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

Pokémon TCG Vivid Voltage Expansion: Complete Review

Interest in the Pokémon Trading Card Game is soaring. It's in part because of the increasing surge of YouTube pack opening channels and in part because of the speculator interest, but mostly due to the overwhelming quality of recent sets. The special set Champion's Path and the latest Sword & Shield expansion, Vivid Voltage, have brought many prodigal collectors back to the fold. Now, let's take a look at Vivid Voltage in this review and determine if this latest Pokémon TCG set is truly worth the massive hype.

The Cards

First and foremost, the most important aspect of a new expansion isn't how much the chase cards are worth. The most important thing that will determine the success of a new expansion is the quality of the cards. Is the artwork beautiful? Are the Pokémon well-chosen?

In the case of Vivid Voltage, it's an easy "yes."

The Pokémon TCG is notable in the way they bring different art styles to the table in their expansions, creating nuanced sets that offer an array of styles. There's the soft, storybook style Weedle card by illustrator sui. The pastel, hilariously doofy Exeggutor card by illustrator miki kudo. There's the painted Pineco by Tomokazu Komiya, the spunky Shaymin by Shibuzoh., the gorgeous Dedenne sculpted from clay by Yuka Morii, and that's just scratching the surface.

While the V and VMAX cards get a ton of love, it's the Full Art V cards that are stunning here. With the dark linework replaced with peeks down to the holographic foil, there is a depth and beauty to these cards that makes them look as if light has been captured in the print job. They are a true crowning achievement for the Pokémon TCG… as are the cards covered in the next section.

The new feature added to Pokémon TCG

The addition of Amazing Rare cards to the Pokémon TCG with Vivid Voltage is a major reason why this set is so beloved. These cards are splashed with rainbow, shining, textured artwork that turns these cards into something special. They also take the place of the Reverse Holo in the pack openings, meaning that collectors can pull both an Amazing Rare and a V, VMAX, or Secret Rare card in one pack. Not only does it enrich the openings, but the cards are stunningly beautiful.

These cards are set to continue with February 2021's special set called Shining Fates. While we have seen many cards come and go, from the Prisms to the Breaks of the past, hopefully, Amazing Rares are here to stay for a long time.

Final Rating

10/10: Vivid Voltage is a perfect set of cards and is the Pokémon TCG's best Sword & Shield expansion yet. With Darkness Ablaze trailing behind it as the runner-up, Vivid Voltage is the first main set in some time to match the hype and quality of special holiday sets such as Champion's Path, Hidden Fates, and Shining Legends. What a way to close out the year for Pokémon fans!

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