Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Fusion Strike, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Sword & Shield

The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike Part 31

The Pokémon TCG has outdone itself with its latest release, Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike. Fusion Strike, which was released in November 2021, is the largest expansion that the Pokémon TCG has ever released with a whopping 264 cards before Secret Rares. The set is partly based on the Japanese expansion Fusion Arts but also adapts several key Japanese promo cards as well as cards from sets like Eevee Heroes that were left out of that set's English equivalent, Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies. Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike is notable for its focus on the Mythical Pokémon Mew and Gengar VMAX, as well as its introduction of a new Battle Style to the competitive TCG with Fusion Pokémon now joining Rapid Strike and Single Strike. Now, let's take a journey through the best cards in this staggeringly large set of Pokémon cards.

2021 has seen some amazing Gold Secret Rares. While I enjoyed the first round of Golds in 2020, with highlights being the Shiny Galarian Perrserker from Sword & Shield – Rebel Clash and Shiny Galarian Obstagoon from Sword & Shield – Vivid Voltage, 2021 has seen the Pokémon TCG take it to the next level by featuring some of the best Shinies in the game on these gleaming, golden Secret Rares. We got Houndoom, Snorlax, Inteleon, and, my personal favorites, Cresselia and Mew. Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike is the only main series set so far to deliver just one of these cards, with the norm being either two or three. We got Shiny Flaaffy, which I'm of two minds about. On one level, Flaaffy is the only Pokémon in the Mareep line with an unimpressive Shiny. Both Mareep and Ampharos are all-time greats, while Shiny Flaaffy looks virtually the same as its normal form. On the other hand, though, it's a little hilarious and cute to get such an unexpected Pokémon on a Gold Secret Rare. We got Flaaffy instead of the more obvious choice of Ampharos as a nod to players, as this uses the text of a highly playable Flaaffy card that heated up the competitive Pokémon TCG this year. While I'd personally have rathered Ampharos, I completely understand the decision here and can't take any points off for it.

Also featured here is one Gold Item and one Gold Stadium card. I personally love how limited this section of the set is. I know I'm not alone in thinking that we're getting too many Items as Gold Secret Rares, so I'd love to continue seeing this limited to one, two, or even zero per set.

Next time, the spotlight on Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike continues with more cards from the set. You can follow this spotlight series by clicking our Fusion Strike tag.

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