“My First Battle” Cards Revealed, Features Unique Cards, Blue Borders, and Different Backs!

[Water Pokémon Master]

We now have photos for the “My First Battle” products! They officially released yesterday for $9.99 each.
While this product is intended for new players to learn how to play, it also includes unique cards that collectors may want.

Each product comes with two 17-card mini decks. One box features two decks for Bulbasaur and Pikachu while the other box features two decks for Charmander and Squirtle.
The Pokemon cards in each deck are brand new. They haven’t been released in Japan. Lately it seems TPCi is releasing cards exclusively in some countries, so it remains to be seen if these cards will release in Japan.

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[Yaginku]

TPCi is getting too comfortable with printing proxies lately. While this is a product for actual babies, the inclusion of unplayable cards can ironically introduce more confusion among younger players, not less.

 

[Ambassador]

TPCi is getting too comfortable with printing proxies lately. While this is a product for actual babies, the inclusion of unplayable cards can ironically introduce more confusion among younger players, not less.

These cards don't have regulation marks. Maybe younger players will get confused once or twice, but it's a fairly straightforward explanation that shouldn't cause too much confusion.

 

[Yaginku]

These cards don't have regulation marks. Maybe younger players will get confused once or twice, it's a fairly straightforward explanation that won't cause any myriad amount of confusion.

A younger player doesn't even know what a regulation mark is. This product must be designed for someone that doesn't have an experienced player on hand (otherwise they'll teach them with regular cards, probably their own), so you can't count of someone being there to explain it to them.

Second thought: it'd be much more helpful for TPCi, if they want to convert younger buyers from collectors to players - moving them from an area where they might purchase fake cards into one where they meet the community - to try to reach out to them and explain how an LGS operates. So many kids I see asking about League play think it's akin to a Judo school or something, not a casual hangout spot.

 

[Ambassador]

A younger player doesn't even know what a regulation mark is.

Like I said, it's fairly easy to explain what a regulation mark is. If they can't compute what it is, they're probably not going to have much fun with a card game with a fairly comprehensive set of gameplay mechanics, idiosyncratic language, and arithmetic with conditional steps.

 

[Shinxed3]

There's some really nice art on these cards. I appreciate them not using stock art, even for very young players who literally could not care less. Ivysaur and Electrode are my favorites.

 

[Yaginku]

Like I said, it's fairly easy to explain what a regulation mark is. If they can't compute what it is, they're probably not going to have much fun with a card game with a fairly comprehensive set of gameplay mechanics, idiosyncratic language, and arithmetic with conditional steps.

I never said kids cannot compute what Standard is, or what a Regulation Mark is. I just said they don't know, because you need someone to explain it to you and they don't meet experienced players. I don't really know what your point is.

 

[Ambassador]

I never said kids cannot compute what Standard is, or what a Regulation Mark is. I just said they don't know, because you need someone to explain it to you and they don't meet experienced players. I don't really know what your point is.

In your first post you said that TPCI was getting too comfortable with printing unplayable cards and it would cause confusion for younger players. It takes maybe about a minute to explain it, tops, and the criticism that "it's not good because it needs to be explained" would condemn the entire TCG. The whole game needs to be explained to any player (is TPCI too comfortable printing Energy cards, since those, too, need to be explained)? I don't know what your point is either, and we've gone fully off topic now; feel free to DM me if you like.

 

[StingAZG]

Thanks to Water Pokemon Master for including me in this article!! Im glad i could help get more information out there on this product. As for this product it does seem very teaching forward because everything is set up to teach an even more basic game than even the Battle Academies did. So its really best for the young kids that it’s marketed towards but it can also be used to teach the bare basics of the the game for everyone.

 

[LightYearLiam]

What a goofy and silly product. Do you really think little kids' heads will explode and not be able to comprehend anything if you give them the actual rules of the game (a 60-card deck, a 5-Pokemon bench, etc.)? It just seems weird and potentially actually confusing to give them a very slightly modified version of the game rules instead of the real ones. I would even be OK with stuff like the modified card backs and lack of weakness, retreat cost, etc. if the rules were still the actual game rules.

I might try to get that Scyther though, another great card art by Kouki Saitou. The card art in general is nice, of course.

 

[Yaginku]

It takes maybe about a minute to explain it, tops, and the criticism that "it's not good because it needs to be explained" would condemn the entire TCG.

I never said it's bad because it needs to be explained, I said it's bad because it creates confusion. Confusion in design isn't created just by shoddy explanations (although that happens too), it usually happens when the player instinctively wants to do thing A, but actually they need to do thing B. Purchasing cards that you want to play with and then technically not being able to play with them is an obvious source of confusion - so is learning the game with an incomplete ruleset. It's not hard to imagine a kid purchasing this product, meeting with a different kid that has an actual deck of legal cards and both deciding they'll play against each other even though they technically shouldn't.

 

[Ambassador]

It's not hard to imagine a kid purchasing this product, meeting with a different kid that has an actual deck of legal cards and both deciding they'll play against each other even though they technically shouldn't.

I don't follow how this is a problem.

 

[Nintenfreak]

There's some really nice art on these cards. I appreciate them not using stock art, even for very young players who literally could not care less. Ivysaur and Electrode are my favorites.

No Tomokazu Komiya = No sell.

Anyway I don't know why this product exists. We've had introduction decks since 1997 I don't think that we need a worse Dumber product

 

[AvieMoon]

Seeing that these cards are released here first and not in Japan is a bit confusing with how they are set up. Not sure how big Pokémon is for much younger players in English speaking countries, but in Japan they have a huge market for this, seeing a lot of younger kids play there (and why they have so many starter desks designed for simpler play). Maybe they are trying to get more younger players into the games so they can sell more products (and with the $10 price tag, it makes more sense that this is probably what they are doing). Who knows. At least they aren't that expensive, I might just have to pick them up to add to my collection of random master sets XD

 

[SoFarSoGood]

The unique art works for the cards is a nice little touch some cute stuff. Odd that there is a unique art work for potion and switch ( at least I think those are new too)

 

[MarlinRimes]

Ngl, I kinda wish at least switch and potion would be legal to play here

 

[Dabfamlet]

this is awesome! im gonna teach my little sister how to play with these :')

 

[itmealice]

seems like a completely worthless product outside of having some nice artwork

 

[Bid]

How does blue energy works here? Is it a permanent energy on field and u don’t loose it when a mon gots knocked out?

 

[Fireball27]

What a goofy and silly product. Do you really think little kids' heads will explode and not be able to comprehend anything if you give them the actual rules of the game (a 60-card deck, a 5-Pokemon bench, etc.)? It just seems weird and potentially actually confusing to give them a very slightly modified version of the game rules instead of the real ones. I would even be OK with stuff like the modified card backs and lack of weakness, retreat cost, etc. if the rules were still the actual game rules.

I might try to get that Scyther though, another great card art by Kouki Saitou. The card art in general is nice, of course.

I still think that the OG Battle Academy is the best way to introduce new players. My First Battle lacks any layer of depth and teaches you the wrong way to play. New players may like this, but I remember being fully able to comprehend Battle Academy, and enjoyed it a lot. TLDR; I agree