Wednesday, April 30, 2025

A Pokémon Lanyard and ID Holder

Occasionally, there's a certain piece of Pokémon merchandise, custom or official, that catches my fancy as a Pokémon fan, not to mention having the opportunity to review it on this blog and add to existing posts. So it is that from last Sunday's festival or convention, I obtained - with the help of Ash - a Pokémon lanyard and ID holder from one of the booths for goodies that look rather simple but really attractive for a Pokémon fan. It can even be functional too, but I'll get to that in a bit. The most important is making the review.


So, the lanyard itself is much like any other functionally, and thus it's the motif that makes it different. The motif is the Pokémon logo and Pikachu on pastel yellow, which is subtle and could be regarded as being a rare design of sorts - at least for the merchandise that I collect. The ID holder is also the differentiator, as its image of Pikachu, Pachirisu, and Wooper (with Buizel in the background) conveys senses of awe and fascination, also rarely seen in the selection of merchandise that I already possess. For that, it seems nice enough to have it be a part of my collection, which it is now.

As for its usage, I'd be happy to wear the lanyard and use it to hold certain things, with or without the ID holder. The ID holder might be a bit different, for the image on its backside has been embellished with an emboss, which may not be retained over time. As well, its method of inserting IDs is by way of a slot, which I may have to carefully open to put in the ID and likewise to remove it if I need to do so. The process might be prone to cause breakage, which affirms the fragility of the material. It may be that I have to consider carefully what I'd put in it and for how long it would have to stay there - perhaps the longest time.

Regardless, I'm still happy to possess the lanyard and ID holder, both in this case happening to be pieces with fascinating Pokémon art and style. Functionality will probably have to come later and be seriously considered then, but at least the factors that will contribute to that have been considered now. What doesn't need to be considered is that merchandise is part of the enjoyment and fancy of any Pokémon fan - including this one - and there would be always something that plays into that for me and others.

Three years ago: Pokémon and Virtual Pets
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Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 4/29/2025

In true form, another rollup of events in Pokémon Go is made on this day, following the examples of many of the past years except one (see below). Also in true form, the challenge as with the past month is to unpack and repack the events of the month for the purpose of creating this rollup. That is never an easy matter, especially when considering that the resulting rollup has to be able to capture the nuances of the events and what makes them "dazzle" in that regard. That too becomes a personal challenge in some ways.

Up first in April is always a bit of tomfoolery, as the April Fool's Day event on the relevant day, as April 1. This was, in fact, the event that allowed for the debut of overworld items, being the capture balls. They appeared intermittently throughout the day at local time, and because it was a Tuesday, they also appeared as the Spotlight Hour feature. In a way, it could also be considered a large-scale "beta test" for other overworld items, the next one which will be pertinent shortly. The capture balls may or may not return, but they were still in good fun and useful to an extent.

Following the usual break, the Stunning Styles event ran from April 3 to 7. This event featured Pokémon with myriads of appearances, one of them being the debuting Paldean Tauros with specific forms for different places. A secondary focus was Marshadow for everyone - at least those who hasn't already gotten it from last year's Pokémon Go Fest. The other Pokémon of many forms appeared in the wild and raids, while there was all kinds of Research, including the paid extra. Double XP and Shiny boost for Shellos were the bonuses of the event. The weekend of this event was also supplemented by two all-afternoon events, a Mega Audino Raid Day on April 5 and a Tyrogue Hatch Day on April 6, both with the usual raid and hatching perks, particularly ones with paid tickets. The events told of many appearances, both old and new.

April in the northern hemisphere is associated with the seasonal development, so the Spring into Spring event from April 9 to 14 became a perfect match. For this, the Gossifleur family became the highlight as it made its debut. Meanwhile, thematic Pokémon appeared in the wild in two-day periods over the course of the event as well as in 2 km and 5 km Eggs; these became the subject of Collection Challenges, three for catching over each period plus one for hatching. To aid in all this, there were bonuses of extended Lucky Eggs, double Candy and half hatch distance for Eggs, and Shiny boost for Remoraid and Fletchling, as well as Field Research and a supplementary paid Timed Research. On April 13, there was also the Sparring Partners Raid Day, an unusual edition with three Pokémon (Scraggy, Makuhita, and Mega Heracross) and a new move, but with the usual perks. A certain renewal became evident throughout.

Meanwhile, the new face of the Pokémon anime keeps going, and this led to the next edition of the Pokémon Horizons celebration event from April 16 to 22. Its most significant aspect was the debut of the Tinkatink family in Eggs, here and onwards. Floragato with a hat joined Cap's Pikachu along with other thematic Pokémon in the wild, raids, and 7 km Eggs, plus photo bombs with the relevant characters. The half Egg hatch distance bonus came back, while Team Go Rocket balloons appeared more often and there was a Shiny boost for the costumed Pokémon. All this was also complemented with Field and Timed Research, the latter including an extra paid one for those looking for more Tinkatink and a special pose; Cap's hat also became a new avatar item. The weekend complement for this event was a Battle Day for Gigantamax Snorlax on April 19, which may be better suited for the predecessor but is still a fine addition nonetheless, especially with paid perks. While the anime adventure kept going, Trainers here also did the same with the event.

The final event of the month was called Sweet Discoveries and started on April 24 until its end on April 29 - today. This served as the debut of Applin and its first two evolutionary branches in apple form as the next overworld item, along with the specific items themselves; the item may appear more often at a Mossy Lure Module. With a double Candy catch bonus as well as Shiny boosts for Cherubi, Delibird, and Skwovet, plus Berry drops for the latter two and select half Egg hatch distance, a number of fruity and hungry Pokémon appeared in the wild and 7 km Eggs. Field and Timed Research, the latter plus an extra paid one, made the sweet things more enticing, as did some Applin avatar items. The sweet things also heated up with a Battle Weekend for Dynamax Entei on April 26 and 27 in the same fashion as Raikou last month, not to mention cooled down by Community Day. In a way, all Trainers were cooking some sweet delights over the course of the event as well.

Over the course of this month, the events may be considered to have particular effects with all their nuances, and those effects are their "dazzling" features. The challenges that each event offers and the challenge of rolling them up here seemingly go hand in hand, especially under the auspices of what has been regarded as possibly one of the busiest times for Pokémon Go. That seems to be dazzling enough for many.

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Monday, April 28, 2025

Pokémon Go Community Day, 4/27/2025

Me: Ta-da!

Goh: Ah-ha. It was Community Day yesterday.

Me: Although this time, the "Community" aspect was a bit muted for us.

