Pokémon Trading Card Game Online

Pokémon Trading Card Game Online (also referred to as Pokémon TCG Online or TCGO) is a downloadable game and the first Pokémon game of the MMOTCG (massively-multiplayer online trading card game) genre. It is based on the Pokémon Trading Card Game or TCG aspect of the Pokémon franchise and follows the same rules. The game was originally released as a browser-based game in March 2011 before being relaunched as a downloadable game in 2012 for the PC and Mac, iPad in 2014, and Android tablets in 2016. It officially emerged from open beta testing in February 2015 but continues to be refined and improved upon on a continual basis. The game is free to download and is accessible to both beginners and experienced players. It is also intended to be used by both adults and children.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Online
Logo of Pokémon Trading Card Game Online
Basic info
Platform:	PC, Mac, iPad, and Android tablets
Category:	Strategy
Players:	1-2, with unlimited in chat
Connectivity:	Internet
Developer:	Electrified Games, Sleepy Giant Entertainment, Plexipixel, Inversoft, Dire Wolf Digital
Publisher:	The Pokémon Company International
Part of:	Generations IV-VIII misc
Ratings
CERO:	N/A
ESRB:	E
ACB:	PG
OFLC:	G
PEGI:	7
GRAC:	N/A
GSRR:	N/A
Release dates
Japan:	N/A
North America:	March 24, 2011 (TC beta)
Australia:	March 24, 2011 (TC beta)
Europe:	March 24, 2011 (TC beta)
South Korea:	N/A
Hong Kong:	N/A
Taiwan:	N/A
Websites
Japanese:	N/A
English:	Game site

Pokémon TCGO site icon

Players do not need to purchase physical products from a store in order to play as they are provided with basic resources, and there are multiple means of earning new cards and other rewards as the game is played. The game has all cards released inernationally from the HeartGold & SoulSilver expansion ownards, with new products being released in periodic client updates.

Guided story

So as to not overwhelm new players of all age levels with the complexity of the full game and in order to assist less experienced players in learning basic game mechanics, all players are initially directed through a set of in-game Tutorials and then the beginning set of Matches in the Trainer Challenge before all game features are accessible.

Next, players compete against another set of computer-controlled Trainer characters from the Trainer Challenge. Players are provided with three Starter Theme decks, but can use other obtained Theme decks. The player proceeds sequentially through the Trainer Challenge as they win matches in three in-game "Leagues". The full set of features in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online is not unlocked until players have won a match against the first several Trainers in the Gold League. Once the full feature set is unlocked, the Trainer Challenge may be pursued at the player's own pace or bypassed entirely.

Players already familiar with the game may bypass this directed training phase by disabling the "New User Experience" under Options.

Play modes

There are four primary Play modes available: Tutorial, Trainer Challenge, Versus Mode and Tournament Mode. Additionally, Friend Battle and Play Testing are available under the Social menu and the Deck Manager respectively. Except for the tutorials, each mode is playable in one or more of the below deck formats:

Theme Main article: List of Pokémon Trading Card Game Online decks Only preconstructed Theme decks are allowed in this play type. Apart from the player's initial decks, Theme decks are obtained by either using Redemption codes or by purchase with Trainer Tokens in the in-game Shop. Currently, new players have access to five Theme decks (plus XY Basic Yellow only in the tutorials) exclusive to the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online, but other unique Theme decks were avaliable to older players. Official Theme Decks from the HeartGold & SoulSilver expansion ownards are also available for the player. Standard Only decks composed entirely of cards from expansions or sets officially sanctioned for Play! Pokémon events for the Standard format are allowed in this play type. The list of allowed expansions is updated with a game patch shortly after as the official, annual Rotation is announced. Expansions are added to the Standard format as they are released (typically four a year), and the oldest legal expansions are rotated out of the Standard format on an annual basis. The Standard format was previously called the Modified format. Expanded Only decks composed entirely of cards from expansions or sets officially sanctioned for Play! Pokémon events for the Expanded format are allowed in this play type. This format was added in the 2014-2015 season to allow a greater number of expansions than the Standard format but not be as unpredictable in card combinations as the Unlimited format. The list of allowed expansions is updated with a game patch shortly after as the official, annual Rotation is announced. Expansions are added to the Expanded format as they are released. Unlimited Any deck composed of cards currently available in the game are allowed in this play type (including Expanded format decks, Standard format decks, and Theme decks). This format was retired from Versus/Tournament Mode on March 30th, 2016, only being acessable through Friend Battles. Legacy Only decks composed of cards from HeartGold & SoulSilver and Black & White expansions can be played in this format. This format replaced the Unlimited format in the Versus Mode as a way to allow players to use old cards without having to face "broken" decks such as the "Shiftry Giant Fan Donk". This format is exclusive to TCGO.

