A New Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny Card is a Controversy Waiting to Happen

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In simple terms, the Pokemon TCG Pocket is preparing to release its ninth collection, named “Wisdom of Sea and Sky,” which focuses on the beloved Johto region from Generation 2. This new set includes Ho-Oh Ex and Lugia Ex cards, found in their respective booster packs dedicated to Ho-Oh and Lugia. The total number of new cards to collect in Pokemon TCG Pocket is over 200, as per the official website. Additionally, the expansion will contain some shiny cards, one of which may cause a debate, regardless of its outcome.

Since Shining Revelry, shiny cards have been a standard feature in each set. However, these shiny cards following Shining Revelry are essentially reprints, with the only difference being the artwork on the card featuring the corresponding shiny Pokémon. The card itself doesn’t offer any unique mechanical properties. It’s uncertain if this trend will continue with Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Wisdom of Sea and Sky, but the shiny card showcased in the trailer, which is dedicated to the legendary “Red Gyarados,” may stir up some challenges due to its iconic status.

Pokemon TCG Pocket is Shooting Itself in the Foot With Shiny Gyarados

In Pokemon games, the Red Gyarados is often brought up in relation to the special event in Generation 2 where players could consistently find this creature as they advanced through the story. This is significant because Red Gyarados is a highly memorable encounter within the games, and Gyarados itself ranks among the most cherished pocket monsters in the series. However, the inclusion of a shiny Gyarados card in Wisdom of Sea and Sky TCG set is exciting, but it presents two major issues. Firstly, this new shiny Gyarados card isn’t a reprint, which means…

  • Pokemon TCG Pocket‘s shiny Gyarados is a mechanically unique card that can only be shiny, meaning it’s also very rare to obtain
  • Or, the Red Gyarados card exists because the set includes a new Gyarados card with its same stats, meaning that the shiny is still very rare, but doesn’t really act as a callback to the games’ guaranteed shiny encounter

It’s implied that regardless of the situation, the A4 set of Pokemon TCG Pocket might face a mixed response due to its shiny Gyarados. While a mechanically distinct Red Gyarados could be intriguing and align with the in-game event from Generation 2, if it isn’t given to players for completing certain tasks, it could establish an undesirable pattern that encourages a ‘pay-to-win’ mentality.

If the Red Gyarados in the collection is simply a shimmering variant of a freshly introduced Gyarados card, it would be extremely challenging to obtain this shimmery version without cracking open numerous packs. Even buying it using Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Pack Points would be quite a challenge, as players can only earn 5 points per booster pack they open, and shiny cards usually cost over 1,250 points for exchange.

Why Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Red Gyarados in Set A4 is Unlikely to be a Promo

In summary, while a Red Gyarados card was featured in the trailer for Wisdom of Sea and Sky, it’s unlikely that this card will be free for everyone since trailers typically don’t show promotional cards. However, there might still be a shiny Gyarados promo in the set, which would enhance the game’s appeal. Given the desire for accessibility due to the FOMO associated with Pokemon TCG Pocket‘s promo cards, an event specifically dedicated to Red Gyarados should be easy for all players to attend.

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2025-07-28 01:03