Besides the offline games for the Game Boy, there were various other Pokemon TCG clients that enabled players to play online against other players.

Pokemon TCG Online & Pokemon TCG Live

Pokémon TCG Online (PTCGO) served as the digital embodiment of the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) universe, allowing players worldwide to engage in the strategic gameplay and collectible fun of Pokémon cards online. Launched in 2011, PTCGO was a groundbreaking platform that digitized the trading card experience, providing a virtual space where players could battle, trade, and collect cards much like they would with physical cards. Over the years, PTCGO evolved, incorporating new card sets from the ever-expanding Pokémon universe, introducing various gameplay modes, and constantly updating to enhance the player experience. This platform became a cherished online community for Pokémon TCG enthusiasts, offering an accessible and comprehensive way to enjoy the game, complete with tournaments and the ability to earn new cards through gameplay or code redemption from physical packs.

Transitioning from PTCGO, Pokémon TCG Live represents the next evolutionary step for the franchise’s digital card game experience. Announced in 2021, Pokémon TCG Live aims to modernize and broaden the reach of the digital game, promising a more intuitive interface, enhanced graphics, and a platform that’s accessible on more devices, including smartphones, tablets, and PCs. This new iteration seeks to retain the core of what made PTCGO popular—strategic gameplay and the thrill of card collection—while introducing features that make the game more inclusive and engaging for a global audience. With the introduction of Pokémon TCG Live, the Pokémon Company looks to invigorate the digital trading card game scene, offering both veteran players and newcomers a refreshed and refined way to engage with Pokémon TCG, ensuring its place in the digital gaming world for years to come.

One unique feature to both the TCG Online and TCG Live games are the code cards that are included in the physical booster packs and decks that include mirror packs/decks in the games.

Pokemon TCG Pocket

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is making its way into the digital realm with the launch of Pokémon TCG Pocket, a complimentary digital version of the classic card game. Slated for release in 2024 on iOS, iPadOS, and Android platforms, this app will cater to a global audience with support for multiple languages including Japanese, English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese.

This eagerly awaited game was unveiled globally during the Pokémon Presents broadcast at 14:00 UTC on Pokémon Day, February 27, 2024, marking a significant expansion of the Pokémon franchise into the digital gaming space.

Here’s the trailer for Pokemon TCG Pocket

We’ve got a more detailed page on Pokemon TCG Pocket here.

Codes & Tricks

Best way to get Credits for PTCGL

In an exciting venture into the Pokémon digital card game scene, a newcomer has shared their initial experience without the advantage of boosters or any assets transferred from the previous Pokémon Trading Card Game Online (PTCGO) platform. Taking a strategic approach, the player invested $20 USD in purchasing 220 boosters from the Pokémon GO set, yielding an impressive 35,000 credits. This translates to an efficient rate of 1,750 credits per dollar spent. Notably, the acquisition rate improved with the purchase of the last 10 packs, reaching 2,000 credits per dollar.

Expanding their collection further, the player also ventured into buying 110 boosters from the Celebrations set, finding the best deal on eBay for $33 USD. This investment paid off with 38,000 credits, setting the rate at 1,200 credits per dollar, with the last 10 packs slightly increasing the yield to 1,500 credits per dollar. For players who, like them, have not yet completed either set, the advice was clear: prioritize purchasing Pokémon GO boosters at an economical $0.09 per booster over the Celebrations boosters priced at $0.30 each. This recommendation comes with a caveat for those prepared for a more prolonged engagement in the game, suggesting that accumulating enough in-game gems could make the Celebrations packs a viable, if more long-term, investment.