The Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon video games are two of the successful franchise’s most prominent platforms. This success has allowed The Pokémon Company to continue funding its ventures and increase the quality of some of its products, creating a cycle of improvement. The only flaw the franchise currently has is the shaky reception of its recent games, as while they have been profitable, fundamental and technological issues have been prevalent.The Pokémon games recently released their Generation 9 title, Scarlet and Violet, whereas the Pokémon TCG is wrapping up its Generation 8 card expansion with the soon-to-be-released Pokémon TCG’s Crown Zenith expansion, before moving on to Gen 9. The card game has seen great success in the past few years, with card prices skyrocketing for collectors and sets flying off the shelves, but Pokémon Scarlet and Violet saw even more success, as it became the fastest-selling Switch, Nintendo, and Pokémon game. These numbers will only rise as likely DLC arrives for the game and the first cards for Gen 9 are on the shelf.Related: Best Pokémon TCG Cards From The Sword & Shields Sets
The Pokémon TCG Has More Monetary Value
If going off monetary value, the Pokémon TCG would have the advantage, as popular cards can range anywhere from hundreds of dollars to over $1000. The game series does come with less risk, however, usually costing $60 for the base game, and recently a bit extra for DLC that replaces Pokémon‘s 3rd version games. This also gives the game nearly endless replayability, upping its value. This is in comparison with TCG, as the cards can become repetitive, and finding the expensive ones will often cost more than they may be worth.
The Pokémon Games Are Better Than TCG
The main factor in why the video games are better is down to gameplay. The TCG has similarities to the video games, such as competitions, but the video games have a much larger audience and appeal. The TCG is rather basic, and while the video games aren’t that much more advanced, all the other gameplay features put it over the top. The ability to enjoy a story, that has gotten significantly better in recent titles, is also something the TCG can’t even compete with. Outside of profit, the biggest advantage for the TCG is full art or secret rare cards, whose artwork makes the shaky graphics of the recent games look prehistoric.
Overall, both parts of the franchise can be greatly enjoyed, and they are key parts of the series’ foundation. Each one has its pros and cons, and how each fan enjoys the different functions of them is significant. However, looking at it rationally, the Pokémon games are better than the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
