Pikachu. Mewtwo. Charizard. There’s still nothing like tearing open a fresh pack of Pokémon cards and seeing an ultra-rare beauty peering back – and Pokémon TCG Pocket captures that thrill perfectly.

This mobile take on the card-battling phenomenon does more than give fans a speedy way to play – it also reinvigorates a classic with stunning illustrations and clever twists uniquely suited for iPhone.

With just a swipe, booster packs spill their treasures, which makes snagging a rare card – such as an “ex” version of Mew – as exciting as finding a real-world holo Charizard. Even cooler? Scoring a full-motion, immersive card that brings Pokémon to life like never before. (One gives you a sweeping, panoramic peek into the shadowy laboratory that birthed Mewtwo.)

And we love showing off our decks (and trying them out) in 1v1 battles. Mobile-specific rules – such as five-minute matches, 20-card decks and a mere three points needed to win – make every turn a nail-biter.

Like a wee Magikarp transforming into a fierce Gyarados, Pokémon TCG Pocket embraces change. New expansions filled with game-altering powerhouse cards continually upended our strategy, sending us back to our decks to retool and reinvent.

By letting us test out new tactics in seconds – and showing us our favourite Pokémon in an entirely new light – Pocket proves to be one of the franchise’s grandest evolutions.

Mega Evolution Pokémon ex cards may be powerful, but you’ll lose three points (and suffer instant defeat) if one gets knocked out. Try assembling decks that blend strong but affordable picks (like Lucario ex, Greninja, Gardevoir or Giratina ex) with a balanced mix of Pokémon Tools and other Trainer cards.

The very first Pokémon? It wasn’t a fan-favourite like Pikachu or Charizard! According to legendary Pokémon designer Ken Sugimori, the honour goes to Rhydon, whose Horn Drill packs quite a punch in Pokémon TCG Pocket.

The Pokémon Company teamed up with Creatures Inc. and DeNA to develop Pokémon TCG Pocket.

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© 2024 DeNA Co., Ltd.

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