Pokémon TCG: Pokémon GO Elite Trainer Box & Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Shining Fates Elite Trainer Box (10 Boosters & Premium Accessories)

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With Pokemon Go boosters, things are a bit different. For a start, it’s a smaller set, so you’ve got a better chance of getting a full set without having to sell organs of you are collector. Also, the rare slot is a bit tastier – you will always get at least a holo card. At least. The set has only six V cards, two VStars and one VMax, but there are also quite a number of full arts and secret rares. The fact that each booster will have a holo AT LEAST takes the sting out of that, and some of those holos are really, really nice. The artwork is a mix as ever, but seeing Pokemon in every day settings will soften the flintiest-hearted Pokemon Go player (not that there are many of them).

Now much as I loved the Celebrations set, it wasn’t particularly practical. Lots of trips down memory lane and all that, but not many game changing/breaking cards. The Pokemon Go set has more than a handful, and the good news is that they are not all super rare cards. There’s some fun to be had here. But wait a minute – didn’t you mention that you got ten (count ’em!) boosters? Indeed I did, and these aren’t your common or garden boosters – these are Pokemon Go boosters! I’d better cut to the chase as my enthusiasm for this set might have made me go on a bit. Essentially, there are two types of Pokemon fans: collectors and players. This box will make both of them happy. I mean, the usual caveat applies to this and any other trading card game: you don’t know what you’re going to get in each booster. In 1996, Satoshi Tajirn created Pokémon, a video-game series that began as a selection of two games: Red and Green. Eventually, the series evolved into a multi-media franchise, spanning animated television, films, and (of course) the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG). Summer is upon us, and with it another small-but-perfectly-formed Pokemon set – this time a Pokemon Elite Trainer Box. Last year we were dazzled – DAZZLED – by the Pokemon 25th Anniversary Celebrations set, this year we celebrate eight years of Pokemon Go, the mobile game that had players walking into many lampposts whilst on the trail of Shinies or Bidoofs in the vain hope that they will be Dittos. Eight years may be a strange period of time to celebrate, but I am not so churlish as to turn down a celebration. And it’s nice to see an official Pokemon Go set rather than the slew of bootlegged Pokemon Go boosters that appeared at about the same time as the mobile game did – look mum! I pulled a Charliezard!But there is one combo that no-one would have ever seen. The marriage of Blastoise, Charizard and… Centiskorch? Now I’m not going to spoil this because it’s just too, too, too much fun. Look it up. I will say that Charizard has an ability that turns every single fire energy into a double energy and that Blastoise allows you to attach six energy to your Pokemon in any way you like. These abilities in themselves are just too good, but when you throw in Centiskorch… Just have a look. Ask any Pokemon player/collector what they think about a Pokemon Elite Trainer Box(es) (or ETBs as they are also known as) and they will usually say ‘nice dice, decent sleeves… terrible, terrible pulls’, and because of this I usually avoid the ETBs like social deduction games. Yes, the Pokemon Elite Trainer Box contains an exclusive, full art Mewtwo V, a very nice card in itself but also a very playable and collectable card. Previous promos such as the Shining Ho-oh and the legendary birds full art are now very highly desirable indeed, so this is one that might be handy to hang onto. Or just play it. There is that, of course. Gimme Ten Whilst we will do everything we can to meet the delivery times above, there may be factors outside of our control and we cannot guarantee delivery within this time frame.

Okay, before I go all histrionic, a wee explanation as to why this is a BIG THING. Regular set boosters will contain 11 cards – one energy, eight common/uncommon cards, a reverse holo and a rare card. The reverse card can be a rare or, as we have seen in previous sets, sometimes a radiant or trainer gallery card, but is often just a reverse common/uncommon. The rare can be anything from a non-holo right up to a gold card, but will be more often than not a non-holo. Boo.

Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands) may take longer to reach you. Then there’s Ambipom: potential immortality and massive damage on coin tosses. And Slowbro: if your opponent has one prize card left, for two energy you can take two prize cards and potentially the game from them. And Alolan Raticate: reduce your opponent’s Pokemon to ten HP (this works very nicely with Hisuian Typhlosion, which has an ability to burn – just saying…).

There are also a lot of trainer and support cards that relate specifically to things found in Pokemon Go that I haven’t mentioned, but I’ll leave that for you to explore. It’s a small set, so it’s easier to collect, and this represents the best way to get Pokemon Go cards so far. Plus, you get a version of Mewtwo that you can’t get anywhere else. I wouldn’t recommend this to beginners, but then again it does say Pokemon Elite Trainer Box. The reverse holo slot is also capable of giving up the good stuff. First off, there are the three Radiant Pokemon based on the three starters, Venusaur, Blastoise and Charizard (yes, of course Charizard is the most sought after – that’s about as predictable as rain at Glastonbury Festival). Then there is what has to be the weirdest card produced by Pokemon yet – the Ditto card. Tiny Eyes Are Watching You… If you are familiar with the walk-em-up Pokemon Go, you will know that, to catch a Ditto, you have to catch some common Pokemon like Bidoof, Spinarak or Numel and hope that it transforms, before your very eyes, into the aforementioned Ditto. Sentient silly putties are go! The Pokemon Go set has gone all in on this – if you have a Bidoof, Spinarak or Numel in your reverse holo slot, look very closely at the bottom left-hand corner. If there is a little purple blob there, you have pulled a Ditto! Simply peel off the Pokemon on top and you will reveal a holo Ditto below – ta da!

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There are a variety of different cards types that comprise the game, including Basic and Evolved. Amongst these, Secret Rare Pokémon are some of the most coveted card types, often featuring a prestigious gold outline and shiny holofoil.