A year ago, a product called Pokémon TCG : My First Battle was released in Western countries. It is designed to introduce the Pokémon TCG to a young audience, offering a simplified product for a streamlined experience. In other words, dumbing down the TCG to its most basic rules and keep the game engaging. Four type-themed mini-decks of 17 cards were released in two separate products branded Pokémon TCG My First Battle: Pikachu & Bulbasaur, Charmander & Squirtle. These kits also included basic accessories and a rulebook.
Was TCG Pocket and its promise of a simplified ruleset inspired by this product?
How does My First Battle play ?
Decks from the Pokémon TCG MFB kit are comprised of 17 cards, 11 of which are Pokemon, 2 are Trainers and 4 basic Energies. Players start the game with a first Pokémon in the Active spot (Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander or Pikachu) and a first Energy card. Both these “first” cards are marked with a Pokéball stamp. The Energy is placed in a dedicated Energy zone. Both players then draw 3 cards and the game begins.
The actions you can perform during your turn are the same as in the regular TCG: drawing a card at the start of your turn, playing a Basic Pokemon on the bench, playing an Energy card, evolving a Pokemon, playing a Trainer card and attacking with the Active Pokémon, which then ends the turn. In the diagram provided in the rulebook, these actions are numbered, but players are free to perform them in any order.
The field is extremely similar to TCG Pocket
All the Pokemon come from the 1st generation. They have no weakness, resistance or retreat cost (Pokémon cannot retreat). The two Trainer cards are the same across all these products : Potion and Switch (two Item cards). There’s only 1 type of Energy per mini-deck.
The Energy zone is limited to a maximum of three Energies. Once per turn, you can play an Energy card from the hand to put it in this Zone. These are usable by each player’s Active Pokémon and remain in the Energy zone even if the Active Pokémon is knocked out, allowing any Active Pokémon to use them for attacks.
Does TCG Pocket take after My First Battle ?
Some similarities between TCG Pocket and My First Battle are striking. Both games feature a reduced bench size of three spots and use a point system rather than a prize system (MFB uses tokens). Whoever gets 3 points first win the game. The cards are also unique and specific to each game.
The concept of an Energy zone is common to both games but differs in execution.
- In MFB, Energies are included in your deck; you have one in the opening sequence and can add more by playing them from your hand to the Energy zone, where they are shared collectively by your Active Pokémon.
- In TCG Pocket, the Energy zone is presumably a fixed pool of Energies you start the game with and can pick from each turn to attach to any of your Pokémon individually.
We can notice it in this short gameplay video where we can see the opponent's Gardevoir, Slowpoke and Snorlax with individually attached energies, and the Energy Zone being a conceptual pool under each bench
TCG Pocket also features more complex mechanics like Pokémon ex, Stage 2 Pokémon, and abilities—concepts likely deemed too advanced for the simplified approach of MFB.
Overall, Pokémon TCG Pocket is at the crossroad between My First Battle, by adopting aspects that make games more simple and less frustrating, and the real TCG, featuring diverse play patterns, more powerful and exciting cards like final stages of Evolution, Supporter cards, and Pokémon ex.