Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Eevee, pokemon, pokemon go, Pokemon TCG, Radiant Pokémon

Pokémon TCG – Pokémon GO Opening: Radiant Eevee Collection

The Pokémon TCG has now released one of its most interesting sets: Pokémon GO. This expansion is of course inspired by the hit mobile game of the same name that brought the whimsy of Pokémon to the real world with AR technology.  Unlike a main series set, this expansion will not have booster boxes but will instead be released in special, branded products including an Elite Trainer Box, Collection Boxes, a Premium Collection, and Tins. The cards of this set focus on popular aspects of Niantic's mobile game Pokémon GO with Trainers exclusive to the game, iconic items from the game including Lures and Gifts, and more. Some of the biggest hits in the set are Mewtwo VSTAR, Dragonite VSTAR, and two Alternate Arts. The Pokémon Company International has provided me with some of this set's products to open up for Bleeding Cool readers so we can get a taste of the cards. Today, let's open up a Pokémon TCG – Pokémon GO Radiant Eevee Premium Collection.

In the last opening, I advised collectors that the Pokémon GO Elite Trainer Box was the best product to open if they wanted the highest number of packs. And that's true.

This product, though, is the best overall release for this expansion, full stop.

First, this also has a high number of packs: eight. It's not quite the ten that the Elite Trainer Box offers, but it makes up for that in other ways.

Secondly, it includes a beautiful playmat and a Shiny Eevee enamel pin that is begging to sparkle up your drip a bit.

Third, and best of all… it comes with one of the best promo cards of the entire Sword & Shield era.

Radiant Pokémon have been hit or miss for me. I like the holo pattern and I love how the Pokémon itself is textured foil while the background is not, which harkens back to classic Shining Cards. The issue for me, though, is that about half of the Radiant Cards feature a very simplistic drawing of the Pokémon over a background that is essentially a color effect. The biggest letdown is the Radiant Charizard from this set, which could've been an all-time banger but instead isn't even as impressive as the more illustrative Radiant Greninja from Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance.

Radiant Eevee, though? This shows the true lengths to which this card type can go. The illustration is beautiful and highly detailed. Instead of turning in a character sketch and wavy background, artist Souichirou Gunjima contributes a piece of art as detailed as an Alternate Art. Further, the card doesn't just do a flat color for the typing but instead nods to Eevee's evolutions by having a multi-color glow shining through the holofoil.

Radiant Eevee is very simply a top-tier promo card which will be remembered as a major moment for this era of the Pokémon TCG.

Let's get into my pulls.

Hit Count:

• Holo Rares: 6
• Peelable Dittos: 0
• Radiant Pokémon: 1
• Pokémon-V: 1
• Pokémon-VSTAR: 0
• Pokémon-VMAX: 0
• Full Art: 1
• Secret Rare: 0

As far as the pulls, I found this to be a decent box. My hope is to always leave with a Full Art or higher, and being able to pull the Slaking Full Art V and the Radiant Venusaur made this box surpass my expectations. I should note that so far, I am finding Secret Rares somewhat difficult to pull in this set compared to some other special sets. Let's investigate that more in the next openings.

Pokémon TCG – Pokémon GO is now in stores through a selection of special products. Stay tuned to Bleeding Cool for more product openings as well as coverage of both the TCG and GO, the mobile game.

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