Tutorial Mode

After being welcomed to the "Game Store", players face Zach and Ella in two Tutorial Pokémon Trading Card Game matches designed to teach players the basics of game play with Professor Holly's assistance and the X & Y - Basic Yellow Theme deck. Players advance regardless of whether they win or lose a match. Then, the player is presented with full matches against computer-controlled Trainers from the Trainer Challenge: Calvin, Ali and Otis in this order, receiving a reward for each win.

Trainer Challenge

Main article: Game Store

In the Trainer Challenge, players face various computer-controlled Trainer characters using only Theme decks, initially using the online-exclusive Theme decks (Born of Fire, Crushing Current, and Hidden Depths). Players may also use Theme decks unlocked by Redemption codes from code cards found inside appropriately marked, physical Theme decks as well as those purchased virtually from the in-game Shop.

Players battle in three "Leagues": Gold League, Platinum League, and City Championship. Players have the option of adjusting the match difficulty between "Easy", "Medium", and "Hard", which changes the composition of the opponent's deck. Players must defeat a given Trainer in a specific spot or position once before unlocking the next Trainer position, as well finishing a given league once before unlocking the next. Some Trainers appear more than once in a league. Unlike more traditional tournaments such as the multi-player Tournament Mode, defeat on the part of players in these Trainer Challenge leagues does not result in players changing their standing. In other words, players may pickup right where they left off rather than start all over again. Players are also able to rematch a Trainer that has already been defeated in any league position.

Winning matches in the Trainer Challenge earn players Trainer Challenge Points, which are converted in stars that unlock rewards toward each Trainer in a unique league position.

1 Star (at 1,000 points) = 1 Trainer Token (per Trainer opponent) 2 Stars (at 5,000 points) = 3 Trainer Tokens (per Trainer opponent) 3 Stars (at 14,000 points) = 10 Trainer Tokens (per Trainer opponent) 4 Stars (at 30,000+ points) = 1 non-tradable, 10-card Booster pack from the current Standard format (per Trainer opponent) Additionally, players obtain 3 more non-tradable, 10-card Booster packs from the current Standard format format by earning 4 Stars with all 12 Trainers in a league for 9 more Booster packs. These Trainer Tokens and 45 total Booster packs may only be obtained once per account.

Scoring points in a Trainer Challenge match is based on various player performance criteria and on the difficulty level chosen, with a higher difficulty level earning more points per match by multiplying the earned points by the difficulty multiplier below: Easy = 1 Medium = 2 Hard = 3

Players must defeat 7 Trainers with the same Starter Theme deck (except for the XY Basic Yellow Theme deck) to fully unlock all the cards in that deck. Beating the same Trainer in a different position in a league or in a different leagues counts toward the 7 successes, but not beating a Trainer in the same position in a league more than once.

Versus Mode

Versus Mode allows players to play against another randomly selected online player in the Theme, Standard, Expanded or Legacy format. Players earn a single Trainer Token for each match played ("Expert Matchmaking Reward"), provided they have met minimum playtime requirements, plus 2 Trainer Tokens if they win a match versus a player who was above their online rank. Additionally, players are given the chance to spin the Bonus Wheel regardless of the match's outcome, which provides an opportunity to receive Trainer Tokens, Event Tickets, or a Mystery Box reward.