Ash: And frosty too! Just like the Pokémon.

Pikachu: Pi~ka. ["Cold."]

Me: Ah, yeah. For that, I'll explain stuff, then we can comment on them.

For this month's Community Day, the icy Vanillite took the stage, bringing with it a breath of cold air to wherever it might be. Its final evolution form of Vanilluxe (after Vanillish) learns Avalanche as a Charged move, which thanks to recent developments will be available until next Sunday. The main bonus was triple XP, something that is always useful in some sectors. Then there was the usual load of niceties: extended Lure Modules and Incense, double Candy and Candy XL chance, more Special Trades and discounted trades, photo bombs, Field Research tasks, background Timed Research, extra paid Special Research, showcases, item bundles, and of course meetups for those who can schedule them and attend.

Goh: By the way, doesn't it seem like stickers are (were) missing?

Ash: Come to think of it, I didn't get any last month for Fuecoco.

Pikachu: Pika pika pika chu. ["Didn't see it either."]

Me: Oh. You know, this might have something to do with certain changes. Sorry about that. 

Goh: Likewise. So, Ash, what did you get for our friend? 

Ash: A few good ones! And there's one that's almost perfect too. The special tasks were neat too - they were called "Community Sundae: Vanillite".

Me: Awesome! And that's a funny title. I think I can handle deciding which ones to evolve. 

Ash: I got a few started for you. 

Me: That's great. The rest are mine.

Goh: So you did all this at the festival while meeting our friend's friends.

Ash: Pretty much. Our friend's other friends were all meeting at the previous place.

Me: Which is far away and hard to get to. And even if that wasn't a problem, it just wouldn't work, what with us being "frosty" with each other.

Pikachu: Pi~. ["Brrr~."]

Goh: I think they did something.

Me: I heard they made team challenges, but then... back to square one we go. 

Goh: Oh. My regrets.

Ash: But you know, we could have presented Pokémon at the festival, like your community friends at the festival, not at the meetup.

Me: That's an idea. I'll see if I can organize stuff if something can happen. So in a way, it was still "Community" Day, but not the expected one. It's been such a long time since this happened personally.

Goh: Try not to stay out in the cold for too long.

Me: A good thing to keep in mind. 

This month's featured Pokémon for Community Day was a little frosty and icy for some - even for this time of year - but that's something to be enjoyed in the best manner possible. After all, many people like ice cream, and so it was that ice cream was had yesterday. The next task for Trainers may just be to "break the ice".

One year ago: Pokémon on a Budget
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Sunday, April 27, 2025

Cosplay: Nakama Fest

Me: OK, just like about a year ago, I'd like to get something in for conventions and such to keep the month from being dry.

Goh: Well, this looks like it's fun.

Ash: After the "break", it would be nice to meet up with some friends.

Me: Sure! That's also why it has the word "nakama", because it's a "buddy" festival... or a small convention at that.

Ash: Hey! That works. 

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Sure does!"]

Me: First though, a little backstory. This festival or convention was supposed to have started last year, also about this time. But then a certain "weeb spotlight" festival scheduled itself for the same weekend, and this festival was forced to cancel itself.

Goh: Was it because of entry fee issues?

Me: You bet. As you know, that festival has free entry, while this one has paid entry. So you know which one was going to lose out.

Goh: Of course. So in a way, it got postponed until today.

Me: You could say that. At least it finally happened today.

Ash: This time for real!

Me: Sure. And all the more reason, because last year's poster for it had a likeness of you in it.

Ash: So I've got to be there.

Me: And you'll like the place, because...

Ash: ...Oh, it's the creative center! 

Goh: A good use for that.

Me: Certainly. But you'll want to shuffle around a bit, since as you know the floor is open and they'll certainly block off some of the paid parts. 

Ash: Yeah, I saw what you mean. 

Pikachu: Pi pika. ["As I did."]

Goh: But you eventually paid to get in, right? 

Ash: Well, sure. To see stuff at least. 

Goh: And what did you see?

Ash: Just a few communities and food stands, and the stage.

Me: And according to the schedule, you should have seen dance groups and bands - yes?

Ash: I saw them. But not all. I mostly liked the bands.

Goh: So does our friend.

Me: Very true.

Goh: And these festivals have a character competition usually, right? 

Ash: Yup, a parade. But... I didn't and couldn't get in. 

Goh: Oh? I think our friend needs to answer this one.

Me: Er... yeah. Apparently the registration for this was ahead-of-time only and not last minute. I was somewhat divided on having you in anyway because you might have needed to chunk out a bit of a Pokémon agenda at the same time.

Goh: Which we're going to talk about also? Soon?

Me: Soon.

Goh: How'd the rest of the day go?

Ash: The Pokémon thing went well, and I got to meet a lot of our friend's friends as usual.

Pikachu: Pi pika pika. ["As expected."]

Goh: Well, that's neat. Even though you weren't in the parade, did you see at least a bit of it?

Ash: I got to see most who were in it, but I didn't see the parade itself. And based on the three winners... I'm not sure if I had the chance.

Me: That's great, but as you say, it could seem to get rough if I had been able to put you in it. But at least there was the Pokémon agenda - again, to be discussed soon.

Goh: So, let's see. Friends, fun, food, and festivities. I think most everyone had a good day today and the festival worked out.

Ash: Yeah. Most everyone. There was a bit of something after the festival ended, but you don't need to know about that.

Goh: Oh, what about the festival space, though? If they block off some parts, it must have been small.

Ash: It was a bit small, but lots of people went to different floors of the center. It has many floors, you know.

Goh: That's great, actually - so you don't have to be stuck in one place.

Pikachu: Chu pika! ["So right!"]

Ash: One more thing - one of the food stands showed off Pikachu and Gengar for a bit. 

Goh: Hey, a Pokémon find! It was really a "buddy" day today, wasn't it?

Ash: Sure thing. I think the "buddy" and Pokémon things really do make today.

Me: On that note, I think we can close off this discussion so we can focus on that. 

Three years ago: TCG, My Past and Future
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Saturday, April 26, 2025

The Evolution of Community Day Times and Scheduling

Apart from being a venue for Pokémon evolution, something else has also evolved for Pokémon Go Community Day since the first one in 2018: when it takes place and how that is scheduled. This might seem evident throughout all the posts I've made covering the event, yet it still may or may not be so. For that, I've elected to make a post on it not only to summarize it (to some extent) but also to supplement it with details and a bit of discussion, particularly with possible regard to its future as it has unfolded for the game.

