I was wrong. I was embarrassingly, utterly, hilariously wrong. Not long ago, I was on record scoffing at the idea of Pokémon TCG Pocket, the mobile adaptation of the beloved Pokémon Trading Card Game. I asked, “Who asked for this? Why would anyone want this? What’s the point?” I even went as far as to suggest that anyone who enjoyed it was wasting their time. It was a silly cash-grab, I told myself, nothing but a hollow shadow of the real thing. But now, I’m here to eat those words, sleeve them, and shuffle them into my deck.
It started with curiosity. Despite my resistance, I kept hearing about the game’s popularity—how it had surpassed 60 million downloads in just a few months and was even nominated for Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2024. A little voice in my head whispered, “Maybe you’re missing something.” So, I downloaded Pokémon TCG Pocket, fully prepared to have my biases confirmed.
Instead, the game floored me. What I assumed would be a dumbed-down experience was instead a streamlined, well-crafted, and ridiculously fun homage to the original game. Sure, decks were only 20 cards instead of 60, and energy cards were automatically provided each turn. But what I had mistaken for simplification was actually an evolution of the mechanics—one that made the game work beautifully on a mobile platform.
The developers at Creatures Inc. and DeNA clearly understood what made the Pokémon TCG special. The mobile game retained the strategic depth and thrilling card interactions while enhancing accessibility for players on the go. What’s more, the inclusion of daily free booster packs, animated cards, and intuitive deck-building features made the entire experience feel rewarding from the start.
But the real kicker? The trading feature. Introduced in January 2025, it allowed players to exchange select cards with friends using Trade Tokens and Trade Stamina. It felt like the perfect bridge between nostalgia and modern gameplay, bringing back the feeling of swapping cards on the playground but with a touch of 21st-century sophistication. And while it was limited to certain packs initially, the developers made it clear that they planned to expand this feature over time.
Expansions like “Mythical Island” and “Space-Time Smackdown” further enriched the experience, offering new cards and gameplay elements that kept things fresh. Add to that special events like the “Sneak Peek Campaign,” which cleverly enhanced the Wonder Pick feature, and it was clear that Pokémon TCG Pocket wasn’t just a lazy port. It was a living, evolving experience.
So why did I ever doubt it? I think it comes down to a resistance to change. The traditional Pokémon TCG was something I cherished, something that felt untouchable. The idea of cramming that experience into a mobile game felt like sacrilege. But the truth is, Pokémon TCG Pocket doesn’t replace the original game—it complements it. It offers a new way to engage with a beloved classic without stripping away its essence.
I was wrong to dismiss it outright. I was wrong to scoff at those who found joy in it. And most of all, I was wrong to think that a mobile adaptation couldn’t have depth, creativity, and heart. Pokémon TCG Pocket has proven itself to be all those things and more.
In the end, I think that’s the magic of Pokémon TCG Pocket: it surprised me. It delivered something familiar yet new, nostalgic yet innovative. And now, instead of questioning why anyone would enjoy it, I find myself wondering why I ever resisted it in the first place.
To everyone I dismissed before: You were right. Pokémon TCG Pocket is fantastic. And I’m thrilled to admit just how wrong I was.