Immersive Cards in TCG Pocket

I've already explained pretty much most of the core content of Pokémon TCG Pocket, so now I can take different posts occasionally to deal with other aspects of the game, one of which is for today. As previewed earlier in Pokémon Presents, a defining feature of the game is what are called "immersive cards", and given the electronic or technological aspect of the game, it's a natural way to enhance the quality of the game with that aspect. Based on the current manifestation of the feature, that seems to have been realized excellently.

For the currently available Genetic Apex expansion, three cards - Pikachu, Charizard, and Mewtwo, all of the ex kind and representing the "branches" of the expansion - are of the immersive kind; they have a rarity of three stars and are naturally full art themselves. Upon earning them, the immersion is activated, showing the image of the card in full screen, along with aspects of the environmental art setting and even just a little beyond that; notably, the Pikachu and Charizard cards also show several other Pokémon in their immersive display. This can also be viewed at any time by viewing the card in one's own collection and tapping and holding on the cards, or if one hasn't earned them, in other people's (friends') collections.

Apart from the special imagery and the rarity level, these cards function as any other cards in battle - particularly the plain ex cards - and the immersion can be considered to be purely for aesthetics more than anything else. The rarity level, though, suggests that they may be somewhat difficult to get, and I've only gotten one (of the Charizard ex kind) since I've started playing; even so, some people I know of have earned either all three or multiple copies of any of the three or even both, making them either very, very lucky or the rarity not as apparent in getting the cards. 

Because of the above and the (expected) space that the animation takes up, not to mention the effort that goes into making them, future immersive cards are likely to be limited to a few per expansion. If more can be added, it would likely be because of a matter of convenience rather than possibility, although players would be happy to collect them all the same, especially if they can happen to be less rare.

Technology makes a lot of things possible, and for the Pokémon TCG in its Pocket incarnation, it allows one to look within and beyond the imagery of certain cards through the immersive aspect introduced as part of the game. That alone makes it an excellent feature of the game, alongside other implementation of its current (and future) implementation.

One year ago: Focus and Control: Two Keys to Pokémon Power

Two years ago: Scarlet and Violet Unleashed

Three years ago: Living Further with My Buddy

Four years ago: Pokémon "Genealogy"

Five years ago: Drafts Piling Up

Six years ago: Trough of Disillusionment

Seven years ago: A Little Teaser... and Guessing Game