The initial scheduling for Community Day was region-based: the world was divided into three regions (Asia Pacific, Europe and Africa, and the Americas), and each had theirs on a different day of the weekend with the same scheduled times. Thus, my posts back then only reflected my present region (Asia Pacific) and not the others, except if I mentioned it. This was also before Niantic figured out how to schedule events by local time and most everything referred to U.S. Pacific Time as their home time. It only seems a blessing that they did, because it meant simplification and unification of the event as well as players and Trainers.

It was about a year later that the process took place, and Community Day began to run progressively across the world on the same day going through the time zones from the earliest to the latest. Even so, there were still efforts to adjust the times of Community Day, a notable one being different times for the northern and southern hemispheres; this also resulted - perhaps unintentionally - of an advantage of people straddling the equator to experience Community Day twice in places where they could conveniently travel between the hemispheres. The next development perhaps rectified that somehow.

During the period when the world was at a downturn, the event ran for the full span of six hours, in effect combining the disparate schedules into one. It appears fairer for everyone, especially those affected by the downturn. Still, by this point some had already been familiar with the event running for beyond three hours for some previous editions, not the least of which is by the goofs of Niantic. But since the world was the culprit at that time, some of the blame can be spared. In any case, this was the bigger standard for lesser times.

Out of those times brings the present scheduling of being back to three hours in the afternoon, but with bonuses simulating the longer duration (or even a Classic edition to supplement an older one). This is the current standard that will likely persist for some time, but it may seem that future directions could be debated. Extending the event by one hour might make it attractive given that it would be half as long as a regular paid event, but this may just require the support of all parties. The time of day also just "works" for many Trainers in many places, and that certain saying about keeping things that work is applicable.

By the above, it's evident that Community Day times and scheduling have evolved in many ways, just like the Pokémon featured in them evolve in different ways. That evolutionary process for the times and scheduling may or may not continue in future editions, but whether it does or it doesn't, that's for everyone to rise up to the challenge. And of course, there will always be the matter of Pokémon species evolution to deal with, which is even more pertinent regardless of the specific times Trainers will deal with the event. 

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Friday, April 25, 2025

Reserved Loudness

Going back to a "soft" Pokémon post, I want to point out that while I have managed to find a "voice" in many ways through this blog, I can and should also reserve the times I want to use that "voice" in a loud manner for certain purposes. In Pokémon terms, that brings to mind a certain species family that does have a penchant for making things loud, especially on certain reserved occasions, making them key to the idea.

That species family would be the Whismur family. The namesake member of the family also embodies the "reserved" concept very well, as it is mostly quiet, but it can become quite ear-splittingly loud when it needs to be. In some ways I could be considered like a Whismur for the concerns of this blog and a few other ones, and that's perfectly fine for that very Pokémon and myself to keep most things in line. 

Its evolved form is Loudred, and in the past I had made a post referencing this particular Pokémon on the use of its big ears as speakers. It remains a preferred use for that certain appendage of that Pokémon - certainly in some circles - but otherwise it may need to keep its loudness restrained as it has the potential to cause damage on a greater scale. So it is that my own loudness can have the same potential.

Exploud is the species family's ultimate evolutionary form, and it can become even more of a loud beast if it really needs to. Unfortunately, the (damaging) consequences of that loudness can be even more severe, so it is something that needs to be further reserved. I'm not sure I have such powers myself with my loudness, but mine and others' combined might just have them, figuratively at the very least.

Loudness is something that I and others can utilize through different means - including myself with this blog - but it's one to be reserved or restrained until its use becomes evident. The same is true for the Pokémon species of the Whismur family, all of which can be loud when they need to and extremely at that. The most extreme act besides that usage then seems to be doing so with the required restraint and reserve.

Four years ago: Pokémon Airplanes
Six years ago: The World Is All Here
Seven years ago: I'll Be... The One
Eight years ago: Shuffling in Alola
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Thursday, April 24, 2025

Overworld Items in Pokémon Go

Since the very beginning, Pokémon Go has always been about the Pokémon species on the overworld. Lately, however, that has changed a little bit with the introduction of items on the overworld, which when interacted with may have wildly different results. This phenomenon is nothing new to Pokémon, as it has been present in the main series games since the beginning, but it is undoubtedly something new for Pokémon Go given the way things work in the game. It is certainly something to be explored as well.

The general mechanism can be explained, and should be as the very first thing. When the item appears on the overworld, tapping it will make it disappear, and one of two things happen. If the item is an actual item, a notification with the "Item found!" message appears; if the item is a masquerading Pokémon, the view zooms and flashes as is expected for a Pokémon encounter, which can then be dealt accordingly. Since they may not necessarily be a Pokémon encounter, the items won't appear in the Sightings section of the Nearby tab - even if they're the only thing present - and they must be dealt with manually, meaning in-game by hand without an "accessory device". Overall, the mechanism is more or less similar to the main series games, including with regard to the interactivity.

For the implementation, the first item to be implemented in this way was the venerable Poké Ball, done at the beginning of this month for a certain familiar event that I'll roll up later. When interacted with, the item gives capture balls (any of the common trio) or results in one of the Pokémon that looks like the capture balls, as the Voltorb family (both forms), Foongus family, or Galarian Stunfisk. It also harks back to the main series games, as the item there is also the first to have the same implementation.

Next, the apple became the most recent item to be implemented in this manner. It has to, because it furnishes a certain family of similarly shaped species as well as the supplementary items that are needed for the evolutionary process - likewise to be rolled up soon enough. Sometimes, though, the Pokémon encounter may be certain other species that might also be interested in the apples but aren't related to the mentioned species family. It's a struggle of taste as well as style, given the Pokémon.

Given that items are just as important as Pokémon wherever they appear, having even items on the overworld seems like a natural step for Pokémon Go, and seemingly a necessary and timely one at that with consideration of the second example against that of the first. Surprises are often abound in the world of Pokémon, including for the species that are associated with certain items by way of appearance and behavior, and now Trainers can see first-hand in this game how that can just work out.

Three years ago: The Flame of Cyndaquil
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Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Surrounded by Bots in Pokémon Games?

After a couple of "soft" posts with some relations to Pokémon, it seems now it's time to make a couple of "hard" ones relating to gameplay elements. One of those that becomes a current concern (actually, a returning one - more on this shortly) is the perceived presence of automated players, else known as "bots". I had already discussed them in the past for one Pokémon game, but now I want to broaden that discussion somewhat and bring up the concern for multiple games, as well as the perception that one may be "surrounded" by them.