Winning a match also earns players Versus Points, which advance players along a Versus Ladder reward system.

Events Mode

Entry into Events, formerly referred to as "Tournaments", require either Event Tickets or Trainer Tokens. Events of different Deck formats are always available to join. Playing in events with other players provides the opportunity to gain Trainer Tokens or additional Event Tickets with a spin on the Bonus Wheel at the end of each match, win or lose, as well as the opportunity to earn Trainer Tokens, Event Tickets, Booster packs, and Uncommon Chests based on player placement in a given event.

Each event is composed of three-round single elimination matches between 8 players. Upon entering an event, players are placed into a queue until all 8 players have been joined. Then, the event will begin and a new queue for other players will be created. The maximum duration of an event is 1 hour and 17 minutes with up to 25 minutes minutes per match (12 and ½ minutes per player) and one minute between rounds.

Usually only Theme, Standard and Expanded format events are avaliable, as the Legacy format has a low playerbase and Unlimited has a reputation of turn one win decks.

Entry costs and rewards vary widely for special events. Continuously running event entry costs and rewards are standardized:

Trainer Tokens	Event Tickets
Entry Cost: 89 Trainer Tokens Used to require only 49 Trainer Tokens. Rewards: 1st Place — Event Tickets ×3 2nd Place — Event Tickets ×2 3rd to 4th Place — Event Tickets ×1 5th to 8th Place — Trainer Tokens ×12	Entry Cost: 4 Event Tickets Rewards: 1st Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×2 and Random Booster packs ×1 2nd Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×1 and Random Booster packs ×1 3rd to 4th Place — Random Booster packs ×1 5th to 8th Place — Uncommon Chests ×1
	Entry Cost: 6 Event Tickets Was only available on weekends prior to the start of 8-ticket events. Rewards: 1st Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×2, Random Booster packs ×2, and Uncommon Chest ×3 2nd Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×2, Random Booster packs ×1, and Uncommon Chests ×1 3rd to 4th Place — Random Booster packs ×1 and Uncommon Chests ×1 5th to 8th Place — Uncommon Chests ×1 and Trainer Tokens ×25
	Entry Cost: 8 Event Tickets Rewards: 1st Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×4, Random Booster packs ×2 2nd Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×2, Random Booster packs ×2 3rd to 4th Place — Random Booster packs ×2 5th to 8th Place — Uncommon Chests ×1
	Entry Cost: 8 Event Tickets (weekend) Only available briefly when a new expansion is released. Rewards: 1st Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×6 2nd Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×4 3rd to 4th Place — Current expansion Booster packs ×2 5th to 8th Place — Uncommon Chests ×1
	Entry Cost: 24 Event Tickets Only available on weekends.

Friend Battle

Friend Battle is located under the "Friends" section of the Social menu by selecting the head silhouette next to a friend who is currently logged into the game. This mode allows players to play against another player who is on their Friends List. This mode does not count toward Player rank or earn Trainer Tokens and a Bonus Wheel spin.

Play Testing

Play Testing is located under the Deck Manager. This mode allows players to practice using their chosen deck against a random computer-controlled Trainer from the Trainer Challenge and does not count toward Player rank nor earn Trainer Tokens or a Bonus Wheel spin.

Collection viewer

The Collection viewer shows cards, unopened Booster packs and Non-exclusive Theme decks, and Avatar and Gameplay items in a player's collection as well as items players tag "For Trade", "Wanted", or "For Review". Players can toggle an option to see items they do not own and be aware of them.

Currency

There are two currencies currently available in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online: Trainer Tokens and Event Tickets.

