Beta ‘Pokemon TCG Online’ Now Live; Black and White Rules In Effect

No, I haven’t been busy. There’s just been no news until now! :p

The beta version of the online Pokemon TCG simulator, Pokemon TCG Online, is now available to try out! You will need to sign-in to your Pokemon Trainer Club account to play; if you do not have one, you can create one here.

When you start the simulator, you choose between a Meganium, Typhlosion, or Feraligatr deck and then you can battle one of fourteen computer opponents. As we saw in an earlier news post, the simulator is intelligent and knows the rules of the game. You can’t perform illegal actions because there is an “Action Menu” which only lets you do what you are allowed to do at the time (such as attacking, playing a Trainer, or Retreating). If you attach a Water Energy to Totodile, for example, it will only let you perform its first attack; when you attach a second Water Energy, you can then use either of its attacks. The simulator performs the damage to your opponent’s Active Pokemon and any other effects automatically – you don’t have to do anything manually, just like in the original Gameboy game. In the fall, the simulator will be expanded to include all Modified format cards and online player vs. player matches.

As we announced back in October, Japan received new and updated rules upon the release of their Black & White TCG sets. For example, Potion now heals 30 damage instead of 20, you can play a Supporter on your first turn, and you can’t use Rare Candy on your first turn. The simulator is now using all of these rules, so we can assume they will soon go into effect in America (perhaps with the release of the first Black & White set on April 25th). We’ll let you know when this happens, so stay tuned!