Twilight Masquerade is in stores now, and it features a couple of cards you’re going to want to chase. I didn’t think I would like the Ogerpon cards, but here I am, wanting them all. Players are going to need some of these new cards for this shifting meta, and collectors are going to want some of the beautiful art included in this set. Whatever your stake in the hobby is, you’re going to want to get yourself some Twilight Masquerade.
Always support your LGS, but you can pick up some Twilight Masquerade off of TCG Player using my affiliate link. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
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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I was able to snag a Silvie, Slime Sovereign Re:Collection box at MSRP. The prices are going down on TCG player so if your LGS ran out, you can snag one on TCG Player using my affiliate link.
Whats in the Box?
The recollection box gets you:
Slivie preconstructed 60 card main deck and 12-card material deck
100 ct. Silvie Dragon Shield art Sleves
A set of cards to compete the playsets for your Main Deck
Damage Counter
Art Deviders
3 x Mercurial Heart Booster Packs
Thoughts
I didn’t pull any of the collector secret rares, I will never be that lucky, but I am happy with the product. The box is very nice and sturdy. Mine came a little dented, but its going to get beat up anyways. I am a huge fan of the magnetic latch and a bigger fan of the art on the inside flap.
The box is a little too small for my taste. It doesn’t fit any of my regular deck boxes like a Pokemon ETB does, but this isn’t a deal breaker. The box does fit three sleeved decks without a box including side board with enough room for dividers and counters, but I feel like pulling out a deck is more convenience. You can fit about three of the included Dragon Shield cardboard deck boxes which is fine, but the deckbox is only big enough for a sleeved main and material deck. You’ll have to find another solution for your sideboard.
The included deck box is fine. It has cute matching artwork and you can label the top, but it is cardboard. Although it is somewhat sturdy, you’re going to replace it. Mine is dented, but it is a valid solution for now. Again, not a deal breaker since I can buy a better solution.
The included sleeves are great! I love the art on the mat back. Dragon Shield makes great quality sleeves, and these are no exception.
The Re:Collection boxes are a great product, and I am glad I bought mine. I haven’t had a chance to try out the decks, but as a collector, I am satisfied. They boxes look great, and they will look amazing on your shelf, sealed or not. A playset of the main deck cards is a nice little bonus. Most importantly, the recollection boxes are the only way to get your hands on the Tristan and Silvie collector rares. I wasn’t so lucky, but maybe you will. Either way, I am happy with my purchase and can’t wait to bust it out!
Beginning Observer comes out this Friday, May 24th, and it has some alt art cards you’re going to want to chase. This set does a good job at highlighting Digimon I had forgotten about or overlooked. Make sure you always support your LGS, but you can always pick up Beginning Observeror any other Digimon Card Gameproduct on TCG Player through my affiliate links.
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The Mercurial Heart season is here, and there are a couple of changes that you should be aware of if you’re trying to play the game competitively. There are new sideboarding rules, and the ban list has been updated.
If you haven’t picked up any Mercurial Heart, always support your LGS, but you can pick some up on TCG Player through my affiliate links. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
Players are now allowed to have 15 cards in their deck as opposed the eight previously allowed. Please note that material deck cards such as Champion and Regalia take up three slots in this new system. That means that the sideboard can be made up of 5 material deck cards and 0 main deck cards, 0 material deck cards and 15 main deck cards, or a combination of the two.
Ban and Restricted List Update
Banned
There are no new bans this month, but keep in mind that following remain banned:
Category 2
Erupting Rhapsody has been moved up a category to the watch list. This means you should probably start making your decks without it in your decks because it is heading towards the chopping block.
Category 1
Chalice of blood has been added to the category 1 watch list. Category 1 is for the cards that the devs are watching as problematic, but there is no danger of a immanent ban. You can fill your decks with the following, but be mindful that a ban might come some day.
You can read the reasons for the changes on the official post.
The Grand Archive TCG Worlds championship was this weekend, and Rai took its place as King for the Alchemical Revolution season. The VOD of the event is up for those of you in the mood to watch some competitive GA. You can check out the full event list on Omnidex.
I did grab the top three deck lists of the format, and links to the singles for those who need them. I’ll be leaving my TCG Player affiliate links where applicable. If you need accessories for your cardboard, pick them up at Gem Accessories. Use discount code churapereviews10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase.
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The Grand Archive World’s Championship is this weekend, May 10-12. This means we’re getting to see some of the best players in the world coming together to battle it out for the top spot. Which archetype will come out on top?
If you’re interested in or getting into the competitive scene, make sure you tune in today and set up your notifications so you don’t miss a second. There’s going to be a fantastic team of casters and some solid production. I am excited to see some high-level gameplay!
We will also be getting some juicy spoilers for the upcoming Mercurial Heartset. I am digging this set so far, and can’t wait to see what else this set has in store. Mercurial Heart releases on May 17, so make sure you put in your preorders if you haven’t done so already.
May 17 is also TCG Player’s May MAYhem celebration. Buying product off the site during the celebration earns you Store credit for a future purchase. If you’re going to load up on Grand Archive product, it might be a good idea to hold off till then. The amount you can earn hasn’t been announced yet, so stay tuned.