The returning concern would of course still be for Pokémon Unite, for which one may feel that it is more pervasive than the previously discussed situation. For example, players at a lower rank may have a difficulty advancing through Ranked matches due to some players having bot-like behaviors, with or without definitive proof that they're actually automated. This leads to the feeling of seemingly being "surrounded" by them, especially as they may be still present outside Ranked matches with the same behaviors I had previously described.

Meanwhile, the latest hit game of TCGP may now have "bots" as an applicable concern. Some players feel that a number of matches may seem "rigged" with the opponent having certain decks and cards as well as possibly definite play patterns. Though the proof of them actually being "bots" may be even harder than the example of Pokémon Unite above, due to the fact that TCGP is a two-player game, the concern of "bots" may become plausible as it's not hard for one to automate oneself to the play of a deck, even more so for an actual system.

In the early days, some players in Pokémon Go may have been set up with automation - I was even witness to such a system for that - but now it may be that such players are hardly there due to controls placed by Niantic. It may then be that the game is relatively free of that,  making the players feel less "surrounded", though there may be some shades or remnants of that even today. Authentic activity is the thing that keeps this game going and makes it fun for everyone, regardless of whatever legacy or presence of "bots" may be there.

With that, the feeling of being "surrounded" by bots may only be a perceptive one, at least in cases of "open" situations and few players, and otherwise there may some strong signs according to the behaviors of many more players. That may have a "hard" effect on gameplay and other elements, especially if things don't go "hard" on them, yet that warrants the proof that is also "hard" to come by. Whether or not they may be (or have been) present, gameplay efforts without automation can and should continue as a response to the perceptions.

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Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Like a Dragon (...Or Not)

When most people think about dragons, they might have in mind a majestic, mythical creature with a distinct monstrous appearance. Pokémon seems to want to give different perceptions by having not only creatures of this kind but also ones that are fanciful and rather different (one might say, not very much "like a dragon" by the above description). It's a fascinating situation to consider with regard to how that has developed over time.

Initially, quite a few Dragon-type Pokémon species fit the above archetypal descriptions; Dragonite, Kingdra, and Salamence come to mind, and ones even as recent as Noivern and Kommo-o still fit the bill. But then, in recent times there are species like the Duraludon family, the Applin family, and Tatsugiri that are hardly dragon-like but still bear the type in question. Thus, the seemingly rather puzzling situation arises.

That situation has been leveraged by a certain fan to create a meme that illustrates what constitutes dragons in other realms and what are labeled as dragons (by type) in Pokémon. It shows the stark contrast - and funny perception - of the situation, especially as the Pokémon are only referenced in shape, such as a sushi for Tatsugiri and a suspension bridge for Archaludon as the evolution of Duraludon. It does make one think, in a way.

How Pokémon is somewhat geared to the tamer aspects may just explain the way "dragons" are in this realm. Dragonite or even Salamence, for example, as monstrous as they may be, are still gentle in contrast to most dragons in other realms. It may be the prevalence of species of the Dragon type today that allows the matter to be brought up and compared, as is typical of the human spirit to do so given the presence of linked matters.

Regardless, dragons themselves in general can be creatures that are rather dominating given their appearances and what they can do, either of which can be rather surprising, especially given the situation above. For the Pokémon case, that may be all that's demanded of them without regard to dragon specificity. Whether that's "like a dragon" (or not), at least that's how the Pokémon dragon gang plays.

Five years ago: Reading the Signs
Six years ago: PokéMania and WhatMania
Eight years ago: Costume Issues
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Monday, April 21, 2025

For Pidove and Peace

The dove - as in the bird - is broadly considered a symbol of peace, even across people of different groups. Some of those people may just be Pokémon fans as well, and they would be served by a species family that carries bits of resemblance to the aforementioned birds, and perhaps a little bit of peace as well. I'm certainly referring to the Pidove family, one composed of three birds with their own gentle quirks.

First in line is the family's namesake, which is Pidove. Though it has "dove" in its name, its first three letters also suggest a minor association with the pigeon, which is all fine and good. Regardless, the species also makes its mark with hearts in more ways than one, which seems to make it all the more deserving as a "carrier of peace" - perhaps more so with its abilities placed in check for that very purpose.

Next comes its evolution, Tranquill. By its name, "peace" is very much suggested as a "tranquil" bird. As it is purported to have a good sense of its nest as well as its Trainer, presumably if it has one, it would have a hard time getting lost and would always find its way back. That would suggest a kind of "peace of mind" - a different kind than the "dove" element of its previous form would suggest, but it's still "peace".

Last up is the final evolved form of the species family, a bird named Unfezant. This sexually dimorphic species - with colorfully decorated males and drab females - is said to be loyal to its Trainer, again with the presumption that it has one, and it has a hard time getting along with other people. This too is a kind of "peace of mind", yet it just might lead to other kinds of "peace", as with any of the above.

It may be that peace is a hard thing to come by these days, especially in certain areas of the world, but there are always symbols of it if one knows where to look. For Pokémon fans, that may just be the species family above as the analogue of the real-world bird that is itself a symbol of peace - here perhaps multiple kinds.

And now, it seems that there might just be lots of Pidove flying about for true peace.

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Sunday, April 20, 2025

Matching (and Understanding) TCG Rarities

I keep mentioning the aspect or element of card rarity, and it is a vital one for the Pokémon TCG or any other TCG for that matter. I'd already discussed the aspect as it is implemented in TCGP, which is simple to understand even if it is different from the physical and TCGL versions. For that, it is pertinent to discuss the latter to understand it in light of the TCGP implementation, and being that I have the necessary materials for making this discussion.

So, in the regularly numbered section, there are the rarities of Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Double Rare (RR). These roughly correspond to the Diamond rarities in TCGP in increasing order, making it the best way to think of them for those already getting familiar with this version. Ace Spec cards, though, are classed in their own rarity level - fittingly, "Ace" - no doubt because of the way they're found and played. They may be thought of like the Shiny Star rarity for Shiny Pokémon in TCGP, even though they don't play the same way.

Meanwhile, the cards in the overnumbered section have rarities of Art Rare, Super Rare, Special Art Rare, and Ultra Rare. Here, things may be considered to start to overlap, for although the rarities can correspond to the Star and Crown rarities, they still may be considered to be not exactly the same. The Ultra Rare cards, for example, have a mix of Pokémon and Trainer cards, for which the former might be considered deserving of the Crown rarity like in TCGP and the latter might suit a three-Star rarity instead. The other three rarities may be considered to have similar overlaps among the lower Star rarities, in consideration of how TCGP does things.

