Despite largely avoiding digital-only trading card games, Star Wars Unlimited. While I don’t play much now, the Pokémon TCG initially sparked my interest in trading cards, so it seems fitting that Pokémon TCG Pocket would do the same for digital TCGs.

Similar to when a new physical TCG comes out, I’ll typically try out digital ones too if there’s enough buzz around them, like Hearthstone, or if they’re something I have a personal interest in, like Marvel Snap. However, none has ever managed to hold my interest for very long. Pokémon TCG Pocket, surprisingly, seems to be putting an end to that streak.

Why I've Avoided Digital-Only TCGs

It’s Been Hard To Overcome My Preference For Physical Card Games

One major downside to digital TCGs that has always driven me away from them is the lack of collectibility of their cards. Sure, I can amass a huge digital collection of Marvel Snap cards, but I don’t really own them. And, as Hearthstone has proven, digital-only cards can be easily changed to have much worse effects. This has always made me hesitant to buy a digital card game because what I’m paying for feels a lot more nebulous than buying physical trading cards.

This wouldn’t be a huge issue if these games made it easy to collect cards for free, but many of them make it difficult to have a playable deck without spending some money. While I do play Magic: The Gathering Arena and have spent money drafting on it, I don’t mind as much because I see it as practice for Draft events that I attend at my local game store. That’s why I make a distinction between digital TCGs and digital-only TCGs.

Another reason I prefer physical TCGs is that my cards can retain their value, or even appreciate over time. Before COVID-19 lockdowns made it too hard to sustain, I used to run a local game store. Thanks to that, I have a pretty substantial Magic card collection. When a new set I’m interested in comes out, I can usually sell some of my old cards to pay for a new booster box. This makes it easier to keep up with the hobby in a way that isn’t an option for digital TCGs.

Collecting Cards On Pokémon TCG Pocket Is Easy (And Free)

Pokémon TCG Pocket Gives A Generous Number Of Free Packs

I may be slightly biased because I opened my favorite Pokémon — Arcanine ex — in my first Pokémon TCG Pocket pack, but getting the cards I want in the game feels pretty easy. Within a week of starting the game, I already had everything I needed for an (at the time) top-tier Pikachu ex deck. And that was without spending a dime on the game. Thanks to Pokémon TCG Pocket’s free packs every 12 hours and all the ways to earn extras, it was easy to build my collection for free.

The way deck-building in Pokémon TCG Pocket works also helps make collecting cards easy. Most decks run multiple copies of the same standard Trainer cards, like Sabrina, Poké Ball, and Potion. This means that there aren’t too many slots to fill with unique cards when building a deck, leaving fewer cards that you have to chase down to finish putting together the deck you want.

Additionally, because you can only run two copies of the same card in a deck, that’s all you need to collect. This can be pretty doable between free packs, the Wonder Pick function, and Pack Points. Also, since I have a few extra Mewtwo ex, I have some strong cards to trade with when that function gets added.

Pokémon TCG Pocket Games Are The Perfect Length

Pokémon TCG Pocket Games Only Take A Few Minutes

Pokémon TCG Pocket games last long enough that they don’t feel like they’re determined solely by opening hands, but they are also short enough that they can be over in a few minutes. Unlike games on Magic Arena, which can often last anywhere from 10-20 minutes, I never find myself having to concede in Pokémon TCG Pocket due to time constraints. These bite-sized games also make it easier to find time to play with others.

Just the other day, my brother texted our group chat to see if anyone wanted to squeeze a few battles in while he was out walking his dog. It was the perfect mini-break from work, and then I was back to being productive in probably around the same amount of time as it would have taken me to get my Magic decks and decide on an opening hand. While this isn’t necessarily unique to Pokémon TCG Pocket — Marvel Snap also has short games — it does the best job balancing a short game with the feel of a full TCG.

Pokémon TCG Pocket's Card Art Does Things No Physical TCG Could

Pokémon TCG Pocket Adds Special Effects To Some Of Its Cards

For me, art is almost as big a selling point of a TCG as the gameplay itself. The appeal of a game’s art is also slightly more subjective than the appeal of its mechanics, so I’m not trying to disparage any TCG artists when I talk about my taste here. With that in mind, I think Pokémon TCG Pocket has some of the best card art I’ve seen for a digital-only TCG.

Pokémon TCG Pocket's art delivers on both counts with unique art styles and strong presentation.

While Hearthstone’s art isn’t bad, it's somewhat constrained by the tiny window it's allotted on the cards. Marvel Snap’s art style is a little too homogenous for my taste. I prefer card games that have a variety of art styles showcasing the unique talents of its many artists. Pokémon TCG Pocket's art delivers on both counts with unique art styles and strong presentation.

I also love that Pokémon TCG Pocket took full advantage of its digital-only status by creating cards the physical Pokémon TCG couldn’t possibly make. The best example of this is the immersive cards that allow players to watch an entire scene revolving around the featured Pokémon and their surroundings. Flair is another nice addition, like the flame effects that you can add to a Charizard ex once you’ve collected enough of them.

I’ll it that my existing affinity for Pokémon likely made it easier for Pokémon TCG Pocket to hook me. That said, had the game not delivered an enjoyable play experience and some beautiful cards, I probably wouldn’t have stuck with it very long. If you, like me, have been unimpressed by digital-only TCGs, I would recommend giving the medium a try one more time.