Pokémon Cards Are Back – No Commitments Required

In the mid-1990s, the minds behind Pokémon created a powerful trifecta: several role-playing adventures for Nintendo’s Game Boy, a handheld card game, and an animated children’s TV show following the adventures of a medium and his best friend. , Pikachu. It was the early days of pop culture’s most beloved and enduring franchise, an intoxicating combination of cute, colorful creatures and a jingle-friendly need to collect everything.

“Gotta catch ’em all” remains a powerful authority, even as visual media has become obsolete. As a child, I kept my Pokémon cards in carefully preserved laminate sleeves. Today, they stay on my phone, thank you Pokémon Trading Card Pocket Gamewhich allows players to collect digital cards and use them in battle, just as they used to do with physical cards.

In the pocketreleased on October 30 on iOS and Android, it ditches the virtual binders and booster packs in favor of a slick mobile version that can sink its teeth into your wallet faster than you can finish a match. Love Pokémon Goa hit game that grew into a global phenomenon, In the pocket it has legs. In its first week, the game was downloaded more than 30 million times. On Monday, it was nominated for Best Mobile Game of 2024 at the Game Awards—a remarkable distinction considering it’s been available to play for less than a month.

The hype for this game is widespread, from YouTube to X to everyone’s new site, Bluesky. In a video on TikTok, Kinda Funny producer and producer Blessing Adeoye Jr. calling it “ridiculous” how much you enjoy playing the game, from opening pockets to fighting. “I got to the point where I like, oh no,” he said in the video. “They found my ass.”

Adeoye says In the pocket it serves as a jumping off point that allows players to feel like they’re experiencing the Pokémon card craze right from the start. Because there are only three types of packs available, everyone collects the same cards. “It feels special to open a full art Pikachu or Mewtwo EX card that comes with a unique animation,” Adeoye tells WIRED. “There’s a shared experience that’s happening right now, that feels like a kid opening your first Pokémon card packs.”

Getting more people into the Poké-fold is, of course, the point In the pocket. Love Go awaywhich used the allure of a pop culture powerhouse to get people to dip their toes into augmented reality gaming on their smartphones, In the pocketThe ’90’s appeal is about taking a piece of that ’90s fandom and putting it in the palm of your hand. Go away wants you to catch your collection of small monsters; In the pocket he wants you to replicate the feeling of going to the store, opening the package, and finding a rare card. And just like that trip to the comic shop, your chances of finding something cool can depend on how much you spend. (The game has reportedly made millions since its launch.)