Let’s not beat around the bush. Pokémon Ultimately it’s for the kids. Yes, many of us adults love it, but this isn’t one of those gaming franchises that “grow” with their audience while trying to appeal to older fans, like Final Fantasy or Zelda. It’s a timeless Peter Pan-like adolescent franchise.
But, you know, like many of the best things for kids, there are some things for adults too. It’s like Doctor Who – a family TV show, but with a legion of adult fans who probably should know more about it, but still love it a lot. I was one of them, both in that blue box show and in the Pokeball throwing.
Go to the Pokemon World Championships and you’ll find it tells you it’s one of the few esports and tabletop tournaments that’s completely divided into age groups to make sure the adult contestants don’t just wash away the kids who play these games really is designed for.
For the longest time, I’m pretty sure The Pokemon Company has largely been content to happily ignore adult fans. It feels like all aspects of Pokemon are designed primarily for kids–and adults just have to jump in. I think it’s good for the franchise’s childhood whimsy, but not necessarily for the quality of the game. 10 year olds don’t usually complain about or understand horrible, stomach-churning frame rates, so TPC keeps rolling out tech hogs. Still, it always seems like a smart strategy.
However, TPC seems to be slowly but surely realizing that there is a strong independent market for these fans. That’s probably thanks to the fact that Pokemon Go became such a huge phenomenon that it touched many ’90s kids who hadn’t thought about Caterpie in over a decade. Now, the company is starting to serve that segment more specifically — and honestly, that’s what I’m here for.
For Pokemon’s anniversary, we’re re-issuing some classic cards and other such celebrations. But the best has just been revealed – the Pokemon Trading Card Game Classic. It’s for grown-ups; young at heart, it’s a brilliant idea.
It works so well for two reasons. The first one is simple: the nostalgia for Pokemon TCG is strong, but the card game has also changed dramatically over the years. I’ve always wanted to go back to TCG and play its online offering on and off forever, but my real affinity for this tabletop combat game is somewhere between Base Set and Neo Discovery. After that, I tapered off.
The rules of the game have changed and become more complex; old cards aren’t even legal in modern games.
The new TCG Classic is for people like me, 30-somethings with fond memories of certain cards and settings, who might play some without a whole bunch of new mechanics and metas to learn Pokemon TCG. That’s it.
If you missed the announcement during the Pokemon Anniversary stream, the Classic Pack basically brings together a bunch of classic cards, offering three unique decks – each themed around those classic Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise cards that It is the envy of the playground. This is the classic rule, the classic setup. None of this is legal for the current TCG metadata – it should be a separate thing.
Pokemon was designed in collaboration with Nendo, known for their cute but expensive Nendoroid figurines. Housed in a sleek black box, it unfolds in the style of an advanced board game, creating a gaming environment for you. Instead of tossing a coin, you spin a ball that either lands heads or tails in a roulette-like tumbler. Damage counters stack and generally have a super advanced look compared to the main game. The cards themselves have glossy black card backs – this both sets them apart from the originals and gives them a clear ‘this is for adults’ look.
That appealed to me, even though I knew the “adult” package would be sold at adult prices. An MSRP in the West has yet to be confirmed, but in Japan it’s expected to be 35,000 yen, or around $257/£215. It’s expensive and makes me cringe – but I know I’ll probably go there and do it on day one.
However, on a minor note, I just thought it was a damn smart idea. A few years ago, I reviewed Pokemon Battle Academy, a similar idea but for a kid-first version of the game. I found in that set that there is real power in having an all-in-one Pokemon TCG set almost like a board game.
Basically, Battle Academy has everything you need in one box. Three unique decks, game board, everything you need to start the game, and clear, detailed instructions. Just buy it, turn it on, and play. There are no booster packs, no starter kits that require a second deck to get started. Just the ability to play. Here it is again, but as a premium product (perhaps 10 times the price of Battle Academy at £20) and aimed at adults.
The adult focus is what makes it affordable, which may be why it’s attractive to TPC. Let’s admit it. I hope they decide to be sane about how they position this cost wise in the west. But as a product concept, and as an idea for the future of the Pokemon franchise, I think it’s genius.
Pokemon should continue to focus on children. That’s what it’s for, and I never want to take away the franchise from them. But throwing bones at adult fans here and there can be exciting and very successful. Lego has undergone a similar awakening over the past decade, with adult-focused sets now making up a large portion of its business — and I really feel like Pokemon could do the same. Hopefully TCG Classic is just the first step.
