Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, shining fates, Vivid Voltage

Is The Pokémon TCG Already Done With Amazing Rares?

In November 2020, the Pokémon TCG released the landmark set Sword & Shield – Vivid Voltage that took the insane craze around the cards and cranked up the power. It was a beautiful set tailor-made for collectors. It included beautiful Full Arts, the memeable and hyper-rare Rainbow Chonkachu, and introduced one of the most unique kinds of Pokémon cards we've ever seen: Amazing Rares. However, these Amazing Rare cards were absent from the most recent set, Pokémon TCG: Battle Styles. Have we seen the last of these colorful cards?

Amazing Rare cards feature Legendary or Mythical Pokémon set over a splash of textured foil that looks like a splash of rainbow paint. The texture and pattern of the splash was different on each card. We have, to this date, seen nine of these cards in print:

• Amazing Rare Celebi (Grass-type) in Vivid Voltage
• Amazing Rare Raikou (Electric-type) in Vivid Voltage
• Amazing Rare Zacian (Psychic-type) in Vivid Voltage
• Amazing Rare Zamazenta (Fighting-type) in Vivid Voltage
• Amazing Rare Jirachi (Steel-type) in Vivid Voltage
• Amazing Rare Rayquaza (Normal-type) in Vivid Voltage
• Amazing Rare Reshiram (Fire-type) in Shining Fates
• Amazing Rare Kyogre (Water-type) in Shining Fates
• Amazing Rare Yveltal (Dark-type) in Shining Fates

Now… you may be wondering why I mentioned the typing of these Pokémon. I believe it's relevant here. You see, we have what looks like a complete set. Could it be a mistake that we have exactly one of every single active typing in the current Pokémon TCG standard format and one only? It seems very purposeful.

More evidence that points toward Amazing Rares being unfortunately done stretches beyond their lack of a presence in Battle Styles. We have now seen five Japanese sets in a row with no Amazing Rares. That's both Single Strike Master and Rapid Strike Master which made up Battle Styles, and then Matchless Fighter, Jet Black Poltergeist, and Silver Lance which will mostly be adapted to June's Chilling Reign. That long of an absence generally means that a style of card is gone.

If so, rest in peace, Amazing Rares. You made pack openings far more fun by giving us something to hope for in the Reverse Holo slot. You enriched Shining Fates and especially Vivid Voltage with both beautiful art and a dynamic pack-opening experience. Perhaps we'll meet again for a final hurrah if the Pokémon TCG ever brings back Dragon-types and Fairy-types, but until that day… R.I.P.

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