Sun & Moon TCG Series merchandise: Difference between revisions

The first product of the Sun & Moon TCG Series was the '''Alola Collection'''. It received an early release at North American {{wp|Target Corporation|Target}} stores on November 13, 2016 and was followed by a more general release on November 18. It was released in Europe on November 23, mirroring the release dates of {{g|Sun and Moon}} in each region. The Alola Collection came in two varieties, each of which focused on one of the [[game mascot]] [[Legendary Pokémon]] {{p|Solgaleo}} and {{p|Lunala}}. The collection also featured the three [[Alola]] [[starter Pokémon]] {{p|Rowlet}}, {{p|Litten}}, and {{p|Popplio}}.

The contents of the collections differed depending on their region of release. The North American versions included a collector's {{TCG|pin}} and sculpted figure of either Solgaleo or Lunala, as well as five {{TCG|booster pack}}s. The European versions did not contain a figure, came with three booster packs instead of five, and included a different pin depicting the Alolan starter Pokémon. The showcased cards however, remained the same across the regional variants. The Solgaleo Alola Collection included Water Web Holofoil prints of {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Rowlet|9}} and {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Popplio|39}} from the then upcoming {{TCG|Sun & Moon}} expansion, a {{TCG|SM Black Star Promos|Black Star Promo}} {{TCG ID|SM Promo|Litten|2}}, and a {{TCG|Jumbo cards|Jumbo}} {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Solgaleo-GX|89}}. The Lunala Alola Collection included Water Web Holofoil print of Sun & Moon {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Litten|24}}, Black Star Promos {{TCG ID|SM Promo|Rowlet|1}} and {{TCG ID|SM Promo|Popplio|3}}, and a Jumbo {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Lunala-GX|66}}. The Jumbo cards differed from the versions that would eventually feature in the Sun & Moon expansion by lacking their HP, Evolution Stage, and Attack Costs.

Available from November 18, 2016 was the '''Alola Collector's Pin 2-Pack Blister''', which contained two {{TCG|booster pack}}s, an {{TCG|XY Black Star Promos|XY Promotional}} Cosmos Holofoil {{TCG ID|XY Promo|Absol|178}}, and a collector's {{TCG|pin}} featuring the [[Alola]]n [[starter Pokémon]]. This pin design was previously featured as part of the European [[#Alola Collection|Alola Collections]]. The two booster packs comprised {{TCG|Phantom Forces}} and {{TCG|Evolutions}}.

The {{TCG|Sun & Moon}} {{TCG|Theme Deck}}s were released on January 20, 2017, two weeks ahead of the main expansion, and provided a platform for new players to experience the new rules and mechanics introduced in the Sun & Moon Series. The three 60-card decks, titled {{TCG|Forest Shadow}}, {{TCG|Roaring Heat}}, and {{TCG|Bright Tide}}, centered on one of the [[List of Pokémon by evolution family|evolutionary lines]] of the [[Alola]] [[starter Pokémon]] and included an array of accessories to play a game. These comprised a cardboard sheet containing damage counters, status markers, and a new GX marker to identify if a player had used their single-use {{TCG|Pokémon-GX|GX attack}}, a two-player playmat and rulesheet, a card checklist, a {{TCG|coin}}, a deck box, and a code card to unlock a digital version of the deck in the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]].

Two Pack Blisters associated with the Sun & Moon expansion were scheduled to be released alongside the {{TCG|Guardians Rising}} expansion, but were instead released early on April 17, 2017. Exclusive Holofoil reprints of the fully evolved [[Johto]] {{pkmn2|starter}}s were packaged with two booster packs (one {{TCG|Steam Siege}} and one Sun & Moon), along with a {{p|Genesect}} coin.

On February 17, 2017, Ultra Pro released four and nine-pocket portfolios utilizing art from the booster packs of {{TCG|Sun & Moon}}. The four-pocket folders have a maximum capacity of 80 cards and feature the [[Generation VII]] {{pkmn2|starter}} final evolutions {{p|Decidueye}} and {{p|Incineroar}}, while the nine-pocket folders can hold up to 180 cards and feature {{p|Solgaleo}} and {{p|Lunala}}.

Locations in the Prerelease Program held {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament}}s for the {{TCG|Guardians Rising}} expansion on the weekends April 22-23 and 29-30, 2017. Participants of these tournaments were given a '''Guardians Rising Prerelease Kit''' that contained four Guardians Rising booster packs and a 23-card Evolution pack as a base to construct a 40-card deck. Each Evolution pack contained different card selections based on the enclosed promotional card. Kits also contained an information sheet with deck-building tips.

