In my younger days I was a major TCG (trading card game) player; not competitively, just an addict. I've played just about any game I could get my hands on ranging from Pokemon, to Magic the Gathering, and even played the Yu-Gi-Oh card games. I've always liked the idea of converting a tabletop TCG to a virtual one, but very rarely do they get it right.
The Yu-Gi-Oh games seemed to be a great start at it for the most part, with the exception of the console versions. However the games always lacked cards from certain sets which I cursed to no end. The Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers game that was released seemed fantastic up until Wizards of the Coast wanted to release cards as DLC and overcharge for them.
Now Pokemon is releasing an online version of their card game which seems like it's going to fall into the same pitfall as MTG: Duels of the Planeswalkers. Pokemon Trainer Challenge, the online TCG, is slated to release in April and comes with three preconstructed decks. A trading card game should never release with just preconstructed decks, this was another problem I had with Duels of the Planeswalkers. Half of the fun of a TCG is the fact that you can build your own deck trying out different strategies and finding your own unique playing style.
Shortly after the game's release the table top version will be releasing Pokemon Black and White theme decks. Which when bought will include a code to allow you to play with their virtual counterpart. This also strikes a nerve with me. In a virtual game I should not have to purchase real cards, at full price to be able to use them. It seems money grubbing to say the least.
However for all my complaints there is one upside, upon release it is free; only requiring flash and an account on their site. I'll at least give it a try, although I haven't played the TCG since it's heyday when I was a kid. I'm just hoping that they'll eventually implement a build your own deck system into it.
http://www.pokemontcg.com/
Very cool
ReplyDeleteAt least this way I will find someone I could play with.
ReplyDeleteI would love to buy board games and card decks and all that things but the local game store scares me.
I was so into the pokemon tcg back in the day. Lotta fun back then.
ReplyDeleteI was never really into to trading cards when I was a kid, it only seemed to be the dorky loner kids who used to play (not implying you were).
ReplyDeleteI did on the other hand rather like the XBLA version of Magic, but did feel it was somewhat limited in deck choices. My best friend (who was a dorky loner in school) says that the new Yu-Gi-Oh game is good, but you'd still never catch me playing it.
Good post.
Good times... gooooooooood timesssss
ReplyDeleteI was totally one of the loner kids when playing Magic, but Pokemon everyone was playing it.
ReplyDeletei remember when pokemon used to be good, i think it sucks now.
ReplyDeleteI miss Pokemon cards, I was into them when they FIRST came out. Those were the days.
ReplyDeleteWow that might be really cool.
ReplyDeleteI played Pokemon on Gameboy, but after red, green and yellow... I couldn't take it anymore! I had to grow up and stash them in a box in the closet and play more grown up games!
ReplyDeleteFollowing and supporting
Garage Zoku
old times i remember them like it was yesterday
ReplyDeleteThis feels very meta, taking a video game, turning it into a card game, then turning it into a video game about a card game. The DLC thing isn't going to stop any time soon. I mean as a business, why only get forty or fifty dollars out of a consumer when you can get more in smaller increments over a longer period of time?
ReplyDeleteI gave my friend everyone of my pokemon cards cause I got bored with them and he was still into it...under the pretext he not sell them. found out later...he sold them.
ReplyDeleteOh cool, I was obsessed with pokemon cards when I was younger. Might give this a shot for nostalgia's sake. Hopefully it will be somewhat like TCG for the gameboy.
ReplyDeletei remember the old pokemon TCG always was trying to get a charrizard. i even managed to snag some japanese cards which i thought were the coolest thing for some reason
ReplyDeleteAhh sure brings you back to the old days. Interestingly enough, I had most of the Pokemon cards, but never played a single match with them. It was purely collecting them all within my neighbourhood.
ReplyDeleteThis takes me back to year 3 in school... my first card was a Ponyta. Im 18 and suddenly I feel insanely old.. sheesh!
ReplyDeleteNever knew how to play the game. In fact neither did the rest of my school. We just traded the cards and admired our holo's xD My first card was Diglett, this kid gave it to me because I had none :P
ReplyDeleteGood blog, man.
Ah the good old times, miss them! following.
ReplyDeletehad such a good time with it! my only regret is the money i spent..
ReplyDelete