A glossy rectangular-shaped package – peel off the top edge and reveal exciting Pokémon cards! On October 30th, 2024 — legendary cards came back on smartphones — the Pokémon TCG Pocket was released.

This event opens a new chapter in Pokémon games on mobile phones and offers the opportunity to collect trading cards that have been popular for a quarter of a century among Pokémon universe fans.

Pokémon TCG Pocket – Release Date

Pokemon TCG Pocket was released on October 30, 2024. The announcement was in February 2024.

The Pokémon Company had previously confirmed that the game would launch "sometime in 2024," so it's reassuring to see that the release window was true.

With no additional Pokémon games announced, there will be a full year between the release of Pokémon TCG Pocket and the anticipated Pokémon Legends ZA, with the launch of the next-gen Switch 2.

Pokémon TCG Pocket – Game Cost

The Game is absolutely free but has a donation system that is highlighted as quickly impactful! For example, on Reddit, a player named TCGPCollector conducted a study and found that it would take 655 consecutive days of play to collect all 286 cards without any real money spending. In contrast, players who subscribe to the Premium Pass can collect all the cards in 437 days.

TCGPCollector shared all their calculations and noted that this research would become outdated once the game added a card exchange feature. It's likely that once that tool is introduced, players will be able to complete their collections more quickly.

The Pokémon TCG Pocket subscription, known as the Premium Pass, is a monthly paid service that unlocks additional perks for players. Priced at $9.99 per month, it grants players one extra booster pack each day, allowing them to open three packs daily instead of the standard two.

Pokémon TCG Pocket – System Requirements

To play TCG Pocket, you'll need an iPhone 8 or later running iOS 13 or newer with at least 2GB of RAM. Android users will need Android 7.0 or higher on a 64-bit device with 3GB or more of RAM.

At launch, Pokémon TCG Pocket will be available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. There’s no word yet on whether it will expand to other platforms, as it’s designed specifically for a casual, mobile audience.

• Download Pokémon TCG Pocket for iPhone (iOS) in the App Store.

• Download Pokémon TCG Pocket for Android in the Play Market.

If you have a special wish to run this game on the emulator Android for PC — minimum system requirements:

• Operating System. Microsoft Windows 7 or above.
• Processor. Intel or AMD Processor.
• RAM. At least 4GB.
• HDD. 5GB Free Disc Space.

Pokémon TCG Live, along with its predecessor TCG Online, eventually launched on Apple, Android, and PC, which offers hope for a potential PC version, though a Nintendo Switch release seems unlikely.

Pokémon TCG Pocket – Gameplay

The game has everything that made Pokémon so beloved by '90s fans – a wide range of fantastic creatures, battles, and trading. The pleasant UX and rich synthetic music remind me of the HUD in The Sims but with a futuristic twist. I was greeted by an impressive intro featuring cards scattered among the stars, followed by a few scenes of different cards flying across my screen, and then a deep dive into the landscape of one of the cards with a Pokémon at the center of the composition – it’s visually pleasing.

You can spin the glossy card packs as much as you like, just by turning the back towards you and tearing open the pack – the cards will fall out with the back facing up. The process of successfully slicing off the edge of the packet feels special. Cells, types, and buttons for the collecting process highlight that action will — a wide version of a virtual collecting simulator.

The cards are visually appealing, with basic and EX cards (more powerful versions featuring bolder designs) that you can manipulate in 3D space to admire their high-resolution artwork. As you acquire new cards, you’ll see monsters from various generations populate your Pokedex. There are about 300 cards to collect, including Bulbasaur, Sizzlipede, and Zapdos, with more likely to be added in the future.

The game has guided me through most of its windows, giving me the chance to open as many cards as possible – I already have 25. By completing Missions, I can restore my stamina and avoid waiting 11 hours to open more cards. I’m likely to reach 35 today.

Pokémon TCG Pocket – Game Rating

Pokémon TCG Pocket has received solid ratings: 4.6/5 on Google Play, 4.8/5 on the App Store, and 3.5/5 from PCMag. So, what's wrong with the Pokémon card game?“Pokemon TCG Pocket is a faithful mobile card game adaptation that’s better for shiny digital collections than thrilling monster battles.”

— PCMag

Pokémon TCG Pocket focuses on collection but struggles with its competitive gameplay. The tutorials effectively teach a simplified digital version of the physical card game, where you battle with your active Pokémon and manage energy for attacks or retreats. Knock out three of your opponent’s Pokémon to win.

Strategic elements include understanding type advantages, evolving Pokémon, and using support cards. You can rent starter decks or create your own. A nice feature is the ability to practice offline before diving into online multiplayer.

“Even when thinking strategically, I grew bored when battles devolved into monsters repeatedly hitting each other for several turns. The layout is also not especially smooth for fast, one-handed phone use.”

— Jordan Minor from PCMag

Consultations

The game is being co-developed by The Pokémon Company, Creatures Inc. (the creators of Pokémon TCG), and DeNA (known for Pokémon Masters EX).

Pokémon TCG Pocket is earning three times more than Pokémon GO, raking in $3 million per day! According to Appmagic, Pokémon TCG Pocket generated an estimated $12.1 million in its first four days, averaging $3 million daily. In comparison, Pokémon GO currently earns around $1 million per day.

In terms of downloads, the U.S. led with 29%, followed by Brazil at 11%, Mexico at 6%, Japan at 4%, France at 4%, the UK at 4%, and Thailand at 4%. Although Japanese players represented only 4% of all downloads, they generated 45% of the game’s revenue.

While none of the studios have confirmed plans for the game to be released on other platforms, there’s a possibility it could make its way to the Nintendo Switch in the future if it proves successful.