Released on June 16, 2017 were a trio of Premium Collections focusing on the final [[evolution]]s of the [[Alola]] [[starter Pokémon]]. One box, the '''Decidueye-GX Premium Collection''', featured {{p|Decidueye}} as both a regular and an {{TCG|Jumbo cards|oversized}} {{TCG|Full Art card|Full Art}} {{TCG|Pokémon-GX}}. The box also came with Cosmos Holofoil versions of {{p|Rowlet}} and {{p|Dartrix}} from {{TCG|Sun & Moon}}, six booster packs, a {{TCG|pin}} and a {{TCG|coin}} bearing Decidueye, and a code card for the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]].

Another mini album blister was released on July 3, 2017. The album features the [[Alola]] {{pkmn2|starter}}s on one side and their final [[evolution]]s on the other. The blister also included two booster packs, a {{TCGO}} code card, and an {{TCG ID|SM Promo|Alolan Meowth|51}} promotional card, which originated as a Japanese Pokémon Card Gym promo.

As a buildup to the release of the {{TCG|Burning Shadows}} expansion on August 4, 2017, {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament}}s were held at participating locations on the preceding two weekends: July 22-23 and 29-30. All entrants were given a '''Burning Shadows Prerelease Kit''' upon paying a fee and were required to use whatever cards they acquired to build a 40-card deck to use throughout the tournament. Each kit was packaged with four Burning Shadows booster packs, a deck-building tip sheet, and a 23-card Evolution pack that included one of four possible {{TCG|SM Black Star Promos}}.

{{TCG|Crimson Invasion}} {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament|Prerelease events}} were held on the weekends of October 21-22 and 28-29, 2017 and offered participants a preview of the expansion before its general release. Attendees were given a '''Crimson Invasion Prerelease Kit''' to create a 40-card deck to use in the event. Each kit comprised four Crimson Invasion booster packs, a deck-building tip sheet, and a 23-card Evolution pack that included one of four possible promotional cards with alternate artwork.

'''Ultra Prism Prerelease Kits''' were given to people participating in {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament}}s for the {{TCG|Ultra Prism}} expansion, which took place on the weekends of January 20-21 and 27-28, 2018. These tournaments were {{TCG|Limited format}} events that required players to use whatever cards they obtained from their kit and create a 40-card deck, though additional basic Energy cards were supplied by {{TCG|Tournament Organizer|organizers}} to players that required them. Each kit contained four Ultra Prism booster packs, a deck-building tip sheet, and a 23-card Evolution pack that, among supporting Pokémon and {{TCG|Trainer card}}s, included a special {{TCG|SM Black Star Promos|SM Black Star}} promotional card.

Prerelease Kits were rebranded as Build & Battle Boxes starting with merchandise associated with the {{TCG|Forbidden Light}} expansion as part of a change to their distribution method. '''Forbidden Light Build & Battle Boxes''' were still available first at {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament|Prerelease events}}, which took place on the weekends of April 21-22 and 28-29, 2018, but were also later made available to purchase as a normal retail item from June 15, allowing audiences unable or unwilling to attend the events a chance to obtain them. Each box came with a 23-card Evolution pack, which included one of four alternate-art {{TCG|SM Black Star Promos}}, as well as four Forbidden Light booster packs, and a deck-building tip sheet.

Approved locations in the Prerelease Program held {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament}}s for the {{TCG|Celestial Storm}} expansion on the weekends of July 21-22 and 28-29, 2018. Participants of these events were given a '''Celestial Storm Build & Battle Box''' upon entry, which contained a deck-building tip sheet, four Celestial Storm booster packs, and an Evolution pack with varying selections of cards—including an exclusive {{TCG|Prerelease cards|Prerelease promotional card}}. Participants were then challenged to construct a 40-card deck to use throughout the tournament. The boxes were later available to purchase regularly from August 17, 2018.

A third set of Challenge Boxes were released on August 29, 2018 that focused on the final [[evolution]]s of the [[Alola]] [[starter Pokémon]]. One of these was the '''Decidueye-GX Challenge Box''', which contained a copy of the {{TCG|Forest Shadow}} {{TCG|Theme Deck}} from {{TCG|Sun & Moon}}, regular and {{TCG|Jumbo cards|Jumbo}}-sized copies of Sun & Moon Decidueye-GX, two Sun & Moon booster packs, and a {{TCGO}} code card.

