It’s truly fascinating to see how fads repeat themselves over the years and which trends turn out to be more evergreen. There’s nothing at all original abouttrading card games, especially those that are based on popular properties. However, it’s interesting to see how many anime will even explicitly work the card game mechanic into the series, like in the case ofYu-Gi-Oh!
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Yu-Gi-Oh!has remained a dominant force in the TCG community, but the other juggernaut isPokémon’sTCG, which has become nearly as popular as the video games and anime. Both of these card games feature unique perks and benefits, but neither of them are perfect and they each have their own disadvantages.
10Pokémon: There Continue To Be More New Pokémon
A successful trading card game obviously needs a strong foundation to pull from, but another way in which thePokémonseries benefits is that the sheer number of Pokémon continues to balloon. There are now nearly 1000 unique Pokémon out there and they’re all viable choices to be featured in the TCG. ThePokémonTrading Card Game isn’t stagnant, but even if it were, just theaddition of new Pokémonof which people are fans of would be enough to bring new players into the card game.
9Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Faster-Paced Rush Duel Alternative
TheYu-Gi-Oh!Trading Card Game has evolved in many ways since its debut, but the biggest shift has come in the form of a completely new version of the game that’s calledYu-Gi-Oh!Rush Deal. Rush Deal is a very new development that just hit Japan in April, 2020 and it pulls from the newYu-Gi-Oh! Sevensanimefor inspiration. Rush Deal uses a completely different set of cards and new rules that cater to faster and easier battles. It’s a level of versatility that thePokémonTCG doesn’t offer.
8Pokémon: Exclusive Promotional Card Giveaways
One area in which thePokémonTrading Card Game has really been able to excel is how they lure in their audience with exclusive cards through limited promotional events.Pokémonhas capitalized on this with the release of feature films, video games, and even exclusive events where cards are being handed out in small supply.
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Granted,Yu-Gi-Oh!also indulges in this area, but to a much smaller degree. Pokémon has found a way to move products purely through them being bundled with anexclusive and rarePokémoncard.
7Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Anime Reinforces The Game’s Rules
Yu-Gi-Oh!andPokémonboth have popular anime series, but the difference between them is thatPokémon’sTCG is an adaptation of the video game and anime’s universe, whereasYu-Gi-Oh!actually has characters engage in thesame card gamethat the audience does. This level of representation in the anime series allows fans to casually learn how to play the game and figure out card strategies through osmosis. ThePokémonanime is entertaining, but watching it isn’t going to improve anyone’s skills at the trading card game.
6Pokémon: New Mechanics And Cards Are Introduced Often
Pokémon’svideo game series was still in its infancy when the trading card game debuted. The card game is a suitable translation of thePokémonexperience, but the titles have become more complex as video games have evolved over time. ThePokémonTCG tries to represent these changes by adding new cards and mechanics every few sets. It’s done at a rate that’s not overwhelming and still allows the audience to gradually acclimate to the new concepts. Not all of these new mechanics are fundamental, but it’s still better than if the TCG never changed at all.
5Yu-Gi-Oh!: A Frequently Updated List Of Banned And Forbidden Cards
TheYu-Gi-Oh!series frequently introduces new and powerful cards, but there are times when certain cards are just deemed too strong.Yu-Gi-Oh!actively tries to do something about this rather than allow these overpowered cards to ruin tournaments.
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Every several months theYu-Gi-Oh!cards are reviewed and it’s determined if there should be any new additions to theBanned or Forbidden list. This means that these cards can’t be used in Advanced Format Play and it’s encouraging that the rules of the game are consistently being balanced and managed.
4Pokémon: There Are Still Regular Tournaments
It’s nice for a trading card game to have easy to understand rules and an attractive product, but it’s not going to amount to much if there’s not an infrastructure for players to battle against each other.Pokémonhas done an incredible job with keeping up a robust community for TCG tournaments. ThePokémonTCG strives to make these arenas accessible and divides them into three age groups. Even now they’re finding ways to engagein virtual tournamentsso their audience can still find ways to interact with each other.
3Yu-Gi-Oh!: It Allows For More Epic Game Strategies
Both the trading card games forPokémonandYu-Gi-Oh!offer unique strategies in order to reach success. There are suspenseful heights that can be reached in both, butYu-Gi-Oh!is the only one that allows for the sense of a truly epic climax.Yu-Gi-Oh!games can end in automatic victories by fulfilling certain requirementsof particular cards, like to have all five Exodia the Forbidden One Cards at once. It adds a poker-like element and allows for card battles to end in many different ways and not just the standard win or lose.
2Pokémon: Video Game Versions Exist
There’s a very clear resemblance betweenYu-Gi-Oh!’sanime, trading card game, and video games, butPokémonis much more unique in how it embraces its content. ThePokémonvideo games are totally different than the trading card game. However, there are actuallyPokémonspin-off gamesthat are video versions of the TCG. This is a beautiful expansion of the premise and it allows the audience to still play the game, even if they’re by themselves or if they don’t own a single card. It’s a satisfying substitute for the real thing.
1Yu-Gi-Oh!: It Simplifies The Cards To Exciting Subject Matter
Both thePokémonand Yu-Gi-Oh!TCGs are a lot of fun, but they can be a little intimidating in terms of just how much is going on and what mechanics need to be properly understood.Yu-Gi-Oh!greatly simplifies this and restricts its deck to Monster, Spell, and Trap cards, which are all direct and action-based. Alternatively, thePokémonTCGincorporates a lot moreto get lost over. There aren’t just Pokémon Cards, but Energy Cards that are attached to the Pokémon, as well as Trainer Cards, which are divided even further into Item, Tool, Stadium, and Supporter Cards.
