

This may sound like an issue of “pay to win,” and to a certain extent it is, but from what we were shown in the demo it seems like it’s not too difficult to assemble a competitive deck using just the resources provided, meaning winning will ultimately come down to the skill you have more so than the cards you own.
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However, as anyone who buys physical Pokémon booster packs knows, code cards found in packs can be redeemed in-game for digital boosters, so there is the option for players to throw down cash in order to flesh out their collections faster than regular gameplay would naturally allow. Its three currencies (Coins for cosmetics, Credits for crafting, and Crystals for extra rewards and perks) are all earned by playing the game and claiming them from daily missions, the Battle Pass, and the like. PTCGL touts itself as a completely free-to-play game with no microtransactions. Gone are the days of being forced to trade 30 packs for Mew VMAX on the day of release–and thank Arceus for that. That’s right, there’s no more trading between players like there was with PTCGO, but this is a most welcome change because now all cards are easily obtainable through crafting regardless of popularity. More cards can be obtained through various methods, including the Battle Pass, booster packs, and the new crafting system. When starting PTCGL, players will be given a handful of ready-to-use, 60-card decks to play with. It currently lacks a numbered ranking system upon reaching the top level, so it’s unclear what will motivate players to continue playing after reaching the top of the ladder. Ranked Mode allows you to advance to new tiers of competitive play, earning rewards along the way. PTCGL offers both a Casual Mode (Standard Format with Expanded coming soon) and Ranked Mode (Standard only), the latter of which is a new, long-awaited feature for online Pokémon card players. Again, Pokémon features a cast of numerous iconic characters each with their own signature outfits–have you seen Cynthia’s eye-catching, all-black battle lewk?–but you wouldn’t know that from the simple sweaters and shirts on the rack in PTCGL. The same could be said for the player avatars, which have a decent amount of fun customizable options but come off a bit odd with their overly smooth features, exaggerated smiles, and empty eyes.

(Credit: Wizards of the Coast) Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel game board. (Credit: The Pokémon Company) Magic: The Gathering Arena game board. Pokémon Trading Card Game Live game board.

Pokémon is a franchise bursting with substance and flair, but as far as this demo is concerned, little of it is on display in PTCGL. When comparing the PTCGL game board to other digital TCG games such as Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel or Magic: The Gathering Arena, the lack of style is even more apparent. PTCGL offers improved visuals over PTCGO, to be sure, but so far it doesn’t feel like it pushed its innovations far enough. The presentation is flashy and clean, but also sparse and basic. Pokémon cards rise into the air to deliver attacks, and the board lights up with a neat flourish corresponding to the Pokémon’s elemental type. Though we didn’t get to try it out ourselves, playing cards seemed easy and fluid. For those who need a rules refresher or are learning for the first time, PTCGL offers a breezy tutorial that teaches you everything you need to know.Ĭards are played by dragging and dropping them to their appropriate place on the board, with highlighted prompts helping to guide your hand. Sure, there are new card types such as Supporters and Pokémon VMAX, but the easy-to-learn/hard-to-master flow of gameplay remains the same with evolving Pokémon, declaring attacks, and taking six Prizes to win.
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If you learned how to play the Pokémon TCG back when it first came out in the ‘90s, then you’ll be happy to hear not much has changed. Pokémon Trading Card Game Live uses the same official rules as the physical TCG. Pokémon Trading Card Game Live Gameplay Overview We’re going to share everything we learned, show off some new screenshots, and offer our thoughts on what we saw.

IGN attended a first-look demo of PTCGL with a group of press to get a look at the game in action on desktop. Live offers a fresh look, a first-ever ranked mode, and a new crafting system among other updated features. Out with the old and in with the new! Pokémon Trading Card Game Live is an upcoming video game that lets you play the Pokémon TCG, replacing the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online client that launched in 2011.
