Stanisland Magazine

Mixed opinions on the latest card expansion from the Pokémon TCG has divided a fan base. But actually, it’s pretty good.

We were barely a month into the release of Temporal Forces, the March expansion for the Pokémon trading card game, when the company announced another one. Fans lost their minds and couldn’t understand why this was happening. But actually, this has been the case for, well, since the card game’s inception.

Twilight Masquerade arrives

While anticipation was building for the set’s release, collectors turned up their noses at the prospect of its artwork. However, players had a different story. In hindsight, when compared to ‘Temporal Forces’, a series that produced beautiful card art, perhaps the latest reveal was found wanting.

But Twilight Masquerade isn’t all that bad. In fact, after initially jumping on the bandwagon of disliking this collection myself, I found my outlook had changed. I was ready to skip it altogether, but a last-minute change of heart led me to buy in and I did not regret it.

Common card art is far better this time around

You’ll no doubt find that the latest round from the Scarlet and Violet series has a far superior common card art. That said, it’s not the best ever, though certainly better than recent iterations. Collectors often scoff at commons, preferring to speculate on financial growth. That often rules them out, but if you’re a true Pokémon fan, you’ll enjoy and cherish the sentiment of each entry.

Some of my personal favourites include a Vulpix (026) sleeping under a tree and a Snorunt (051) grinning with happiness inside of an igloo. Let’s not forget that this is the first appearance for Dipplin in the series along with Ogerpon.

Ogerpon artwork is impressive

Despite having an abundance of Ultra Rare (UR) and Special Illustration Rare (SIR) entries, it’s one particular rare card (024) I like. If you’re fortunate enough to find the holo version, it’s an even more stunning variation to own.

Downplayed upon reveal, most of this legendary mon’s cards are now considered an impressive display. Elsewhere, through an Elite Trainer Box (ETB), she has a stunning promo in the now distinctive teal mask gallivanting through a field.

Verdict

Though not the best display of Pokémon cards to grace the scene, it isn’t as bad as the community makes it out to be, especially with great entries for Eevee, Perrin, Growlithe, Carmine, and Kieran. Let’s not forget Dragapult gets some great card art alongside Greninja.

But the stand out art of the bunch has to be the Torkoal IR and the Sinistcha SIR cards (see end of article) and it is beyond me as to why they’re not sought after considering their stunning artwork. If you’re a fan of the DLC, you’ll no doubt find this set exciting, and if you’re a player, it’s good too.

Where to buy

In the UK, you can purchase the latest set from a number of retailers, including the Pokémon Centre, Chaos Cards (who offer a discount on volume), Total Cards, and numerous other outlets.

Prices start at £3.99 per pack, with booster boxes beginning at £143.64. Third party retailers may give discounted offers.

Which cards are the most valuable?

According to Collectr, the Greninja Ex, currently valued at £218.24, Carmine’s SIR at £63.80 and Perrin’s SIR (£59.08) are the three most valuable cards TWM.

Disclaimer: Prices and values listed in this article are subject to change