The Pokemon Trading Card Game, or TCG in short, is a turn-based card game where players engage in battles against each other using cards featuring popular Pocket Monsters from the franchise. While the original game uses physical cards, there are currently two digital versions of it on the market: Pokemon TCG Pocket and Pokemon TCG Live. The former is a compact and simplified version of the game incorporating gacha elements. In contrast, the latter is an exact replica of the actual TCG in an online format. Let’s look at what both games, Pokemon TCG Pocket and Pokemon TCG Live, have to offer and how they differ from each other.
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Pokemon TCG Pocket vs Pokemon TCG Live: Differences
Two elements about the Pokemon TCG appeal to the masses: battling with friends and collecting rare cards. While the Pokemon TCG Live game heavily focuses on the former and follows the same rules as the TCG, Pokemon TCG Pocket has a more relaxed approach. It has tweaked the rules for shorter battles, which is more suitable for casual gameplay, as the TCG games can last up to 45 minutes. Moreover, it emphasizes the card-collecting aspect as well with Binders and Display Boards.
TCG Pocket was released worldwide on October 30, 2024, and has been quite successful. It is currently available on Android and iOS devices and can be a fun way to learn about Pokemon TCG. It makes the whole thing seem more approachable, as TCG Live can be quite an overwhelming experience for newcomers to the franchise.
Let’s look at how both of these titles differ from each other:
1. Card Collecting and Booster Packs
Before delving into battle, Trainers first need to collect Pokemon cards. In Pokemon TCG Live, they can obtain new cards by using printed codes on the physical card packs or from the in-game Battle Pass. As such, the available Booster Packs and the meta mirror the TCG. Furthermore, the title isn’t too heavy on microtransactions, as gamers already pay for physical cards.
In contrast, Pokemon TCG Pocket features a gacha system where players get random cards by opening card packs from any of the available Booster Packs, which include a variety of different cards. Also, the available Booster Packs greatly differ from the real ones.
PTCG Pocket also includes multiple ways to gain cards. It offers one free Booster Pack to players every 12 hours, which includes 5 cards each. Apart from that, players can use an in-game currency, called Pack Hourglass, to open Booster Packs at any time. The game also features a Wonder Hourglass currency that can be used to pick a single card randomly from the packs opened by other Trainers. All of this provides enough cards for F2P players to get going.
In case fans are willing to spend money, the new game also includes a currency called Poke Gold that can be purchased in exchange for real money and can be used to purchase Hourglasses and other items.
2. Deck Building
Considering PTCG Live follows the same rules as the original TCG, it uses decks of 60 cards. These decks include a variety of different cards, such as Pokemon cards, Item cards, Tool cards, Supporter cards, Stadium cards, and Energy cards.
In comparison, PTCG Pocket uses decks of 20 cards only and doesn’t contain the last two types of cards mentioned above. It simplifies the game and eliminates the need for Energy cards. Instead, the game offers a single Energy of any selected type each turn that can be equipped to Pokemon to perform attacks.
Furthermore, Live allows Trainers to include up to four copies of a single card in a deck. Whereas, a maximum of two copies of the same card can be used in a Pocket deck.
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3. Combat Rules
Pokemon TCG Live offers multiple battle modes to players, with the most prominent ones being Standard and Expanded modes. The Standard mode of the game only allows players to battle using cards from recently released Booster Packs. In contrast, during the expanded game mode, Trainers can use even the oldest of cards that may not see much play these days.
Live also follows the same rules as the original TCG, where players can use one Active Pocket Monster and have up to five others on the Bench. The game also has the option to mulligan, where players must return their cards to the deck and redraw in case they do not draw a Basic Pokemon.
In retrospect, Pokemon TCG Pocket allows players to engage in Ranked and Casual battles against other players. Moreover, there are also options to battle against friends and AI. As for the rules, unlike the actual TCG, a Trainer can have a maximum of only three benched Pocket Monsters, and a Basic monster is guaranteed in the opening hand.
4. Win Condition
The win conditions also differ between the two digital TCG titles. While Live and the actual TCG use an intricate Prize Card system, Pocket employs a point-based system.
In the Prize Card system, players pick up one of their six Prize Cards after knocking out an opponent’s Pokemon (more if they are EX or GX). They win if they pick all six cards before their opponent. PTCG Pocket eliminates this mechanism entirely and awards one point to players for knocking out an opposing Pokemon (two if it’s an EX). Any player who gets three points first wins.
5. Progression
The Progression in PTCG Live is tied to battling. The more games a player wins, the more they progress in the title. PTCG Pocket instead uses a more rounded approach. Trainers get EXP for everything they do, ranging from opening packs to collecting cards and winning battles. This rewards all the aspects of the game equally.
Overall Verdict: Pokemon TCG Pocket vs Pokemon TCG Live
Pokemon TCG Live is catered towards a more experienced segment of the community who enjoy battling and staying up to date with the newest TCG developments. In contrast, Pokemon TCG Pocket is aimed towards the uninitiated. It can be a great choice to learn more about the TCG aspect of the franchise without committing too much, financially and time-wise.
