Earlier this year, Pokémaniacs found out through our initial announcement that the Pokémon Trading Card Game would be undergoing some Mega Evolution when the game-changing Pokémon TCG: XY launched on 5th February. Now, the other blazing hot expansion we announced has arrived in stores across both Western markets. Pokemon TCG: XY - Flashfire has arrived, bringing with it a pair of truly epic Charizard cards.
Here's a recap of the additions and changes, as outlined in the initial announcement posted in March:
- Three new Mega Evolution Pokémon — The expansion features two powerful versions of Mega Charizard-EX (a Dragon-type Mega Charizard X and a Fire-type Mega Charizard Y), in addition to Mega Kangaskhan-EX.
- Five new Pokémon-EX cards and four new full-art Pokémon-EX rare Ultra cards — New Pokémon-EX cards include Charizard-EX (two versions), Toxicroak-EX, Magnezone-EX, and Kangaskhan-EX.
- New Pokémon — Over 25 Pokémon from the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games appear in this set, in addition to 15 Pokémon that appear in the Pokémon TCG for the very first time.
- 15 new Trainer cards including three new full-art rare Ultra Trainer cards — New Trainer cards bring increased depth and player strategy to competitive battles.
- Booster Packs — Packs of 10 additional cards selected from the expansion will be available.
- Theme decks — 60-card preconstructed decks are designed to introduce players to the Pokémon TCG by enabling them to play right away.
As usual, purchasing Booster Packs and Theme decks will give you a code for digital access to the same cards on the online game. It's also worth checking out the super-spiffy official site, where you can get more details or just gaze in an open-mouthed stupor at the gorgeous art of the cards.
Speaking of open-mouthed stupors, feast your eyes on the beauties below and let us know what you think of the latest additions to the already-enormous Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Comments 18
I haven't been interested in playing the trading card game since I was about 12, but those look awesome!
I got excited for a moment as I thought it was a successor to the gameboy game
I'd be really excited about this if the game didn't use the annoying rotation system that makes all your cards useless every other year. Cool artwork though.
Lysandre is now the Supporter version of the old Pokemon Catcher before it got errata-nerfed. Automatic 4-of for most people now, but it does have the caveat of not allowing you to play any other Supporters for the turn, where as before you could N, Colress, Juniper, or Skyla into a Catcher and use it the same turn, so I'd say this version is indeed much fairer than the old Item version of Pokemon Catcher.
And suddenly my tcg online deck is garbage... Oh well. Nice looking cards though.
Is there any reason to buy these if none of your friends would? I've always been interested in trading cards and stuff, but I've never seen trading cards for anything I've been interested in, until I started playing Pokemon, but none of my friends care about pokemon. I'd like to collect a few, but I'd never be able to play or trade with them. :/
I want to buy a booster box just to get that Mega Charizard X, CharChars coolest form yet. I regret selling my card collection years ago...Though I still have that Japanese Pokemon TCG 2 game for GBC. I wish they'd make a new one for 3DS/WiiU/iOS. I don't have the resources to buy a sh*tload of cards so a TCG video game would be pretty sweet. I don't mind buying DLC decks or the ability to get the cards you buy IRL in the game. (Like the online TCG on the Pokémon website)
And I must say: These cards are so friggin pretty! Early TCG cards weren't as pretty except some of the early Japanese ones. There was a set with Mew, Chikorita, Cyndaquil etc...tropical island? Orange Islands? Something like that, it included post cards with the original art used for the included cards...I still have those postcards though.
I wish they'd make more of those special sets with an included binder, special shiny cards and other tidbits.
/rant (sorry 'bout that folks)
Okay, here's an idea.
A Super Smash Brothers card game that sortof plays like the Pokemon Trading Card Game.
I haven't played with Pokemon cards since I was like 9. Good to see they are still around though.
Saw the cards while I was in Target earlier, I was unimpressed by the 2 box sets but then realized I dont know anything about X + Y Pokemon. The 4 separate covers on the booster packs were very attractive, bright orange, especially compared to the original X + Y boring blue. Kids will be picking some up w/ tomorrows allowance, apparently they only knew "May".
It used to be really funny collecting Pokemon cards in the 90s. I'm glad kids these days have that oppurtunity. It's always cool to have a collectible "physical" item. These look pretty cool too. I like the 3D popping out look (maybe its to match the 3DS?)
@Fireninjastar - "A Super Smash Brothers card game"
I'ld like that as a mini-game w/in SSB, something useful to unlock when unlocking the assist trophies. I'm a big fan of the card mini-games in FF8 and Skylanders Giants, which were technically stones but same idea. Actual card games are a bit to time consuming for my liking.
@rjejr
It's not the time consuming aspect that puts me off, it's the money consuming bit. Me and my friends gave playing Pokémon TCG a go around about when D/P came out but it just cost so much; you have to buy all the cards to get started then keep buying them as new sets come out (you can't just keep the same old deck, older sets get rotated out of what's currently legal every few months for newer ones) and then you have to travel to events to make the most of it (or at the very least to a friends house ).
Compare that to the videogame where you buy it for a one off payment (as opposed to lots of small ones), get all the single player enjoyment included as part of that as well as the multiplayer element with none of the additional costs (you don't even need to leave the house to play multiplayer). For that reason I completely agree with you; if they had the card game (either Pokémon TCG or the Smash Bros one mentioned) included in a videogame I'd be really up for it, but I can't justify buying loads of playing cards really.
I WANT THE LYSANDRE CARD SO FREAKING BADLY!!!!!!
Funny to see TCG news on NL nowadays. This set doesn't too impressive, Blastoise decks will murder Charizard.
@dok5555555
They might look cool and all but the game mechanics are so boring nowadays. Last good format I remember was MD-on in 2010-2011.
My family has been playing casually since the X/Y set was released. For the most part we've been buying the preconstructed decks and picking up cheap older cards just play. It's fun and we don't take it too serious.
We've yet to get a EX or Mega in any of the boosters we bought. They look cool though.
I'll be honest, this expansion is why I got back into the TCG. Picked up one of the theme decks from the previous expansion and I'm looking forward to picking up some of these ASAP!
@DanteSolablood The rotation is even more annoying because the majority of the cards are actually reprinted with slight differences. For example, the Lysandre card in this post is essentially the same as Pokemon Catcher, which was the same as Gust of Wind from the very first set. "Pay to play" I guess.
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