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Now without any more delay, here are the last bits of spoilers before worlds! I’ll be collecting all the spoilers from worlds, so stay tuned for those as well.
Mercurial Heart releases on May 17th. The set brings support to all classes and will feature the advanced elements: astra, neos, and umbra. May 17th will also be the launch of the Re:Collection decks for Silvie and Tristan. These decks aim to bring new life to older champions, which I am sure long time fans are hyped for. Make sure you check out the full design notes for more details.
May 17th is also TCG Player’s May Mayhem celebration. Buying product from TCG Player will earn you store credit for your next purchase, so I would hold onto your big purchases till then. The amount of store credit you can earn hasn’t been announced yet, so stay tuned to learn more.
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Silvie is getting her much needed upgrade in her very own Re:Collection deck. She will have access to all elements of slime, and the slimes are so cute!
Slimes
Advanced Elements
Food!
Tristan Re:Collection, Shadowdancer
Tristan fans will rejoice to see a whole new way to play Tristan. The deck will not only introduce cool new Tristan art, but it also introduce the new Agility keyword. If you gain agility, you will return an amount of cards back from your memory to your hand at the beginning of that turn’s end phase. This deck is about to cook up some spicy strategies, especially with those Phantasia allies!
Ominous Shadows
Preparation
Umbra
More Mercurial Hearts
Imbue
Imbue is a neat new way to summon coming to Mercurial Hearts. From the design notes:
By reserving the cards needed to play a card with the imbue keyword revealed, you gain additional effects as long as the elements of all the cards revealed and the card activated match! (Revealed cards are hidden again after costs are paid.)
Note: These cards are revealed as you reserve them into your memory, thus don’t enter the state of being hidden and revealed. So “whenever you reveal this card from your memory” triggers do not work with Imbue. Imbue rewards deckbuilding by choosing to include more cards of the same element to gain bonus effects.
I started following WONDRLD because the cards are so pretty. They are a little anime-heavy, but that is the appeal. I love the use of color, and the unique layout makes each card stand out. Their upcoming set, Starlight Genesis, is no exception. I would love to start collecting these because they are going to look sick in a binder. Maybe I’ll even make time to learn this one too. In case you missed it, check out the Binary Mind set. Product is still available on the official site.
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I was sent a free copy of Solforge Fusionto review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Buying cards from TCG Player through my affiliate link is also a great way to help me out. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
SolForge Fusion is a CCG card battler out now on Steam. The game features single-player and PvP modes where players face off against opponents with uniquely fused decks. Do you have what it takes to outmaneuver your opponents and come out on top?
Gameplay
The gameplay loop is where this game becomes an acquired taste. You are either going to love SolForge or find it boring. The game is split into rounds where players can perform one action per turn. Players have two alternating turns in each round. During their turn, a player can cast a spell, summon a creature, or move a creature between spaces on the board.
At the end of a round, the cards auto battle depending on whether the player is defending or attacking. Creatures of attacking player will attack the opponent directly if there is nothing blocking them, players of a defending player can only attack adjacent enemy creatures.
Cards that aren’t used in a round level up and are shuffled back into the deck. The strategy seems to be choosing the right cards to hold onto for later in the game. Players also have access to a hero ability that also levels up as the game carries on. A player wins when their opponent’s life drops to zero.
In the roguelike single-player mode, players can fuse or choose a deck to make their run. The game plays like any other deck-building roguelike but without deck-building. Players earn special buffs and abilities along their run. The run is over when a player gets to the end, or their life drops to zero.
Review
SolForge Fusion is an interesting concept that is ultimately held back by its gameplay. I was intrigued by the random fusion deck building and found the boardlike game mechanics interesting, but found the game boring. Even with the animation turned up, the game feels slow and repetitive. These might be personal preferences, but there are more fun CCGs with a campaign I could be playing instead. Shadowvese has a neat one for free.
Playing a card per turn makes the game feel more luck-based than your traditional card game. You either pull the cards you need to fill your board properly, or you’re just playing from behind. Movement is always an interesting concept, but I don’t think this game does it well. When choosing between moving or playing a card, it is almost always better to play a card. There are cards that do damage when moving which might be how they balance things, but it felt kind of like a pointless mechanic.
The evolving card mechanic is an interesting one. You either play your cards for an early advantage, or you save your good cards for more explosive rounds later in the match. Finding a balance between what you play and what you level on top of keeping a healthy board state has the potential to create an interesting strategy. Unfortunately, the game just feels too slow and boring.
The deck fusion mechanic is what is going to kill this game. While I love playing random decks, it doesn’t work in this game. You either get a decent deck to play or have to try again. This game already feels very heavily reliant on luck, I can only assume that the ladder is overrun by the luckier players. I understand that all card games have some luck involved, but it should at least feel like there’s some skill involved. I don’t think I would have minded the Fusion mechanic as much if it were just a roguelike, but there’s PvP and people want to build their own decks.
SolForge is still in early access, and future updates may make this game fun, but the game didn’t create enough interest in me to find out. While I do believe it comes down to preference, there are better card games with similar mechanics out there. If you’re curious about the game, try the demo first.
You can pick up SolForge Fusion on Steam for $19.99 (currently $14.99 until April 23).