Overall, the rarities of the physical-TCGL cards are mostly straightforward once the cards can be examined more closely, and there is a certain understanding of the system imbued in the TCGP rarities, which can then be used to understand the former. Still, they do have their unique parts as the reserved Ace rarity in the former and Shiny rarities in the latter, not to mention the "immersive" cards that pretty much hold onto a certain rarity level. Apart from these, the rarity levels might still be considered self-evident in some ways between and across the two.

Rarity of cards in different TCG systems, even for Pokémon that has recently developed a second system (TCGP in comparison to the already-established physical and TCGL), is always relevant for the purposes of collecting and playing. Gaining an understanding of the systems of concern, in this case the latter vis-a-vis the former, might just help in the pursuits of cards for either purpose and bring about certain pleasantries that are associated with them.

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Saturday, April 19, 2025

Overnumbered Cards in TCG

A few implemented elements in the TCG are the same, even when the implementations are different as in the case of the TCGP game compared to the TCGL as well as the physical version that becomes the basis for the virtual version. One of those elements is the numbering of cards in an expansion, as well as the related element of "overnumbering". It's a bit of a strange term for a strange element, and it's one that can stand to be explained for its understanding. 

First off, all cards in an expansion, including ones shared across sub-expansions as in the TCGP implementation, are numbered on the lower left corner from 1 to however many there are for the "common" cards. These would correspond to the Diamond rarity cards in TCGP and different rarities in the physical and TCGL implementation (these also needing a separate explanation). They're also arranged roughly in thematic order from Pokémon cards by type to Trainer cards. Beyond these cards, that's where "overnumbering" occurs.

The situation occurs because these cards are considered especially rare and unique, yet not necessary to have and can stand in for the lower-numbered variety. In fact, they're cards of higher rarities in the various TCG implementations and often of the "full art" variety, which as players know are hard to find even with their heuristics to find such cards. In any case, the card numbers continue to increment beyond the number for "common" cards, and that's why they're called "overnumbered", being in excess of "common" ones.

Physical players will likely have few barriers to exchanging (read: buying and selling) these cards, but electronic players don't have it so easy. Recently, TCGL announced a time restriction on the trading of these cards to six months after an expansion release, which becomes an incentive for players to keep the cards. Meanwhile, in TCGP, most of the cards have rarities of two Stars or higher and thus cannot be traded (yet), while the one Star cards can be traded, but at a cost to players. So, the "overnumbering" is also in a way a proxy for rarity.

"Overnumbering" cards in the Pokémon TCG - for whichever form one opts to play at present - might seem like a small thing, and it is in a way. Yet it's also a form of indexing that keeps tabs not only for the cards that players expect in an expansion but also the ones that take it beyond the "common" realm. Given the commonality of implementation across forms, understanding it might just help to make it seem less of a strange thing and more of a useful thing.

Three years ago: Scoring in Pokémon Unite
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Friday, April 18, 2025

Pokémon Concierge: The Resort of Fun

It took a while, but I'm finally able to compose this post. That would be a review of the stop-motion Pokémon feature titled Pokémon Concierge, which appears on Netflix but also temporarily appeared on YouTube on official Pokémon channels. Through viewing them as intended, I'm now able to compose this review and furnish my thoughts on this novel take on a Pokémon feature, something that is indeed different from what fans are used to.

The currently existing four episodes of the miniseries - with more of them in production as divulged earlier - are approximately 15 minutes long, allowing all of them to be seen within the span of an hour. They're short, but then stop-motion animation tends to be short because of their production method and associated quirks. As such, the new episodes will take some time to be released, but that's all the more reason to enjoy the currently available ones.

Meanwhile, the story is just that: it's about those who work on a place to stay, here an island resort. Further, it's about the efforts of one such person, named Haru as the main character of the series. Being a Pokémon series, certainly the creatures are of concern, and so is a particular one that will become the "partner" for the main character. As with any reviews, I'm keeping the details wrapped up for viewers to be able to enjoy them for themselves.

For the quality of the feature, the look of the animation is well-done, including for the Pokémon species that are not anchored to land, something that might present problems for stop-motion in general. The diversity of the featured Pokémon is also impressive in that regard with a few representative generations, including for the Pokémon that will become key to both the main and supporting characters. Likewise, they're all more to be seen and less to be told.

By the way, the production of this miniseries is a global effort, as evidenced by the credits sequence for all the currently available episodes. Much of the effort is Japanese, certainly, but there's a bit of European and other Asian effort for music and visual effects respectively, both of which are also well-done for this Pokémon feature. While these are not too pertinent for the content, at least some people might be happy to find out when they find out regardless.

Overall, Pokémon Concierge is truly unique for its production and content, making it something great to watch for those who possess the means. Its renewal only affirms that - but there's no need to wait for that when the current episodes are great and deserve to be watched right now.

As is the norm, I also composed some brief summaries for each of the episodes for those who might like a further preview or a guide for the episodes to be watched.

Episode 1
Haru starts off her concierge job
as a guest at the Pokémon Resort.
Episode 2
The next task is to make a Pokémon
happy - which could be a headache??
Episode 3
The wonders of evolution prompt Haru
to make new strides for the Pokémon...
Episode 4
An experience with Pikachu reiterates
an important message: you are you!
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Thursday, April 17, 2025

Dreaming of Pokémon Friends?

Friends are always important for Pokémon matters (and journeys), and I even consider it a "pillar" as such. It may also be possible that a person dreams not only about Pokémon happenings but also the friends that they relate to in those cases. It would seem to be a wonderful thing, as wonderful as the happenings themselves and especially if they occur. To that end, it too seems to be a wonderful thing to make a discussion out of it and see how this possibility may actually play out.

Recently, I in fact had such a dream. One of my Pokémon friends, whom I don't meet regularly due to being separated by a great distance, appeared in my dream and we spent a great time together along with other people. Though we also had planned on doing some activities related to Pokémon, it seemed that they didn't work out as they were intended to be. Regardless, it was a wonderful dream, and when it ended as I woke up, I felt disappointed yet relieved to have dreamed it.

The dream I had can be considered to indicate that the friend is a close friend, and in reality the friend is very much so. For Pokémon fans, having close and dependable friends like the one in my dream is almost an essential matter. I would think that some of my Pokémon fellows (who sadly have become distant) can and do dream or at the least fantasize about meetups with those in their friend "circle". Whether or not the results would be like the above dream might be anyone's guess.

