Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Pikachu, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Team Up, zekrom
The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Team Up Part 8: Pikachu & Zekrom
Could the Pikachu & Zekrom TAG TEAM GX card from Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon - Team Up be the most iconic team in the hobby's history?
Four years ago, Pokémon TCG released the ninth main series set of the Sun & Moon era. The expansion, Sun & Moon – Team Up, came out on September 9th, 2022. Sun & Moon – Team Up added quite a lot to the hobby, including a special card type that would later become the most sought-after style of chase card in the Sword & Shield era. I'm talking, of course, about Alternate Arts. Sun & Moon – Team Up also introduced TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX, which featured two Pokémon on a single card. These species shared at least one of their typings. TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX were available as standard TEAM TEAM GX cards, Full Arts, Alternate Arts, and Rainbow Rares. Sun & Moon – Team Up was also the last set to include Prism Stars. This English-language expansion was based on the Japanese set Tag Bolt and took inspiration from the Kanto-themed games Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! Let's look back on this influential set and appreciate the artwork that would lay the groundwork for the current Alternate Art-themed era of Sword & Shield and beyond. Today, we continue with another TAG TEAM GX from Sun & Moon – Team Up.
If you're a Pokémon TCG collector who thinks of either this set or simply just the TAG TEAM GX card type, it's likely this card that you picture. TCG legend Mitsuhiro Arita, who also drew the Venusaur & Celebi TAG TEAM GX, brings together Pikachu and Zekrom — the most popular Electric-type paired with arguably the most powerful. Pikachu looks hilariously adorable here as it charges into battle, likely bolstered by the backup it has in the Legendary Dragon, Zekrom, who looks calmly intimidating here.
Arita actually drew the artwork for all the TAG TEAM GX cards in Team Up, so we have a lot more terrific artwork from the hobby's favorite artist as we continue. Stay tuned for the journey through this teamwork-themed set as we continue to spotlight the cards and artwork of Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon – Team Up. Next time, the spotlight continues with the main section of this set.