What Is the Pokemon TCG?
The Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) is a collectible card game first published by Wizards of the Coast in North America in 1998, then managed directly by The Pokemon Company International. Two players build decks of exactly 60 cards and battle, using Pokemon cards to attack and knock out the opponent's Pokemon, Energy cards to power attacks, and Trainer cards to gain strategic advantages.
Beyond gameplay, Pokemon TCG cards are among the world's most popular collectibles, with a global community of collectors who never play a single game but spend significant money assembling sets, chasing rare cards, and preserving vintage pieces.
The Three Types of Cards
Every Pokemon TCG deck and collection consists of three card types:
- Pokemon cards — The creatures you use to battle. Each has HP (hit points), attacks with Energy costs, and sometimes special abilities. Pokemon come in Basic, Stage 1 (evolutions from Basics), and Stage 2 (final evolutions) forms, plus special types like V, VMAX, VSTAR, EX, and ex.
- Energy cards — Power your Pokemon's attacks. There are 9 basic Energy types (Fire, Water, Grass, Lightning, Psychic, Fighting, Darkness, Metal, and Colorless/Normal) plus special Energy cards with additional effects.
- Trainer cards — Items, Supporters (powerful one-per-turn effects), and Stadiums (field effects). Trainers are often the most strategically important cards in any deck.
How to Play — The Basics
Each player starts with a 60-card deck, shuffles, and draws 7 cards. You place one Basic Pokemon face-down as your "Active Pokemon" and up to 5 more face-down as "Bench" Pokemon. Both players then flip their Pokemon face-up simultaneously.
Each turn, you can: draw a card, attach one Energy from your hand to a Pokemon, play Trainer cards (unlimited Items, one Supporter), evolve Pokemon that have been in play at least one turn, retreat your Active Pokemon (paying the Retreat Cost in Energy), and attack once. The attack ends your turn. You win by collecting 6 Prize Cards (taken when you knock out opponent's Pokemon).
Standard format uses only cards from the most recent 2–3 years of sets. Expanded format allows older cards. Theme/pre-built decks use any era.
Card Rarity Explained
Pokemon cards have a rarity system indicated by the symbol in the lower right corner:
- Circle (Common) — Most basic cards
- Diamond (Uncommon) — Slightly rarer
- Star (Rare) — Holofoil or reverse holofoil versions
- Double Star or specific designations — Ultra Rares, Secret Rares, Special Illustration Rares
Modern Scarlet and Violet sets introduced the Special Illustration Rare (SIR) and Hyper Rare designations at the highest rarity tiers, with pull rates as low as 1 in 50–80 packs for the rarest variants.
Building Your First Deck
The easiest way to start playing is with a pre-built trainer kit or theme deck. These 60-card decks are ready to play out of the box and typically cost $15–$25. They're not optimized for competition but are perfect for learning the game.
Once you understand the basics, building a custom deck involves choosing a strategy (aggressive attackers, stall/control, combo), selecting a main Pokemon attacker, building an Energy base (usually 12–15 Energy cards), and filling the rest with Trainers that draw cards, search your deck, and support your strategy.
Collecting vs. Playing
Many people in the Pokemon TCG community fall into one of three camps: pure collectors (who never play), competitive players (who care about card legality and tournament formats), and casual players (who play with friends but aren't grinding tournaments). All three are equally valid, and the hobby accommodates all of them.
If you're primarily collecting, condition and rarity drive value. If you're playing, legality in the current Standard format matters most. If you're doing both, you'll need to track which cards are also strong players — they tend to hold the best value.
Where to Buy Pokemon Cards in the GTA
The GTA has several strong channels for buying Pokemon cards:
- Pokemon card shows — Northside TCG runs regular events across the GTA including Mississauga. Best for singles and face-to-face shopping.
- Local card shops — Stores like Cloud Games TCG in Woodbridge carry singles, sealed product, and accessories.
- Big box retail — Walmart, Target, and similar stores carry sealed booster packs and pre-built products.
- Online — TCGPlayer, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace for specific singles and sealed product.
Check the Northside TCG show schedule to find the next Pokemon card show near you in the GTA, and visit the live giveaway page for a chance to win free cards before the event.