Having said that, the current post about dreams happens to coincide with another one from many years ago (see below). Though that dream wasn't with a friend per se, the contents of the dream are rather similar to the recent dream and may be considered in the same vein. They may also represent aspirations for friendly relations that anyone can deserve to have... and certainly dream again and again, which might be what has happened exactly with the recent dream I had as above.

Something that some people may say about certain journeys, particularly when their ends are unexpected, is that the real journey may be the friends that are made along the way. Dreams could be considered journeys with unexpected ends, and if they involve Pokémon friends, that may be a journey that is as real as any actual one that involves them. As stated above, friends are a vital part of the Pokémon experience, and that vital quality can be evident even in the confines of a dream.

Three years ago: Rotating to Objectives
Six years ago: Choosing Pathways
Seven years ago: And Again, I Dream
Eight years ago: We're All Tied to Pokémon
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Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Considering (My) Pokémon Relevance

It is the case that Pokémon today is much, much different from Pokémon as it was in its early days. Back then there were only the main series games (plus a few spinoffs) for anyone to deal with, along with the related media (mostly the anime). Now there are many games to deal with - quite a few of them free to play or start - and the associated media is also just as many, making it a very diverse world, even for me as a long-time and devoted fan. For that, the matter of "relevance" seems to become pertinent, for whatever it is that a person would like to deal with involving Pokémon, and this applies to me personally as well. As such, it seems relevant (ahem) to figure out what would be pertinent for Pokémon fans like me to deal with.

Being active in Pokémon may surely demand involvement in at least one game, if not to keep up with at least some of the latest information and developments, which theoretically can be done without playing a game but might be difficult. Meanwhile, the games themselves now have a "social capacity", which is somewhat to quite high for the likes of Pokémon Go and Pokémon Unite as well as the physical TCG, and less so for the main series games, virtual TCG, and some other spinoff games. Relevance may have to be evaluated in terms of this "social capacity" in addition to how much time and effort one can devote. This has been an ongoing progression for me even now, seemingly coming to a head in recent times and happenings.

Relevance may also be considered in terms of contributions that one can make, whether verbal (as in the case of this blog), artistic (as with some artists I already do know well and others not that well), and social management outside of the games as above. They may not suggest or require playing one, some, or all of the games, but what is gained from those efforts might just help in this regard. Personal considerations - that is for me - may just dictate an "amping up" in this regard, though that may depend on other commitments and necessities. For other fans, it may be that media and social contributions are sufficient without having to make their way in the games, and the relevance would be evaluated according to those contributions.

After all that, it would seem that Pokémon "relevance" for me is still sufficiently major, yet it also may seem that some efforts to demonstrate that relevance have to be redirected to certain other games or forms of media, and it may even have to involve dialing back on some social aspects - this blog being possibly the only exception. Other people (fans) can make the same establishment of relevance based on areas or aspects of Pokémon they deal with and/or enjoy, and that is perfectly fine. Nevertheless, nothing changes the fact that Pokémon today has become extremely different from Pokémon yesterday, and the efforts of maintaining relevance will continue to depend on the changes that transpire for Pokémon and its fans.

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Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Spiritually Lost

I'd been intending to take care of a few Pokémon matters earlier today; however, a sudden happening put a complete stop to those efforts. In retrospect, it seems that it just wasn't meant to be, and I may be better off without it - at least for now. While that may be the case, missing out on it at the current moment has left me "spiritually lost" in a way, furthermore with some recent situations. Since the "MooMoo Milk has been spilled", I thought I'd take the topic and run with it to discuss it with Pokémon in tow.

A species family that may be emblematic of the current situation is that of Galarian Corsola. It's of the Ghost type, compared to its Water and Rock brethren, and its evolved form Cursola appears even more like a straggler. The point is still that the species (family) are seemingly apparent as "lost souls" in light of the original or firstly discovered form. It also does seem a bit coincidental that it fits my current situation, moreover as I'm dealing with them right now - thus, "lost" in more ways than one.

Now, for the efforts to deal with those matters involving Pokémon, I'm running into the conundrum that certain people associated with those matters have lost touch with what makes the matters so wonderful for people around them or the relations themselves with other people. As such, the state of being "spiritually lost" is a given, almost in the same way as the species mentioned above with the appearance as well as type. Finding those lost spirits will be the most difficult matter, perhaps for all.

This Pokémon blog seems not to be immune from the condition. It affects posts in two ways: delayed conception, where an idea languished for a long time before it got written (like the recent beta version post, which had been planned since mid-October last year), or shifted composition, which... is perhaps best not to be explained to readers for certain concerns. The condition may make some of the posts on this blog out of touch with certain spirits and therefore "lost" in due time - regrettably so.

Given the "spiritually lost" condition, I may be in need of healing, whether or not that would involve Pokémon. In that sense, the skipped over matter may have to remain skipped over for now, as disheartening as it may be without a real way of truly making up for it. But then, Pokémon is broad and especially now, so I can opt for something else related to it as the form of healing. To find what has been lost will surely not be an easy matter, but I still believe that Pokémon will still allow me to find (some of) the way.

Three years ago: Love Nature, Find Beauty
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Monday, April 14, 2025

Possibility of Pokédogs (+ Cats)?

Those who played the previous "era" of Nintendo consoles - that is, the Nintendo DS and its derivatives - will likely have recognized a series of virtual pet games called Nintendogs. These allow a player to become close with a furry friend of their choice (dogs, of course - cats came later on), taking care of them and doing things with them. That sounds suspiciously like something that one could do - or in fact also does - with Pokémon, of which some are known to be like dogs. Therefore, some have proposed that a spinoff could be made for Pokémon, in which case it could be called "Pokédogs" as in the title of this post. Naturally, I'm inclined to talk about it and flesh out the idea further.

Now, I haven't played the game proper, but according to its descriptions, the pet care element is there along with the activity element. Adapting these to a blend of real-life and Pokémon influences would be the key factor for this game; the pet care element would have to be as robust as the original game while incorporating some Pokémon twists, and the activity element doesn't have to be too realistic but still sensible for a real pet as well as a Pokémon pet. The results would seem to indicate a mixture of pet simulation and the PokéPark games, but that should be satisfactory for fans of both.

Even so, there are still a few other considerations. One of them is that "pet care" had already been implemented in different forms in the main series games, and an implementation for the purpose of "Pokédogs" may want to differentiate itself in comparison to that. It also goes without saying that the activity implementation might as well want or need to differentiate itself from something like PokéPark as the example game mentioned above. Long story short, Pokémon has already had shares of both elements in other games, and besides conforming with Nintendogs, differing becomes another related matter.

