Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: battle styles, pokemon, Pokemon TCG, Sword & Shield, Venusaur

Pokémon TCG Product Review: Venusaur VMAX Battle Box

The newest set of Pokémon cards, Sword & Shield: Battle Styles, hit shelves on March 19th. This new set, the fifth main Sword & Shield expansion, introduces a new mechanic to the Pokémon TCG with Single Strike and Rapid Strike battle styles. This new mechanic will make this a highly playable set, but will it also appeal to collectors? We already reviewed a Booster Box and an Elite Trainer Box thanks to the Pokémon Company, and this time we're opening a new collection box: the Venusaur VMAX Battle Box.

The Promo

It's impossible not to compare this product to the Blastoise VMAX Battle Box, which came out the exact same day. (Catch our review for that collection box right here.) Picking between the two will come down to which you like better, Blastoise or Venuaur, because both of these promos are of equally high quality. This is the first time we've gotten a card featuring Venusaur in its Gigantamax form, which looks awesome with its oversized flower and glowing, red eyes on this card. There are some boxes where the main draw is the packs within (currently, the Urshifu V boxes fit that mode) but the promo here is easily the main attraction.

Like the Blastoise VMAX Battle Box, this Venusaur box also comes with sleeves unique to the box. I think it's a terrific idea that enriches the box beyond my expectations, though I maintain the same issue in my other review: matte sleeves have to go. Pokémon TCG switches to matte sleeves recently, a major change from their normal glossy sleeves. These new matte sleeves were featured in both these collection boxes, the Shining Fates Elite Trainer Box, and the Battle Styles Elite Trainer Box. This matte material mutes the shine of the holographic cards and the texture of the full art cards, making this change, unfortunately, one for the worse. I love these sleeves but I love displaying my cards more, so while these may be useful for players to use for a deck, collectors will find little use for these matte sleeves.

The Pokémon TCG Packs

Same as the Blastoise VMAX Battle Box. We've got two Battle Styles, one Darkness Ablaze, and one Sun & Moon base. Overall, a great pack selection that gives a taste of Battle Styles with two variety packs to spice things up.

Overall

Along with the Blastoise box, the Venusaur VMAX Battle Box is the best product of the Battle Styles release. A stellar promo and good pack selection, as well as striking art on the box itself, makes this a must-have for any Pokémon TCG collector.

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