Pokemon Celebrations Review: ‘A thrill for veteran Pokemon TCG fans’

Pokemon Celebrations is a real thrill for veteran fans of the trading card game. Over the years, fuddy-duddies like me have watched as the TCG has been taken over by YouTube influencers and scalpers. While I don’t want to get too “old man yells at cloud” about it, when Logan Paul wears a $1 million Pokemon card around his neck to his fight with Floyd Mayweather, it’s clear that the hobby is far removed from the days when my friends and I hid cards in our socks to discreetly trade them in school. The new Pokemon Celebrations series is a throwback to this long-gone era, delivering ample rares based on some of the TCG’s most valuable and most loved cards.

What’s included in the Pokemon Celebrations series?

I’ve had more rare pulls from a single Pokemon Celebrations set than I have entire booster boxes of previous Pokemon TCG series. When you can pull several VMAX Pikachus, a Mew, and a holo Charizard within a few minutes of one another, you know you’re in for a fun time.

The booster packs included in each set — that only contain four cards in a case of quality over quantity —  feature uniquely designed cards focused on the series’ most beloved characters, along with 25 special cards that are remakes of some of the most well-known designs in the TCG’s history. Each comes branded with a special ’25’ logo, though remain much the same as their original incarnations.

The series is different from other Pokemon TCG releases in that it only contains sets, with no booster boxes available. The sets are as follows:

• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Collection — Dragapult Prime
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Collection — Lance’s Charizard V
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Collection — Dark Sylveon V
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Pokemon Center Elite Trainer Box
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Collector Chest
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Deluxe Pin Collection
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Elite Trainer Box
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Mini Tin
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Premium Figure Collection — Pikachu VMAX
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Special Collection — Pikachu V-UNION
• Pokemon TCG: Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection

We were sent the full series, minus the Ultra-Premium Collection, Center Elite Trainer Box, Mini-Tin, and Dark Sylveon V collection, with the total cards I pulled fitting snugly into one trainer box. If you’re the kind of player who prefers pulling tons of cards, then this might be a disappointment. However, boosters from the likes of Vivid Voltage and Chilling Reign are included to make up the numbers.

Each set has its own unique selling point, from the Elite Trainer Box’s focus on pack openings and storage, to the Premium Figure Collection’s VMAX Pikachu figure. They all come with differing numbers of Celebration boosters, from the two included in the Dragapult Prime set to the 13 included in the Elite Trainer Box.

Which Pokemon Celebrations set should I buy?

The Elite Trainer Box is the best purchase for long-time Pokemon fans, newcomers, and those jumping back on the Poke-wagon. It provides a good amount of Celebration boosters, typically with a bunch of rares to uncover, along with the handy storage box.

While the comparatively low-priced Celebrations Collections featuring Lance’s Charizard V and Dark Sylveon V are decent, I really wish TCGs would move away from the giant blown-up cards that are simultaneously useless and difficult to store.

If you’re looking for a set that offers something other than booster packs and a giant card to collect, the Pikachu V-MAX set and its “fat Pikachu” statue is a nice option. In terms of special cards featured in each set, I can’t get enough of the artwork on the V-UNION Pikachu cards. These special four cards combine to form a V-UNION of the Pokemon mascot, using the artwork of 25 different artists including the character’s original designer Atsuko Nishida.

Pokemon Celebrations Review: The final verdict

Pokemon Celebrations is an appropriately named celebration of the TCG’s illustrious history, highlighting the very best cards from its numerous series, stretching all the way back to its earliest incarnation. I loved rekindling old memories of ripping open booster packs back in the ’90s, and the sheer number of rare cards to be found in each set make this series great for collectors and newcomers alike. While there could stand to be more cards in the booster packs, and the giant cards in the cheaper sets remain useless, this is an excellent series that shouldn’t be missed.