Implementing Nintendogs for Pokémon might still not be a ridiculous idea, however, since there are people on both involved sides who are familiar with both realms, and one of them might be a certain "steering" and "nearing" person. They'll have to make sense of the demand for it as put forth by the same people I mentioned above - perhaps including me - and may consider it a developmental possibility. Whether that would play out in due time is another matter entirely, though not a constrained one.

Having been around for almost three decades now, many Pokémon species have been found to resemble the familiar furry friends people also keep as pets rather than put into combat as some of the games would have people believe. Putting Nintendo's own virtual pet games to the task of caring and having fun with these Pokémon species seems like a natural choice and a plausible one - at least once all the hurdles have been overcome. That might just be an instance of "barking up the right tree".

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Sunday, April 13, 2025

Looking Back at Cycling Roads

The discussion about the beta version for the third-generation games also prompts me to think about a particular section unique to those games: the specifically-designated Cycling Road. Then, it also prompts thinking about similar places in other regions, whether or not they were specially designated as such. The special designation for the places certainly comes from when bicycles were a specific mode of travel between places in the main series games, one that would be fast but not as fast as just flying to places directly.

For the implementation in that region, a notable "racing" aspect was involved, in that if one traveled in a certain direction and used a specific bicycle, one would be timed for the duration one took to progress on that specific path. The "racing" aspect may or may not have appealed to some, but it might have been nice to make a mark on the aspect every so often. Regardless, the special Cycling Road was still a neat "expressway" of sorts for those who did travel using a bicycle, particularly to cut down on travel time.

Meanwhile, the first region's designated Cycling Road had a hilly aspect to it that really only facilitated speedy travel in one direction and not the other, as well as no external aspect like the above. In a way, only the "adventure" aspect was really there, and this would apply well to other places that aren't specifically designated as a Cycling Road but one could go through with a bicycle comfortably and at a certain clip. That may be just all that matters in the games as their primary focus is more on catching and battling.

Bicycles may now be considered as a "legacy" form of transport (in a way) in the games, but their influence still persists, including in the places that are specially designated as a "Cycling Road" and others that resemble them and allow for comfortable transport with bicycles as implemented in the games. In looking back at these places, a certain adventure was still to be had with them, even as an auxiliary one to the main Pokémon adventure of the games, and one with a certain speed to it.
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Saturday, April 12, 2025

Before Ruby and Sapphire

Almost all games of today go through a beta version of some sort, and Pokémon ones are no exception. Many years ago, I detailed the one for the second-generation games, which at that point had just come to light. The same has recently occurred for the games of the third generation some time ago, which becomes another prompt for a discussion here on this blog. It also makes this discussion somewhat late, but it's still got to be done to point out the interesting particulars of that beta version.

Like the previous one, some of the Pokémon species were pretty close to what was then finally had, but others looked very different. A notable one was an early form of what would become Blaziken, which looked more like a hawk and related to a different Pokémon. These and others in the beta were eventually retooled to the modern species families and evolution lines, as did their appearances. Of course, there were still many others that didn't make the cut - a good number - while only a few might be recognizable as similar to later Pokémon.

Meanwhile, the overworld maps had both major and drastic as well as minor and incremental changes. The latter was mostly conserved to cities and towns as well as some land routes, while the former occurred for a number of land routes and many of the sea routes. These sea routes in particular went from mostly barren to becoming more richly structured as seen in the final games. Notably, a few maps would only later on be developed for significant events like the encounters with the Titan Pokémon - also a late development.

Some miscellaneous tidbits are also pertinent. The early monikers for the versions appeared to have been "Vermilion" and "Indigo", which might have been an interesting twist. Wally, the sickly character, was also planned to have a more prominent role as a Gym Leader, albeit an up-and-coming one. Secret Bases had also been planned to be accessed differently with tools instead of the Secret Power move. Since quite a bit of the revelation was also recent, some of it also still needs to be dug through and examined even now.

Very much like the beta version for the earlier generation, a lot of things needed to be polished in the beta version for this one before they could appear fleshed out in the final version, something radically different from that. Yet much of the commonalities seem to suggest that development of the games were becoming quite standardized, in method and viewpoints. But then, that seems to be the point of most beta developments, and Pokémon going through that is only a (fine) matter of refinement.

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Friday, April 11, 2025

Themed Collections (and Secret Ones) in TCGP

As a wrap-up for the current run of discussions related to the TCGP game, I want to bring up something that's not exactly new in the game - it's been there since the get-go - but some aspects of it may be new to some, including me, making it worthwhile to be discussed. Part of the TCG experience, whether it's an electronic implementation like this or the physical one, is the effort of collecting the cards. To amp up the fun in doing so, the TCGP implementation includes a feature called Themed Collections, which has obvious and not-so-obvious aspects that contribute to that fun effort.

Themed Collections are accessed through the Missions section in a separate area... because that's what they are. The missions involve collecting certain cards from the expansions through all the usual ways, and some may even involve collecting multiple copies of specific cards. As each mission is cleared, rewards are also given; these are mostly tokens to be exchanged for emblems, but some are also Hourglasses for opening packs and making Wonder Picks, as well as profile picture icons. Pursuing the collection of certain cards for these missions may be a useful and pleasant diversion from other usual tasks in the game.

Fun also comes from an added twist in the form of Secret missions. These are hidden missions that are only revealed when the objectives (cards to collect) for them have been completed, thereby also when the missions are completed. As a result, one will need to discover them by oneself, or else by information (discreet and blatant) from those who have completed them. For example, I can give the hint that one of the Secret missions for the latest expansion requires one to collect many cards that feature a certain coin collector. Its reward is only prestigious, but it may be a nice diversion as noted.

With that, the "new" aspect would be the Secret missions, as it's likely that most players will only encounter them by happenstance, whether by unexpectedly completing them on their own or finding out about them from other players and/or friends - confer the hint above. Yet as the feature has been present since the very first expansion and continued to be present with the latest expansion, it can be expected that new expansions in the future will have their own set of missions for Themed Collections, which will preserve the feature while bringing newness and continuity with those new expansions.

It seems apparent that some new things might be in the eyes of the beholder, and the feature of Themed Collections in TCGP could be construed to demonstrate that. That would be especially the case as new expansions populate it with more card collection missions, including Secret ones that players might encounter and consider as "new" achievements. At the least, the missions that accompany the search and collection of new cards in expansions keep lending the processes a sense of newness, affirming them as a key part of the TCG experience even in this "new" form.

