Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Arceus, Brilliant Stars, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG

Pokémon TCG Early Opening: Brilliant Stars Elite Trainer Box

Tomorrow is the pre-release weekend for the next official Pokémon TCG expansion, Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars. Collectors and players alike will be able to purchase Build & Battle kits which will include four packs of this exciting new set ahead of its full release on February 25th. To celebrate this occasion, I have something special to share today with Bleeding Cool readers thanks to The Pokémon Company International. They sent over a Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars booster box and Elite Trainer Box for me to open in exchange for a fair review. Now that we have explored the set through the booster box, let's take a look at this product.

The Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars comes in crisp white and gleaming gold, making for one of the cleanest, most minimalist, and most beautiful products the Pokémon TCG has put out in recent memory. This is one of the few times that I think the standard box pictured above is better-looking than the Pokémon Center-exclusive edition, though that one has its charm as well. This is, quite simply, gorgeous.

Once you get it open, the box has what we've come to expect from an ETB, including:

• Eight booster packs
• A booklet that includes set information, game details, and, most importantly, the setlist
• Items for players including damage markers and more
• Energy cards
• Code card
• Instructions
• Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars-exclusive ETB card sleeves

I personally collect card sleeves, so I'm always excited to see how they turn out. As a binder collector, I this that these sleeves have historically been great for that purpose. However, 2021 saw a change to how the Pokémon TCG does card sleeves which continues here. A matte material is used which dramatically fogs the artwork of any card put into the sleeve, removing the shine and visible texture from all cards. It's essentially the only major thing wrong with Elite Trainer Boxes and is has been a consistent problem since it began in Shining Fates. On the other hand, there is something great about these sleeves. They use a gold back rather than the normal silver, which looks good with Gold cards including the Gold Secret Rares and the Black and Gold VMAXes in the Trainer Gallery. If only these weren't matte, I'd be almost as excited about the sleeves as I was about the packs. With all of that said, I do enjoy displaying each set's sleeves at the end of the binder, which I did along with the new Energy Card designs here.

Now, when it comes to Elite Trainer Boxes, you never know what you're going to get. Were it not for the Trainer Gallery, this would've been a pretty low hit ratio. Out of eight packs, the standard rare slot offered me one holo and one Zarude V. Just like I mentioned in my booster box opening, the Pokémon TCG has dramatically enriched opening products in this set by including the Trainer Gallery. These cards (a selection of Character Cards, Character Super Rares, Full Art Trainers, and Black and Gold VMAXes) can be pulled in the Reverse Holo slot. I was lucky enough to enjoy some last pack magic with this Jolteon pull, which made this, in my eyes, a winning Elite Trainer Box.

Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars continues to thrill, and while I always recommend that you go big with your first dip into a new Pokémon TCG set with a booster box, an Elite Trainer Box is also an essential experience with every new set.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!