Trainer Tokens

Main article: Trainer Token

Trainer Tokens may be used to redeem non-tradable, 10-card Booster packs and non-exclusive Theme decks from avaliable expansions, as well as Avatar and Gameplay items. They are obtained through various means, including Daily Challenges, Trainer Challenges, Tutorial Mode, Versus Ladder, Random Battle matches in the Versus Mode and Tournament Mode, and the Bonus Wheel.

Trainer Tokens were also obtained by playing various browser-based games, earning Stamps, and reading articles on Pokémon.com. Trainer Tokens may also be spent on various items for a player's Pokémon.com Trainer Avatar. This is similar to but distinct from the Pokémon TCG Online Avatar within the game itself. Pokemon has since retired these features from their website.

• NOTE: 5-card Booster packs were discontinued from the in-game shop in version 2.34, being only obtainable from Redempion code cards.

Event Tickets

Event Tickets are currently available in Daily Login Bonus and Versus Ladder rewards, as well by spinning the Bonus Wheel. They are used to gain access to tournaments in Tournament Mode by redeeming a certain amount of tickets needed to enter a given tournament.

Previously, Event Tickets were available for purchase by clicking on the Ticket icon on upper right side of Game menu found on most screens or by going directly to www.pokemontcg.com/us/purchase.

As of October 30, 2018, the Pokémon TCG Online website retired the ability to purchase Event Tickets with real currency.

Gems

Gems were only available to adult players in Canada for testing and were purchased from the in-game Shop, from April 19, 2013 to October 29, 2018. Similar to Trainer Tokens, Gems were used to purchase Booster packs, Non-exclusive Theme decks, Avatar items, Gameplay items in the in-game Shop or used as a currency for trading with other players. Gems were typically equal to 2 Trainer Tokens.

Players were able to redeem Gems for in-game items until December 10, 2018. After that date, all unspent Gems were automatically converted into in-game Lost Thunder booster packs and Trainer Tokens.

Deck Manager

The Deck Manager allows the players to view, clone, edit or create decks using obtained cards. Decklists must be eligible for any deck format (except Theme) to be able to be saved. After selecting a set of 60 cards, a Deck box, Coin, and Card sleeve Gameplay item may also be selected. While the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online presents an option to select a Playmat, only the default Playmat is available at this time.

Redeeming codes

Redemption codes are unique codes that allow players to unlock Theme decks, Booster packs and more from physical products that state to "Contain 1 code card" in the package. Only Theme decks that are clearly marked "Play This Deck Online" in the package will contain Redemption codes. These unique Redemption codes can only be used once.

As a general rule:

• All standard sixty card Theme decks will unlock their respective cards, as well as a coin. All of these cards are not Trade Locked cards and can be used in any way desired.
• Elite trainer boxes unlock Gameplay items including a deckbox and sleeves. Most will unlock no cards (though the booster packs included in the physical boxes will still have their own cards.) These items can be traded as well.
• If an online code card is included, multipack boxes such as the Charizard-EX Box and tins will unlock rewards ranging from a single card to a full 60 card deck.

In addition, there are generic Redemption codes which may be used by all Pokémon TGCO players for non-tradeable rewards:

PlasmaFreeze - Rallying Cry deck PlasmaBlast - Rallying Cry deck PlasmaStorm - Rallying Cry deck BoundariesCrossed - Rallying Cry deck LegendaryTreasures - Rallying Cry deck Flashfire - Rallying Cry deck FuriousFists - Rallying Cry deck PhantomForces - Rallying Cry deck PrimalClash - Rallying Cry deck RoaringSkies - Rallying Cry deck AncientOrigins - Rallying Cry deck

DragonsExalted - Pokémon-EX Hat (Avatar item) DarkExplorers - Pokémon-EX Hat (Avatar item) NextDestinies - Pokémon-EX Hat (Avatar item) PokemonTCG - Black Cap (Avatar item) (No longer works) MEWTWO2012 - Mewtwo-EX Hat (Avatar item)

Rotating features

Many in-game features rotate or change on a recurring basis:

