulSilver Series

Call of Legends Series


Generation V

Black & White Series

Generation VI

XY Series

XY BREAK Series


Generation VII

Sun & Moon Series

Generation VIII

Sword & Shield Series


World Championships Decks

Trainer Kits

Promotional series

Black Star Promos

POP Series

McDonald's Collection

Miscellaneous sets

Miscellaneous cards

Japanese sets

Generation I

Original era

Generation II

Neo era

e-Series

Generation III

ADV era

PCG era

Generation IV

DP era

DPt era

LEGEND era

Generation V

BW era

Back of the current Japanese language card, since 2002

Generation VI

XY era

XY BREAK era

Generation VII

SM era

Generation VIII

SWSH era


Exclusive sets

Original era

VS era

Web era

DP era

LEGEND era

BW era

Promotional sets

Original era

e-Card era

ADV era

PCG era

DP era

DPt era

LEGEND era

BW era

XY era

SM era

S&S era

Miscellaneous

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 寶可夢集換式卡牌遊戲 Pokémon Jaahpwuhnsīk Kǎpáai Yóuxì (TCG)*
寶可夢集換式戰鬥遊戲卡 Pokémon Jaahpwuhnsīk Jindau Yàuhhei Kāat (TCG)*
Mandarin 寶可夢集換式卡牌遊戲 / 宝可梦集换式卡牌游戏 Pokémon Jíhuànshì Kǎpái Yóuxì (TCG)*
寶可夢集換式戰鬥遊戲卡 Pokémon Jíhuànshì Zhàndòu Yóuxì Kǎ (TCG)*
神奇寶貝集換式卡片遊戲 Shénqí Bǎobèi Jíhuànshì Kǎpiàn Yóuxì (TCG)*
The Netherlands Flag.png Dutch Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG)
Pokémon Ruilkaartspel
France Flag.png French Cartes à Jouer et à Collectionner Pokémon (JCC)
Jeu de Cartes à Collectionner Pokémon (JCC)
Germany Flag.png German Pokémon-Sammelkartenspiel (TCG)
Indonesia Flag.png Indonesian Pokémon Game Kartu Koleksi (TCG)
Italy Flag.png Italian Gioco di Carte Collezionabili Pokémon (GCC)
South Korea Flag.png Korean 포켓몬 카드 게임 Pokémon Card Game
포켓몬 트레이딩 카드 게임 Pokémon Trading Card Game
Poland Flag.png Polish Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG)
Portuguese Brazil Flag.png Brazil Pokémon Estampas Ilustradas (TCG)
Portugal Flag.png Portugal Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG)
Russia Flag.png Russian Покемон Коллекционная Карточная Игра (ККИ)
Spain Flag.png Spanish Juego de Cartas Coleccionables Pokémon (JCC)
Juego de Cartas Intercambiables Pokémon
Sweden Flag.png Swedish Pokémon Samlarkortspel (TCG)
Thailand Flag.png Thai โปเกมอน เทรดดิ้งการ์ดเกม Pokémon Trading Card Game
โปเกมอน การ์ดเกม Pokémon Card Game
Ukraine Flag.png Ukrainian Pokémon Колекційна Карточна Гра

See also

References

External links


Project TCG logo.png This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.