Locations in the Prerelease Program were eligible to host {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament}}s for the {{TCG|Lost Thunder}} expansion on the two weekends leading up to its official release: October 20-21 and 27-28, 2018. People taking part in the tournament were given '''Lost Thunder Build & Battle Boxes''' and any additional basic Energy cards required to assemble a 40-card deck. Each Build & Battle Box came with four Lost Thunder booster packs, a deck-building tip sheet, and a 23-card Evolution pack that included one of four possible {{TCG|SM Black Star Promos|SM Black Star promotional cards}}. The boxes were available to purchase from November 16, 2018.

{{TCG|Prerelease Tournament|Prereleases}} for the ninth Sun & Moon Series expansion, {{TCG|Team Up}}, were held on the weekends of January 19-20, and 26-27, 2019. These events allowed people that attended to experience play with the latest cards before their general release—all were given a '''Team Up Build & Battle Box''' and were tasked to build a 40-card deck using its contents (additional basic Energy cards were available if required). Each box contained a deck-building tip sheet, four Team Up booster packs, and an Evolution pack that comprised groups of predetermined cards, one of which was an exclusive {{TCG|Prerelease cards|Prerelease promotional card}}. Team Up Build & Battle Boxes were later available to purchase from February 15, 2019.

*First Partner Pokémon – Identify the silhouettes of the [[Kanto]] [[starter Pokémon]].

For US residents, {{wp|Best Buy}} locations hosted these events on February 23, while {{wp|GameStop}} hosted them on February 23 and 24. Canadian residents could partake in these events on February 23 at {{wp|EB Games}}.<ref>[https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/pokemon-tcg-trade-play-day-heading-to-a-store-near-you ''Pokémon TCG Trade & Play Day Heading to a Store Near You'' | Pokémon.com] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20191226170623/https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/pokemon-tcg-trade-play-day-heading-to-a-store-near-you archived copy])</ref><ref>[https://press.pokemon.com/en/releases/Pokemon-Day-2019-Celebrations-Revealed ''Pokémon TCG Trade & Play Day Heading to a Store Near You'' | The Pokémon Company International Official Press Site] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230513162426/https://press.pokemon.com/en/releases/Pokemon-Day-2019-Celebrations-Revealed archived copy])</ref> More events were held later in the year at the same retail chains—GameStop stores in the US and Canada held one on May 4;<ref>[https://www.shopharrisburgmall.com/event/pokemon-trade-play-day ''Events – Harrisburg Mall'' | shopharrisburgmall.com] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230513160127/https://www.shopharrisburgmall.com/event/pokemon-trade-play-day archived copy])</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/GameStopCanada/status/1124397285352329216 GameStop Canada on Twitter] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230513160344/https://twitter.com/GameStopCanada/status/1124397285352329216 archived copy])</ref> Best Buy stores in the US held one on May 11; <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190407132707/https://www.bestbuy.com/site/video-games/best-buy-gaming-events/pcmcat183100050001.c?id=pcmcat183100050001 ''Best Buy in-store events'' | Best Buy.com (archived)]</ref> and another on September 21; GameStop stores in the US held another on Aug 17;<ref>[https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/visit-gamestop-on-august-17-for-a-pokemon-tcg-trade-play-event ''Visit GameStop on August 17 for a Pokémon TCG Trade & Play event'' | Pokémon.com] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20190813170136/https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/visit-gamestop-on-august-17-for-a-pokemon-tcg-trade-play-event archived copy])</ref> EB Games stores in Canada held one on August 10<ref>[https://www.pocketmonsters.net/news/3727 ''EB Games Canada - Trade and Play Day TCG - August 10th, 2019'' | PocketMonsters.net] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230513155234/https://www.pocketmonsters.net/news/3727 archived copy])</ref> and another on November 2.<ref>[https://www.pocketmonsters.net/news/3830 ''EB Games Canada - Pokémon Trade and Play - November 2nd, 2019'' | PocketMonsters.net] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230513154416/https://www.pocketmonsters.net/news/3830 archived copy])</ref>

Leading up to the general release of the {{TCG|Unbroken Bonds}} expansion, {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament}}s were held at approved locations in the Prerelease Program on the weekends of April 20-21 and 27-28, 2019. All entrants were given an '''Unbroken Bonds Build & Battle Box''' and were required to combine the cards within and construct a 40-card deck to use throughout the tournament. Each box was packaged with four Unbroken Bonds booster packs, a deck-building tip sheet, and a 23-card Evolution pack that included one of four possible {{TCG|SM Black Star Promos}}. The boxes were later made available to purchase at retail stores from May 17, 2019.