Game Feature	Rotation
Daily login bonus to either Pokémon.com or the TCGO (12 Trainer Tokens) — inclusive of but independent from the TCGO	Daily, 12:00 AM UTC
Daily Match Bonus (10 Trainer Tokens)	Daily, 12:00 AM UTC
Daily Login Bonus reward system rotation	Daily, 12:00 AM UTC
Daily Challenge reward system rotation	Daily, 10:00 AM UTC
Weekly Tournament rotation	Monday, 7:00 PM UTC
Weekly Pokémon.com website ONLY 15 Trainer Token maximum per week — independent from the TCGO but relevant for Trainer Token acquisition purposes	Saturday, 4:00 AM UTC

Reward systems

These multiple and overlapping Reward systems allow players to be rewarded for using the game based on their current area of interest rather than playing to any one specific Reward system. Players do not need to specifically focus on progressing within a specific Reward system track, but should instead feel free to play in the type of online Pokémon Trading Card Game matches they want and be rewarded for doing so.

Bonus Wheel

The Bonus Wheel provides an opportunity to receive special bonus rewards such as Trainer Tokens, Event Tickets, or a Mystery Box. Spins on the Bonus Wheel are earned through participation in a Versus Mode or a Tournament Mode match; in Versus mode, a minimal ammount of time must has passed during the battle.

There are two Bonus Wheels: a Victor’s Bonus Wheel and a Basic Bonus Wheel. The Victor’s Bonus Wheel includes greater Trainer Token amounts, an opportunity to receive Event Tickets, and a high value Mystery Box.

Victor's Bonus Wheel: 5 Trainer Tokens ×3, 10 Trainer Tokens ×2, 15 Trainer Tokens ×1, 25 Trainer Tokens ×1, 1 Event Tickets ×2, and a Mystery Box ×1 Basic Bonus Wheel: 1 Trainer Tokens ×4, 3 Trainer Tokens ×3, 5 Trainer Tokens ×2, and a Mystery Box ×1 NOTE: The original single Bonus wheel contained 1 to 5 Trainer Tokens, 1 Event Ticket, and a Mystery Box.

Challenges

Main article: Challenge (TCGO)

The Daily Challenge rewards players for playing the game on a daily basis. Players are presented with specific game related challenges starting at 9:00 AM UTC each day. Each Daily Challenge has a Pokémon type associated with it as well as an Experience Point (or XP) value, which are applied to that given Pokémon type. Players may only accept a single challenge during a single day. The challenges may be completed anytime, however players will not be offered a new challenge until finishing their current one(s) or abandon it, except as a new day's challenge may be worked on simultaneously as players advance in Player level. Completion of challenges rewards the player with Tokens or Booster Packs.

Special Challenges work similarly to Daily Challenges but have a time limit and offer greater rewards.

Daily Login Bonus

The Daily Login Bonus provides a reward for playing Pokémon Trading Card Game Online on a daily basis simply by logging into the game. It consists of an initial track designed to help new players get started in the game, and a track that provides recurring rewards to existing players. Each reward unlocks the first time players login each day starting at 12:00 AM UTC. This reward system does not require players to login on consecutive days to maintain progress on the track. Once players complete the introductory New Player track, they are migrated to the recurring Existing Player track. There is no limit to the number of times players may complete the Existing Player track, as they are cycled back to the beginning of the track after receiving the bonus reward for the fifth day.

