Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) Pocket isn’t amazing, but it’s been a nice addition to my regular rotation of games.
I’m not really looking for another hobby or living game in my life right now. Between day-to-day commitments and juggling games like Fortnite and Honkai: Star Rail, it’s hard to fit more games into my schedule. However, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has shimmied its way into the ever-shrinking window of time I have to play a video game daily. It’s not an adventurous Pokémon game, nor is it the deepest, but the low commitment has made it a new mainstay in my regular rotation of games.
Developed by DeNA, Creatures Inc., and The Pokémon Company and released on Oct. 30, TCG Pocket is a mobile game where players open card packs to assemble a collection of digital Pokémon cards. Each day, I log on, open a couple packs of cards, and log off. That’s really it. The game features an adapted version of the competitive trading card game, but you can still play the game even if you aren’t looking to battle a ton. Day by day, I gradually assemble a varied collection of digital Pokémon cards that includes anything from stunning full art of classic creatures like Bulbasaur to “immersive cards” that play a video cutscene for the art.
When you start out, the game rains loads of free packs. (TCG Pocket is free to download. I signed up for the free two-week trial of the paid premium pass, allowing me to open one additional pack daily.) I have not spent a single dollar in this game, but I amassed a collection of 400 cards, including duplicates.