Last to be released on May 3, 2019 was another pair of {{TCG|Theme Deck}}s, this time inspired by the [[Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!]] video games. The [[starter Pokémon]] of said games were respectively featured as part of the {{TCG|Let's Play, Pikachu!}} Theme Deck and {{TCG|Let's Play, Eevee!}} Theme Deck. Together, the two decks included a number of exclusive Holofoil and Non Holofoil variant cards, as well as a {{TCG|SM Black Star Promos|SM Black Star Promo}}, {{p|Flareon}}, which was not available elsewhere at the time. Each deck also came with a set of counters and markers, a {{TCG|coin}}, a two-player playmat and rulesheet, a deck box featuring their respective Pokémon, and a code card that would allow players to use each deck in the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]] when scanned.

Approved locations in the Prerelease Program hosted {{TCG|Prerelease Tournament}}s for the {{TCG|Unified Minds}} expansion on the weekends of July 20-21, and 27-28, 2019 ahead of its official August 2 release date. Attendees were given a '''Unified Minds Build & Battle Box''' to build a 40-card deck and use it right through the tournament. Each box comprised four Unified Minds booster packs, a deck-building tip sheet, and a 23-card Evolution pack that included one of four possible promotional cards with alternate artwork. Unified Minds Build & Battle Boxes became available to purchase starting August 16, 2019.

{{TCG|Prerelease Tournament}}s offering an early look at the {{TCG|Cosmic Eclipse}} expansion were held on the weekends of October 19-20 and 26-27, 2019. Participants of these events were each given a '''Cosmic Eclipse Build & Battle Box''' and were required to construct a 40-card deck to use for its duration. Each Build & Battle Box contained a 23-card presorted Evolution pack designed to give participants a foundation for building their deck, a tip sheet, and four Cosmic Eclipse booster packs. Evolution packs included one of four exclusive Holofoil promotional cards. The boxes were subsequently available to purchase from November 15, 2019.

The '''TAG TEAM Generations Premium Collection''' was also released on November 22, 2019. It featured {{TCG|TAG TEAM}} pairings of various [[starter Pokémon]] and their [[evolution]]s, namely {{p|Venusaur}} & {{p|Snivy}} and {{p|Charizard}} & {{p|Braixen}}. The collection included the Special {{TCG|Full Art card|Full Art}} prints of Venusaur & Snivy-GX and Charizard & Braixen-GX that were omitted from {{TCG|Cosmic Eclipse}} during localization, a {{TCG|coin}} featuring Charizard and Braixen, a playmat with [[Mitsuhiro Arita]] illustrations of TAG TEAMS Venusaur & Snivy, Charizard & Braixen, and {{p|Blastoise}} & {{p|Piplup}}, plus seven booster packs, a [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Online]] code card, and a {{TCG|Jumbo cards|Jumbo}} version of Charizard & Braixen-GX.

{{wp|Target Corporation|Target}} stores began selling a new wave of '''GX Challenge Boxes''' from mid-February 2020, similar to {{TCGMerch|Sun & Moon|Series|GX Challenge Boxes|those released in August 2019}}, in that they focus on a particular expansion. These boxes showcased the first {{TCG|Sun & Moon}} Series set, featuring the final evolutions of the [[Alola]] [[starter Pokémon]] {{p|Decidueye}}, {{p|Incineroar}}, and {{p|Primarina}}. The Decidueye box included a {{TCG|Forest Shadow}} Theme Deck, a copy of {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Decidueye-GX|12}} from Sun & Moon, and a Water Web Holofoil variant of {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Decidueye|11}} from Sun & Moon. The Incineroar box included a {{TCG|Roaring Heat}} Theme Deck, a Water Web Holofoil variant of {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Incineroar|26}} from Sun & Moon, and a copy of {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Incineroar-GX|27}} from Sun & Moon. The Primarina box included a copy of {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Primarina-GX|42}} and a Water Web Holofoil variant of {{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Primarina|41}}, both from Sun & Moon, plus a {{TCG|Bright Tide}} Theme Deck. Each box also came with two Sun & Moon booster packs. These products were also similar to the {{TCGMerch|Sun & Moon|Series|Decidueye-GX Challenge Box|Decidueye-GX}}, {{TCGMerch|Sun & Moon|Series|Incineroar-GX Challenge Box|Incineroar-GX}}, and {{TCGMerch|Sun & Moon|Series|Primarina-GX Challenge Box}}es released in 2018.