New Player Track Day 1 - 1 Online-exclusive Theme deck (currently Mental Might) Day 2 - 25 Trainer Tokens Day 3 - 5 non-tradable, 10-card Booster pack (randomly selected from Standard format expansions)

Existing Player Track Day 1 - 5 Trainer Tokens (Prior to the June 2, 2015 update, Day 1 awarded 15 Trainer Tokens.) Day 2 - 10 Trainer Tokens (Prior to the June 2, 2015 update, Day 2 awarded 15 Trainer Tokens.) Day 3 - 15 Trainer Tokens (Prior to the June 2, 2015 update, Day 3 awarded 1 Event Ticket. Prior to the April 3, 2014 update, Day 3 awarded 15 Trainer Tokens.) Day 4 - 1 Event Ticket (Prior to the June 2, 2015 update, Day 4 awarded 15 Trainer Tokens.) Day 5 - 1 non-tradable, 10-card Booster pack (randomly selected from Standard format expansions)

This reward system was briefly retired with the March 25, 2015 update in favor of the new Daily Challenge reward system but was reintroduced on June 2, 2015 to allow players who are not interested in pursuing Daily Challenges to continue earning daily rewards.

NOTE: There is a separate Daily login bonus that may be received by logging into either Pokémon.com or TCGO each day starting at 12:00 AM UTC, which earn players/website users 12 Trainer Tokens. This Daily Login bonus to independent of the TCGO reward system.

Daily Match Bonus

The Daily Match Bonus or "Daily PvP Game Reward" awards 10 Trainer Tokens for completing the first Versus Mode match each day (12:00 AM UTC), regardless of whether players win or lose and in addition to any other rewards. All player versus player match play time minimums apply.

Game play rewards

There are several reward systems built into the four primary Play modes.

Play Mode:	Brief Description of Game Play Rewards:
Trainer Challenge	Earning "Stars" after defeating computer-controlled Trainers in the Trainer Challenge earns 1, 3, or 10 Trainer Tokens and a 10-card Booster pack once for each of the 36 Trainer opponents. Players additionally obtain 3 more Booster packs by earning 4 Stars with all 12 Trainers in each of the three "Leagues". Finally, purchasable Non-exclusive Theme decks provide 1 Trainer Token after beating each of the 36 Trainers plus a 10-card Booster pack after beating the first 12 Trainers once per Theme deck.
Versus Mode	A single Trainer Token and a Bonus Wheel spin are earned when a match is played regardless of who wins or loses in Versus Mode, provided minimum Minimum Playtime Requirements are met. Two additional Trainer Tokens are earned if players win again an opponent who the Player rank system determined to have the "Advantage". The Versus Ladder reward system is also integrated into Versus Mode as are all of Daily Challenges.
Tournament Mode	Same as Versus Mode as summarized above (accept for the Versus Ladder). Additionally, players earn Tournament rewards based on Tournament type and Tournament placement. All Daily Challenges may also be completed in Tournament Mode.
Tutorial Mode	Each Tutorial Mode match awards players 25 to 75 Trainer Tokens (250 Trainer Tokens total) or a 10-card Booster pack.

Mystery Box

Mystery Box rewards are earned on Bonus Wheel spins. Rewards include both static rewards (25 Trainer Token, 4 Event Tickets, a 5-card Booster pack from the current Standard format expansion or randomly selected from current Standard format expansions) or items that are updated weekly such as a single expansion or promo card or a Gameplay item such as Coin or Card sleeve. The February 4, 2015 update increased the rewards in a Victor’s Mystery Box to include 50 Trainer Tokens, a larger Event Ticket amount, tradable single cards, and tradable 10-card Booster packs.

Tournament Chests

Tournament Chests are earned at the end of Tournament Mode tournaments. The exact number of chests awarded, if any, depends on player placement in a tournament. Each Tournament Chest contains a random number of Trainer Tokens and a single card of Uncommon Rarity or higher from a Standard format expansion. This card is tradable if the Tournament Chest itself is tradable, but is not tradable if the tournament Chest is not. Only Tournament Chests from some tournaments are tradable.

They have been renamed to Uncommon Chest, with a new item, the Holo Treasure Chest, added which contains higher sums of trainer tokens and a card of "Holo Rarity or better" from a Standard format expansion.