Three years ago: Mega Evolution Fates, Again
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Thursday, April 10, 2025

Ranked Matches in TCGP

Modern Pokémon games have to have ways of evaluating how one fares against others in battle, which in some games would be in the form of rankings awarded through the results of successive battles. Evidently, the latest game to receive that treatment would be TCGP; an update some time ago finally added the feature for players to peruse and see how far they can get. That feature now demands to be explored to a certain capacity, even by me, who hasn't fully taken advantage of it, though just enough to understand it.

In general, though, its system is rather straightforward no matter where players might be on it. There are five rank "tiers" (Beginner, followed by the four classic capture balls from PB to Master Ball), and all of these have four levels each, with Master Ball having an extra level for players outside its top ranking, as its levels are based on player rating that is exposed at that point. The rest of the levels are based on points earned - and sometimes lost - as players go through battles while holding the ranks of these lower levels.

For that, things begin leniently at the lower levels and tiers up until one gets into the Great Ball tier, but then they get fierce and even levels and tiers may be lost if one doesn't perform well - certainly with lost battles. The key, as with ranking systems in other games, including Pokémon ones, is to win a lot of matches and preferably consecutively, as one will get more points that way in order to be able to rank up faster. Of course, this will always be the challenge, as other players will be apt to do the same, creating some snags.

As well, it should be noted that there have been other implementations of evaluating player skills in TCGP, in the form of emblems earned for winning as many matches as possible and/or doing so for consecutive matches. While these may not be associated with true ranked play as the above, the virtual "rank" is an achievement in itself - and one that may be easier to obtain in comparison. It seems that these might just continue, though they might be "deemphasized" in favor of the ranked play system now in place. 

With ranked play and the associated matches now implemented in TCGP, there is now a distinctly regular, persistent, and standardized way of evaluating player skills against those of others. The tiers and levels might be comparatively few in light of similar systems across other modern Pokémon games, but the challenge seems to be just as great - which is always the point of ranked play. And it'll have to be a challenge TCGP card players can stand up to in order to see themselves against others.

Five years ago: Let's Get Going Today
Six years ago: Expecting the Detective
Eight years ago: Evolution Revolutions?
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Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Sneak Peeking into TCGP Wonder Picks

Next on the TCGP new affairs list is one that deals with the random selection process of Wonder Pick. Normally, it's a completely luck-based action, but through a recently started event, the luck factor has been decreased by a bit. That is accomplished through the feature or mechanism of "Sneak Peek", which by its name is a rather obvious indication: it allows one to take a look before making a pick. Yet it's not as simple as that, and the rest of the particulars make for and deserve a good bit of discussion.

The feature or mechanism itself is still pretty simple. When one commits to a Wonder Pick, the cards are taken and shuffled upside-down in preparation for it as usual. At that point, the feature can then become active; when active, the player is asked to pick one (and only one) card, and that card is temporarily exposed for the player to see. After a time, the card is hidden again and the Wonder Pick proceeds as normal. It is also worth noting that the reveal of other unpicked cards now occurs before the pick is revealed instead of after as it was initially, and the change may be for a dramatic effect for this and Wonder Pick in general.

A Sneak Peek changes things quite a bit. If a Wonder Pick has a targeted card - and I'm sure most players do have such a card in mind - one can stand to obtain that card directly if it becomes the peeked card, or from a one in four chance otherwise. Regardless, there is nothing to stop players from choosing or not choosing the peeked card or any other card, but the peeked card will surely have a bearing on the decision. Then, there are the possible Monty Hall-esque conundrums, but that's typical of certain gacha situations like these.

Some caveats are also abound. Even during the current event, not all Wonder Picks may allow for a Sneak Peek; chance will dictate whether or not one will have a Sneak Peek for a certain Wonder Peek or it will be just a normal one. And as I've said, it is an event... so the opportunity for Wonder Picks with Sneak Peeks will be a limited one for now up until the current event ends and Wonder Pick will become normal again. Given the flexibility and openness that Sneak Peeks allow for Wonder Picks, it is likely that the event will be repeated in the future, and perhaps many players (like me) will share these sentiments.

For a game with lots of random selection or gacha elements, the Sneak Peak feature or mechanism at the least offers a respite - even if only for limited periods of time - for Wonder Pick as one of those random selection elements. Though not completely foolproof in regard to setting aside luck, it might still be or already have been helpful in some ways, and thus the feature is especially deserving and welcome. There will still be quite a dependence on luck for Wonder Picks, which are now made seemingly more wondrous thanks to the feature.

Five years ago: Pokémon Upbringings
Six years ago: Benefits
Seven years ago: Ex-Raids and Cancellations
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Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Shiny Pokémon in TCGP

As mentioned for the latest (mini) expansion or Themed Booster Pack for the TCGP game, Shiny Pokémon are now present in the cards within the game by way of its addition. Anyone who has dealt with them in other Pokémon games know that they're something to behold, and the same is true for them in this game as well. Yet like other games, here they also have unique aspects (novelties) that are also appropriate to be detailed on their own.

It is known that no matter the game, Shiny Pokémon tend to be exceptionally rare, and the same is true for their appearance in TCGP. So rare, in fact, that in this game, the Pokémon that correspond to the cards are assigned rarities of their own levels, being either one or two Shiny Stars; they are placed between the Star and Crown rarity tiers. These rarities are likely here to stay, as does the Pokémon for which Shiny is now available here.

Presently, only 14 Pokémon have received the Shiny treatment, comprised of several species families, although technically some of these families are composed of only one member. Some of these are mainstays from the first generation, while others are some of the most recently discovered Pokémon, and yet others are species with whom many Trainers definitely resonate with in body and soul. But that's certainly for them to discover.

Other than being characteristically of the gleaming and rare sort, there really is nothing that differentiates them from being used like regular Pokémon - much like how Shiny forms are in general. Of course, it does help if one has the complete Shiny family for posterity and other necessities (of the showing off kind), but otherwise they are still "nice-to-have" rather than "need-to-have" cards for battle and collection purposes. 

"Masterfully captivating" can be a valid description for Shiny Pokémon wherever they are concerned, and in the present case of the TCGP game, they cam be considered very much that in card form. Again, a good bit of luck may just be necessary to be able to obtain them, as with Shiny Pokémon in other games, but that contributes to the fascination that some may have for them, which continue as they are obtained here.

Two years ago: Pokémon: Hisuian Snow
Three years ago: On Trainer Footwear
Five years ago: Voyager of Glory
Six years ago: You Can, I Can
Eight years ago: On the Road Again
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