Hi, my name is Oltman, and I might have a problem. I think I am hooked on Pokemon The Card Game!
So, my girls have been coming home with Pokémon cards. Lots of them. I did not have any cards before and they have never bought any cards, yet their collection kept growing. I take my hat off to their playground negotiation skills! They claim it started with their freinds giving them some of their duplicates and then haggle their way to a collection.
I always thought it was just a card collection game, not realising how big the actual card game is. I did some research, learned how to play and created a free Pokémon TCG Online account where you can play for free. I figured if I know how to play, I can get them to actually play with their cards rather than just swapping and haggling and showing them off.
I learned about energy cards and trainers, something they did not have at all. After lots of searches, I found a trainer kit on Takealot, providing everything needed to create 2 decks of cards, and perfect for them to play the card game.
It has now been 3 months. I have about 5 decks built for different play styles. I have cards in sleeves to protect the cards. Each deck has its own deck case to protect the sleeved cards. I am searching local sites for specific Pokémon and their evolution cards to strengthen my collection. I am about order 2 large mouse pads with custom graphics on that we can use as our playmats. And my YouTube feed is slowly being overtaken by Pokémon videos…
I have a problem!
Just kidding, the problem is still about 3 months away!
I never thought I would enjoy Pokémon at all. I still don’t watch the series, but the card game is absolutely amazing. It is way more tactical than I ever would imagine. I initially thought the “prize cards” are cards you could lose to the opposition, but you don’t risk your actual cards when playing!
The deck building is nearly as intense as the actually playing. Balancing the trainers, energies and actual Pokémon, and knowing which types have strengths and weaknesses against others, makes it super intense. Testing and trialling your deck is not just fun, but also essential! There are competitions world wide and you can see exactly how the pros build their decks, and even buy a deck with their exact cards.
But the best part of all is sharing a hobby with my girls! We play often, and my 10 year old has a real knack for seeing advantages of certain cards, and is developing her own strategies. My 6 year old struggles with the reading, but understands the basic concept and rules, so we play as a team.
They have their own decks and I allow them to trade their duplicates. They are even more obsessed about “mint” cards and wont trade anything that has scratches or bends. They can even recognise fake cards, something that apparently is a problem on the school grounds.
Does anybody else here have Pokémon TCG card collections, have played the card game or have an interest in any other card games like Magic The Gathering, Yu Gi Oh etc?