Versus Ladder

The Versus Ladder provides an improving stage or ladder rung of rewards for players successfully winning matches in Versus Mode. Players earn 10 Versus Points for every match they win and an additional 5 Versus Points when they win against an opponent with the "Advantage", as well as additional Versus Points equal to their current win streak times five (up to a maximum of twenty). Players have 3 weeks or 21 days to progress as far as they can up the Versus Ladder before the ladder is reset. Player rewards include Trainer Tokens, Tournament Chests, Event Tickets, Booster packs, groups of one to three Pokémon cards, groups of one to two high-rarity card (so far including Pokémon-EXs, Pokémon-GXs and Ace Spec cards), and a holofoil Trainer card.

When initially introduced, the booster packs being given in the ladder would always be from the most recent expansion at the time of the reset. However, since the ladder started on September 4, 2017, it's become possible for boosters to instead belong to an older expansion. So far, all awarded boosters have been from expansions that were legal for the Expanded Format at that point in time.

Ladder Stage:	Versus Points:	Reward:
Stage #1	10 Versus Points	Trainer Token x25
Stage #2	30 Versus Points	Uncommon Chest x1
Stage #3	50 Versus Points	Pokémon card x2
Stage #4	70 Versus Points	Trainer Token x50
Stage #5	100 Versus Points	Event Ticket x1
Stage #6	130 Versus Points	Pokémon card x2/3
Stage #7	170 Versus Points	10-card Booster pack x1
Stage #8	210 Versus Points	Pokémon-EX card or Pokémon-GX card x1
Stage #9	270 Versus Points	Uncommon Chest x4
Stage #10	330 Versus Points	Trainer Token x100
Stage #11	410 Versus Points	Pokémon card x2/3
Stage #12	490 Versus Points	Event Ticket x5
Stage #13	590 Versus Points	Trainer Token x225
Stage #14	690 Versus Points	Pokémon-EX card, Pokémon-GX card or Ace Spec card x1
Stage #15	820 Versus Points	Holo Treasure Chest x1
Stage #16	980 Versus Points	10-card Booster pack x3
Stage #17	1170 Versus Points	Event Ticket x10
Stage #18	1400 Versus Points	Trainer Token x600
Stage #19	1670 Versus Points	10-card Booster pack x5
Stage #20	2000 Versus Points	Holofoil Trainer card x1

Shopping

The in-game Shop system allows players to purchase Non-exclusive Theme decks, 10-card Booster packs, Gameplay items (Card sleeves, Coins, Deck boxes, etc.), and Avatar items with Trainer Tokens. The Shop used to allow adult players to purchase Gems and Event Tickets with real currency. Following the February, 2016 update, 5-card packs that cost 95 tokens were replaced with 10-card packs. The following are avaliable items:

• Non-exclusive Theme decks cost 500 Trainer Tokens.
• 10-card Booster packs cost 200 Trainer Tokens.
• Limited available Card sleeves cost 275 Trainer Tokens.
• Limited available Deck boxes cost 150 Trainer Tokens.
• Avatar items availability are limited and Trainer Tokens cost varies. A wide variety of Avatar items are available at Pokémon.com, and new Avatar items are more routinely release at the Pokémon.com website than in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online in-game Shop.

Weekly special bundles or Blister packs with a cost range of 200 to 1265 Tokens were released for a limited ammount of time, which typically included some combination of Booster pack(s), Promotional card(s) and a Coin.

Between March 13, 2015 and February 27, 2018, older Non-exclusive Theme decks and Booster packs were removed following the start of a new format Rotation. With the return of these items to the shop, the release of Weekly Shop Bundles has been discontinued.

Trading

The Trade system allows players to view and create public and private trade offers in-game. Players may trade one or several items, cards, and packs in each transaction. Not every item is available for trading (appearing as "Trade Locked" items) to prevent players from creating multiple accounts to accumulate these items.

Socialization

The Social menu lets players search for online Friends, participate in Public Chats and review in-game notifications. It is one of two navigation system options available while players are competing in a Pokémon Trading Card Game match, although its feature set is adjusted to reflect the in progress match context.

