The Pokémon TCG Pocket app launched on October 30, and I'm already hooked on it. The game brings Pokémon card collecting and battling to mobile devices, allowing players to open booster packs, collect new cards, battle against AI or other players, and more. In other words, it's a virtual preview of what it might be like to actually play the Pokémon card game.

My husband had a huge collection of Pokémon cards from his childhood, and we sold the big hitters from it a few years ago for a decent price. But we still have all the "regular" cards, the ones that don't sell for more than a few cents a pop, and they're currently just sitting around taking up space in our closet. I don't really know what to do with them and I wouldn't want to add any physical items to my house that I don't plan to use. That being said, seeing the Pokémon TCG community's excitement over pulling certain cards is addictive, and now I get to experience it too, thanks to the new Pokémon TCG Pocket app.

Pokémon TCG Pocket Isn't Just Meant For Existing TCG Fans

It's Designed To Bring New Players In

One look at the official Pokémon TCG Pocket website makes it clear that this app is supposed to be for everyone, not just current fans. The header shows a variety of people playing the game, from some women on their lunch break to the hand of a child interacting with the app. If Pokémon Go brought the joys of capturing Pokémon to the general public, TCG Pocket intends to do the same for the trading card game.

The only experience I have with the Pokémon Trading Card Game is with the Game Boy Color game, back in the 2000s. I being absolutely terrible at it, but enjoying every single moment. Having played the new mobile game for a few days now, I can confidently say that I haven't improved one bit, and I still love it.

Now that I'm an adult, though, I have a whole new level of appreciation for the game. The app introduces the trading card game to new players in a fun and no-commitment kind of way, since there's no need to make room for physical cards or spend any money. Existing fans already know this, of course, but the art is beautiful, I enjoy opening packs, and I have a drive to keep trying to play and improve.

In that sense, it feels like the app was tailor-made for me, or rather, people like me. When the Pocket edition of the TCG was announced, there was some discussion online about what the point was. The current community already knows and loves the game, so why bother digitizing something they already enjoy in its physical form? But the app isn't designed just for the current community; it's cleverly designed to bring in a new audience and create new fans from people like me.

How Pokémon TCG Pocket Hooks New Players

Clear Tutorials Ease New Players Into The Community

Pokémon TCG Pocket does things right from the beginning by keeping the design slick and simple, and introducing each aspect of gameplay in short and easy bursts. Before players can try battling, they need to learn what decks are, and before they can do that, they need to learn to open booster packs and collect new cards.

Everything is presented in an easy-to-understand way, but without being too long-winded, so as not to drive away players who already know how everything works. I can see my whole family playing and enjoying the game, as we did with Pokémon GO, which is not something I could ever say about the physical game.

Even the way that players interact with the cards is meant to mimic the real-life equivalent. The app introduces the cards and lets players "open" booster packs in a very physical way, even going so far as to let you choose which of the (otherwise identical) packs you want to open. It feeds into the "blind back opening" craving, even more so once I realized I could turn the pack over and reveal the cards back-side first to prolong the mystery.

TCG Pocket is a feast for the eyes, with the serotonin boost I get from opening a pack only increased by the visual feast the cards present. The cards are absolutely beautiful, and I love the ability to move the card around to inspect it, especially when they're special or holo cards, since it creates a very satisfying 3D effect.

I honestly didn't even realize I could actually battle with the cards until I reached level three and unlocked the option. This is also done incredibly well, taking players through the mechanics and elements of battling one step at a time, offering reinforcement and an intuitive tutorial at every step of the way.

While I think some cards are absolutely gorgeous, and I wouldn't mind owning them as pieces of art, I've never had any interest in actually playing the Pokémon card game. Now that I've had hands-on experience, I understand the appeal a little better.

What Pokémon TCGP Means For The Future Of The Game

The Pokémon TCG Community Is About To Get Bigger

I've never had an entry point into the game before. I don't have any friends who play, and the learning curve and existing community seemed intimidating, using a lot of insider terminology that I don't really understand. I wouldn't have ever been able to get into the game on my own.

But with Pokémon TCG Pocket, I'm tempted to get a pack or two, maybe from the lower-entry Halloween card packs that are meant for casual players and not hardcore collectors. Maybe eventually I'll dig up what's left of my husband's card collection, and even try getting some of the newer card, if only for the gorgeous art of some of the recent sets.

I'm confident that the game will definitely pull new players like me into the game. The simple presentation, the step-by-step introduction to the cards and mechanics, and the addictive nature of opening packs makes me want to get more into the Pokémon TCG in general and Pokémon TCG Pocket in particular, and that's exactly what it's designed to do.

Source: Pokémon, The Official Pokémon YouTube channel