If you’re looking to learn to play or teach someone to play the Pokemon Trading Card Game, the Battle Academy is a fantastic starting point. Keep in mind that this product was designed for kids and includes a more streamlined and stripped-down version of what you see in competitive play. If you’re trying to get into the competitive play, playing on PTCL for the automation and picking up the deck you want to take to locals is where you want to start. If you’re trying to onboard your kids or someone who doesn’t do much TCG, the Battle Academy sets are a fantastic product for you.
What’s in the Box?
Pokemon Battle Academy kits come with everything you need to get you started with the TCG. I know the 2024 version is coming June 24, but the 2022 is good enough and its cheap! The box includes:
- 3 60-card decks (Cinderace V, Eevee V, and Pikachu V)
- 2 player gameboard
- 3 Tutorial Guides
- Coin
- Cardboard damage counters
Quality
The quality is fantastic. The cards are printed nicely, with very cute foil mascots for each deck. The gameboard is easy to read, feels sturdy, and is easy to fold. I love the game board. It makes this kit feel like a board game you want to pull out when you want to play an even match of Pokemon TCG. The guides are easy to read and follow and are very handy if you don’t know how to play the game. We didn’t use them when we played, but I’ll explain in the review section below.
The damage counters the kit are fine, but I prefer using dice. I feel like the cardboard cutouts are unnecessarily messy, and don’t look as nice. I swapped mine out for dice.
The kit comes neatly packed in a plastic insert with sections big enough to store all the materials. My complaint is that it only fits the unsleeved decks. Sleeved decks will spill out of their compartments and get mixed up in transit. The product wasn’t made with crazy people like me who sleeve everything, so it’s not a huge deal. The decks do come numbered so if they get mixed up, you can put them back in order before the next lesson. Overall, I am happy with the presentation and it looks great on the shelf.
The Teaching Experience
I used the Battle Academy to teach my ten-year-old cousin who collects Pokemon cards how to play the card game. He’s never played a trading card game, and I have more years of experience than I would like to admit. We didn’t use the guides, although he did flip through to look at the pictures. Instead, we set up and started taking our turns. We played our first game with our hands showing as I walked him through the phases and rules. I recommend the decks in order for this first game because it makes teaching easier.
On my turn, I would show him my cards, and explain what I was doing, and why. On his turn, I would let him make his turn, and assist if there were things he missed or didn’t understand. I would occasionally explain strategies that didn’t seem obvious. He picked up the rules pretty quickly. By the end of the first game, he was ready to play on his own.
The second game we played with our hands concealed and I would only chime in when needed. Aside from a few missed phases, towards the beginning, he didn’t need much guidance. He won his second game, and he was hooked. He even asked me if I had different decks, which I definitely do.
Review
The Pokemon Battle Academy is the product you get if you want to teach someone who has never played a card game into the hobby. The gameplay is streamlined enough to make teaching and learning easy, but not so easy that it isn’t engaging. While it won’t get you ready to win the next regionals, it will build that solid foundation every good trainer needs.
The key thing to consider before making this purchase is skill level. As previously stated, trainers who want to take on the hobby seriously have better avenues, especially when considering that the cards included in the Battle Academy aren’t standard legal. They have special stamps and numbers to indicate this. On the other hand, if you’re casually trying to onboard a friend or get your kids interested in the TCG, this is great.
The decks themselves are pretty balanced and easy to learn. I do feel like the Eevee deck is a little easier, but not enough to make a difference. The decks will lack the consistency, power, and speed of the meta decks, but they are fun casual decks. Once you grasp the fundamentals and figure out you like the game, you can start buying into the archetype you want to play. Pokemon meta decks are pretty cheap, but you can always proxy if your funds are limited.
I love this product. It is a great way to teach your reading-aged kids or anyone casually looking into the card game. You won’t be ready for the current meta, but you’ll have fun learning the fundamentals. If you have kids on the younger side, the best place to start is with the My First Battle product. Check out my full review.
You can pick up the 2022 Battle Academy on TCG Player for $14 using my affiliate link. Be sure to read the description carefully! Some people are only selling the individual decks and not the whole kit. You can also wait for the 2024 Battle Academy to launch on June 24 if you want a kit with more modern mechanics. I don’t think it matters if you’re just using this product to play casually, but that is totally up to you.
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