Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Fusion Strike, pokemon, Pokémon card opening, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG

Pokémon TCG: Fusion Strike Early Opening: Booster Box

We have something special on deck today for Pokémon TCG lovers. Ahead of the upcoming November 12th release, the Pokémon TCG has sent me products from their upcoming set Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike to show and discuss in exchange for a fair review. The largest Pokémon TCG set ever printed, Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike will bring a third Battle Style to the game, adding Fusion Strike to Rapid Strike and Single Strike. The set focuses on Pokémon including Mew, Boltund, Genesect, and Gengar VMAX with some of the best pulls being Alternate Art cards featuring Espeon and Celebi. Let's get going and crack open the booster box.

The booster box itself is one of the most beautiful boxes the Pokémon TCG has printed in recent memory with brilliant pink and purple tones that make this truly feel like the most Mew-themed set they've done. Mew is a favorite Pokémon of mine, and I know that's something that's pretty common among fans, so let's see if we can pull any Mew cards. As always, booster boxes come with 36 packs. Generally, those packs will yield between nine and seventeen hits (hits being holos or better), with nine being an extreme low and seventeen being an extreme high. In terms of what you should expect, I think it's fair to go in with low expectations but hope to get somewhere in the middle of those numbers.

The box started off slow, but I don't personally mind that. To me, the most fun aspect of a new Pokémon TCG set dropping is that you get to explore the new artwork. One thing I noticed immediately is how few doubles I was seeing in the first set of packs I was opening even when it comes to common and uncommon cards. This continued through the end of the opening, with commons like Vulpix and Skitty not showing up until my last few packs. Note that this set has 264 cards before Secret Rares and 284 cards in total, making it the biggest set in history. A fun result of such a staggering set is that you're going to see a large variety of cards, so be sure to savor your time with these packs instead of skipping to the rare. I promise, you'll have a much better time if you slow down and take in the artwork because this set includes some truly beautiful cards. There is a Mudkip card that connects to a Palosand card, a Meowth that connects to the Smeargle from Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies, and multiple cards showcasing Vulpix and Ninetails with beautiful, painterly art. To say that there is a lot to admire in this latest set is a dramatic understatement. To appreciate it, I highly recommend displaying your set in a binder, like so.

Then again, this set does have a Crabominable Pokémon-V, which may be the ugliest card ever printed. It was my first Ultra Rare pull, which I thought was pretty hilarious. Thankfully, it's the kind of ugly that makes you laugh.

Now, in terms of my pulls, I'd call this average as far as the number of pulls and the quality. I ended up with fifteen hits, which is great, with the only real negative aspect of the box being that half of those pulls were holo-rares. Still, I did end up with a Secret Rare in the Sidney Rainbow Rare Trainer Supporter and two Pokémon-VMAX. VMAX are considered between the rarity of a V and a Full Art, so pulling two of those is something I'd chalk up as a win. I didn't end up getting a Mew hit, but there are a whopping five different Mew cards in the set, so you can bet I'm going to get more of my own boxes to explore.

As far as the Sidney Rainbow Rare, while it's certainly no Mew VMAX Alternate Art, take a look at the quality of the texture here. When you look at the card face-forward, the rainbow foil presents in a granulated texture. When moving it to the side, you see a series of what looks like bursts of energy all over the card, surrounding Sidney. This kind of special touch is what makes Full Arts and Secret Rares such beautiful additions to a collection.

Believe it or not, though, my favorite pull isn't a Secret Rare or a VMAX. I'm absolutely in love with this Chandelure V!

Overall, I recommend Pokémon TCG's latest set Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike with enthusiasm. It's about time we get a Mew-f0cused set and while I don't think the set is going to go down as an immediate, all-time classic like Evolving Skies did earlier this year, I think it has what it takes to be considered one of the top expansions of the current Sword & Shield era. I'll note here too that booster boxes are the one and only product where you essentially have guaranteed pulls of some sort. If you're looking to guarantee you get something spicy, a booster box is indeed the way to go. And hey, it's such a huge set that taking a dive in the deep end like this is, I feel, the best way to explore. Believe it or not, even after opening this box and an Elite Trainer Box, there are still commons and uncommons from the set that I have yet to pull! That, to me, makes this a fun one. For all those getting out there to get Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike, best of luck on your pulls.

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