The Pokemon Trading Card Game is a table top card game in which Trainers build decks using various strategies and compete against other Trainers, and has long been a staple at the regional, national, and international Pokemon tournaments and events held by Nintendo, but until now, playing the game always meant being in the same geographic location. The new TCG Online allows Trainers to play with anyone, anytime, anywhere, simply by turning on their computers.
Pokemon TV
Deck Building
The wide selection of cards available in the online version mirrors that of the offline, and the ability to win, obtain, and collect cards that you can then add to your collection and use to build custom decks is just brilliant.
Trainers can prepare for online battles against other Trainers by purchasing physical cards, as there is an online element to the traditional card packs.
The three upcoming Pokemon TCG: Black & White theme decks, which are available April 6th, include a code that unlocks a virtual deck for play in the Pokemon Trainer Challenge and Pokemon TCG Online. The more virtual cards players collect, the easier it will be to create a strong deck for battle based upon established or personal strategies.
To help manage your virtual Pokemon TCG cards and for easy sorting, trading, and showcasing them, a unique Collection Management Tool has been created to provide players easy point-and-click access to their collections. Additionally, Pokemon TCG Online deck-building tools, including an innovative deck-building wizard, helps construct personalized decks for players of all skill levels.
It is important to note that deck construction is one of the more popular areas of skill development in TCG's, and Pokemon is no exception. With many tourney players publishing their deck contents online, it is going to be very easy to construct killer decks -- assuming you have the right cards -- to blaze a winning trail in the game.
Similar to the real-world Pokemon TCG community, the trading of digital TCG cards and items in real time will allow players to interact with others while building decks and collecting a wide variety of Pokemon TCG-related items online, and obtain the cards that they need to complete strategic decks.
Various customizable features and digital items will be available through a special currency system earned through numerous game play scenarios, including officially sanctioned online tournaments staged by The Pokemon Company International. As a result players can expect the introduction of new items and features frequently.
The wide selection of cards available in the online version mirrors that of the offline, and the ability to win, obtain, and collect cards that you can then add to your collection and use to build custom decks is just brilliant.
Trainers can prepare for online battles against other Trainers by purchasing physical cards, as there is an online element to the traditional card packs.
The three upcoming Pokemon TCG: Black & White theme decks, which are available April 6th, include a code that unlocks a virtual deck for play in the Pokemon Trainer Challenge and Pokemon TCG Online. The more virtual cards players collect, the easier it will be to create a strong deck for battle based upon established or personal strategies.
To help manage your virtual Pokemon TCG cards and for easy sorting, trading, and showcasing them, a unique Collection Management Tool has been created to provide players easy point-and-click access to their collections. Additionally, Pokemon TCG Online deck-building tools, including an innovative deck-building wizard, helps construct personalized decks for players of all skill levels.
It is important to note that deck construction is one of the more popular areas of skill development in TCG's, and Pokemon is no exception. With many tourney players publishing their deck contents online, it is going to be very easy to construct killer decks -- assuming you have the right cards -- to blaze a winning trail in the game.
Similar to the real-world Pokemon TCG community, the trading of digital TCG cards and items in real time will allow players to interact with others while building decks and collecting a wide variety of Pokemon TCG-related items online, and obtain the cards that they need to complete strategic decks.
Various customizable features and digital items will be available through a special currency system earned through numerous game play scenarios, including officially sanctioned online tournaments staged by The Pokemon Company International. As a result players can expect the introduction of new items and features frequently.
Trainer Club
There's Trainer Status Here
Individual and community game play statistics will be tracked using three features, including Leveling, which gauges individual playtime to unlock certain features within the game; Ratings, which tracks a player's games along with any online tournaments entered and won; and Leaderboards, which will post standings for players across various skill levels.
This is a level of status that until now has only been obtainable through participation of officially sanctioned tournaments. Because of the geographical nature of tourney play, far fewer players participated within the structure there than actually play the game, so it will be interesting to see how the online version of the game compares to the player rankings of the traditional version.
At PAX East Trainers were able to preview the game, playing at the numerous stations set up at the Pokemon Exhibit, where they experienced the single-player Pokemon Trainer Challenge. To play at home, players need to create a free Pokemon Trainer Club account, easily obtained at www.pokemon.com/us/account/login.
For more information about the upcoming launch of the multiplayer Pokemon TCG Online or to sign up for an opportunity to play the single-player Pokemon Trainer Challenge open beta, please visit www.pokemontcg.com.
Note: This preview was written using a recent PR release as well as on-site play at PAX East to provide much deeper background detail on the game and its upcoming offers.
Individual and community game play statistics will be tracked using three features, including Leveling, which gauges individual playtime to unlock certain features within the game; Ratings, which tracks a player's games along with any online tournaments entered and won; and Leaderboards, which will post standings for players across various skill levels.
This is a level of status that until now has only been obtainable through participation of officially sanctioned tournaments. Because of the geographical nature of tourney play, far fewer players participated within the structure there than actually play the game, so it will be interesting to see how the online version of the game compares to the player rankings of the traditional version.
At PAX East Trainers were able to preview the game, playing at the numerous stations set up at the Pokemon Exhibit, where they experienced the single-player Pokemon Trainer Challenge. To play at home, players need to create a free Pokemon Trainer Club account, easily obtained at www.pokemon.com/us/account/login.
For more information about the upcoming launch of the multiplayer Pokemon TCG Online or to sign up for an opportunity to play the single-player Pokemon Trainer Challenge open beta, please visit www.pokemontcg.com.
Note: This preview was written using a recent PR release as well as on-site play at PAX East to provide much deeper background detail on the game and its upcoming offers.
Community
The Pokémon TCG Online: Trainer Challenge forums are the place to go to talk about all things TCG! Only logged-in players can post.
New League 4 Trainer Challenge Digital Wallpapers available.
Parents
What parents should know about the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online: Trainer Challenge.
Interestingly this is not the first version of an online TCG based upon the Pokemon game -- a player-created (and we supposed technically illegal) version of the game with a play style very similar to the official one was created and widely played online several years ago, which could be looked at as a proof in concept that there is wide interest in the game...
Expanding on the recently introduced Pokemon Trainer Challenge, The Pokemon Company International has created the Pokemon Trading Card Game Online, a player-versus-player TCG, launching in fall 2011 for anyone looking to battle 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from the convenience of their PC. Pokemon TCG Online is a fully immersive online game using virtual Pokemon TCG cards that players can collect, trade, and use to battle with each other.
When Pokemon TCG Online launches later this year at www.pokemontcg.com, players will already have two ways to collect virtual Pokemon TCG cards, ensuring they are ready for battle online. The recently announced Pokemon Trainer Challenge, launching in April, will give players access to three free virtual Pokemon TCG pre-constructed decks that will be transferable into Pokemon TCG Online.
Game Play
Game play in the preview was strikingly similar to play in real life, on the table top, but of course the processes are somewhat automated, and it makes the game easier to learn, as there is less fussing with card placement allowing more concentration on game play elements.
As this is a browser-based game, the cards appear just like their real-world counterparts, and game play within the model is smooth and easy to follow.
The ranking system for play has not been fully explained but the presumption is that the same ranking system that appears in the game is the one that will be used for tourney play -- and there will be organized tourney play.
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