I played Pokémon TCG Pocket’s beta to see if it’s a must-play game

Collecting Pokémon cards has been a staple of toy culture since the first cards launched in 1996. Until now, digital adaptations have focused on battling rather than collecting. If you wanted to experience opening card packs without spending hundreds of dollars, the only solution was to watch content creators and streamers, who rake in thousands of views collecting cards. Pokémon TCG Pocket was announced in August this year. It’s the first digital adaption of the classic game that lets you enjoy collecting cards without breaking the bank.

Pokémon TCG Pocket seems redundant next to 2023’s Pokémon TCG Live. Both games offer collecting and battling mechanics. I spent a month with this new Pokémon game and can confirm it captures that classic feeling of collecting and playing games with Pokémon cards with your friends. If you’re a casual Pokémon fan or are just sick of the competitive grind of Pokémon TCG Live, it’s a must-play.

Performance isn’t something I thought would be a concern for a game like this, but the version of the game I played disappointed me. I recorded the above video on a Google Pixel 8, which can handle more demanding games. Still, I regularly encountered stuttering animations, long loading screens, and unresponsive buttons. None of these issues were enough to ruin my experience, but it breaks the immersion when watching pack-opening animations stutter.

How does Pokémon TCG Pocket differ from TCG Live?

This is a game for collectors, first and foremost

Pokémon TCG Live contains card-collecting mechanics but focuses on the battles. Ranked leaderboards and seasons are the name of the game. If you love chasing the Pokémon TCG meta, it’s a neat digital companion to the physical game. New expansions to the physical game are launched simultaneously on Pokémon TCG Live, so you’ll always stay up-to-date on the latest cards.

Pokémon TCG Pocket is for those who love collecting Pokémon cards more than playing the game. While there is a battle mechanic, Pokémon TCG Pocket’s core gameplay revolves around the two free packs of cards you’ll open a day.

After ripping open a digital pack, Pokémon TCG Pocket takes you through a series of animations where you register your new cards and slot them into your collection. It’s a satisfying physical experience from start to finish. When you have your cards, you can create custom binders, add effects by trading in copies, show off your favorite cards on display boards, and trade with your friends.

In the month I’ve spent with Pokémon TCG Pocket, the excitement of the push notification telling me I have a new booster pack hasn’t lessened. Will I get that Blastoise EX I need to complete my Water-type deck? Will I get a rare full-art card? Or will, in classic Pokémon TCG style, I get copies of the cards I have? But even in this last scenario, I’m never disappointed.

One of the best parts of Pokémon TCG Pocket is that even the worst card pulls are full of potential. You can include up to two copies of a card in each deck. You can trade in extra copies for flairs, which are special effects for your cards. This means that every pack you open is valuable. The frustration of worthless packs is mostly gone here. When the trading feature launches, you can presumably help others with their collections by trading your spare cards.

Battles are geared toward the casual player

Solo play is more rewarding than PvP

Collecting cards can only take Pokémon TCG Pocket so far. So, when you build a reasonable collection of pocket monsters (it won’t take you long, considering the number of free cards the game throws at you in the first hours of gameplay), you can take them into battle.

Battles in Pokémon TCG Pocket are quick and casual affairs. Gone are prize cards and energy cards. To win, you need three points gained by knocking out an opponent’s Pokémon (two points for an EX knockout), which makes for shorter games. Decks contain 20 cards, and your bench can hold up to three Pokémon at a time. It’s a tight and streamlined game from start to finish.

Instead of drawing energy cards, you’ll gain one energy Hearthstone-style a turn (the type is randomized if you choose multiple energy types for your deck). While I’ll be the first to say this strips some of the Pokémon TCG’s identity away, it’s less frustrating and more accessible for the casual player.

You can jump into private or public PvP games, which, considering the limited roster of cards available in the game (roughly 250 at launch), are reasonably balanced experiences. However, solo play offers many opportunities for enjoyable games across various type-themed challenge decks. There are 25 challenge decks split across four difficulties. Each has its challenges (for example, win the game in 14 turns) and rewards. PvE mode is where you’ll gain most of the resources you need to open more cards.

The battles in Pokémon TCG Pocket are accessible, challenging, and replayable. The mechanics behind the PvP matchmaking are obscure (I didn’t see any difference in opponents between the two Battle Stance options). Still, time will tell how bloated the PvP becomes after including new expansions.

Microtransactions can be safely ignored

You get plenty of cards for free

This is a modern free-to-play mobile game, and Pokémon TCG Pocket doesn’t break from convention. From the start, the game throws a bewildering amount of in-game resources and currency options at you. You can redeem Pack Hourglasses, Wonder Hourglasses, Emblem Tickets, Shop Tickets, Special shop tickets, Poké gold, Premium, Pack points, and Shop tickets for cards, decorative items (such as binders and sleeves), and more. The Premium Pass lets you open one more pack (for three free packs a day) and unlocks more missions where you earn more in-game rewards.

While there is plenty of opportunity for the credit card-happy player to buy their way to a full collection quickly, I am more than satisfied with the two free card packs and regular mission rewards. The Premium Pass is overpriced at $9.99, and I don’t think I’m missing out on much without a subscription.

Pokémon TCG Pocket taps into what makes collecting Pokémon cards great

Poor performance, obscure PvP mechanics, and unnecessary microtransactions aside, this is the first digital Pokémon TCG game that has come close to recapturing the spirit of ripping open card packs as a kid. There’s a ton of Pokémon card fun to enjoy here, and if that only means opening a pack a day for you, it’s still worth a go. If you’re looking for more Pokémon fun, check out these Pokémon clones for Android.