Players can send friend requests to others, which allows them to engage in Friend Battles or private message them. They also have the option to block other players from interacting with them for any reason within the game, including the chat and Versus Mode.

Other features

Game notifications

Game notifications are posted via two methods: 1.) the Game Information section at the bottom of the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online log-in screen, and 2.) Pop-up Windows that appear shortly after logging into the game. Notices include Daily Challenge announcements as well as announcements concerning future special events, server maintenances, information about a recent upgrade or patch, etc.

Gameplay items

Gameplay items include Card sleeves, Coins, and Deck boxes and are purely cosmetical. They may be purchased from time to time in the in-game shop, avaliable through Redemption codes provided with the purchase of physical products or may be traded for with other players. Playmats are currently unavailable in the game, despite an option to select one in the Deck Manager indicates that they may become available in the future.

Child accounts

Main article: Pokémon.com, User profile

While the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online strives to be child friendly, parents may further restrict access to certain in-game features by signing into the parent's account on Pokémon.com, selecting the child's account under the parent account, and selecting Pokémon TCG Online Settings. Parents should be certain to select "Pokémon TCG Online Settings" under the child's account, not the parent's account. Parents may then restrict some in-game features such as Friend Chat, Game Chat, Shopping, and Trading. Some in-game features are inaccessible in child accounts, such as Public Chat and Private Messaging, while other in-game features are restricted by limiting available options.

Guest Mode

Players normally acess the game with a Pokémon Trainer Club account, but may "Play as Guest" where they can complete the tutorial and play Versus Mode matches with the Mental Might theme deck. Most other features are disabled for guest players.

Player level

Main article: Challenge (TCGO)

Player level strictly corresponds to player progress in the Daily Challenge reward system and allows the player to unlock better Challenges and cosmetic items.

Player rank

The Leaderboard system is based on each player's perfomance in Versus and Tournament Mode. At the beginning of matches, the highest-ranking player is identified to have an "Advantage" over their opponent. The leaderboard is public and resets inside the game every three weeks.

Miscellaneous

Card Detail View For the Windows PC client, detail about a given card is available to the player by right clicking on the card. During matches, a much larger image of the card is displayed. When opening a new Booster pack or Theme deck or when using the Deck Manager and Trade, players are presented with a card interface similar to the Collection viewer, which displays how many total copies of that card the player already has in their collection and what number of these cards are tradeable or locked. Players can also mark the cards "For Trade", "Wanted", and "For Review". When opening Booster packs and Theme decks, this is often the only way to see this additional card information. Full Screen/Window Display For the Windows PC client, players may switch between a full screen display and a window display by using the following keyboard key combination: hold down the Alt key and then press the Enter key. For the Mac client, hold down the Command key then press the Enter key. Display issues may arise when not playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online inside a full screen. Match Inactivity Players must remain actively engaged in matches with other online players in Versus Mode or Tournament Mode. Discussions in the Social menu's "Game Chat" do not count toward player activity. Players should be considerate of the time invested not only by themselves but also their opponents. If the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online determines that players are inactive too long, it will display a 15 second warning. Ignoring the warning causes players to lose matches. This activity mechanism is designed to help insure players do not take advantage of another player. Minimum Playtime Requirement During Versus Mode and Tournament Mode matches against other online players, Trainer Token and Bonus Wheel rewards are earned if matches lasts at least 2 minutes (5 minutes prior to the April 3, 2014 update). This minimum amount of time was increased with the December 22, 2014 update for players forfeiting matches early (actively leaving a match, remaining inactive for an extended period of time, or not taking at least one Prize card) back to 5 minutes while guaranteeing rewards for players whose opponent forfeits matches regardless of the amount of time that passed. This change was designed to discourage players for only playing long enough to earn Trainer Token and Bonus Wheel rewards. Loss of Internet Connection During online player versus player matches in Tournament Mode, if players lose their Internet connection, they have 5 minutes to log back into the game before their opponents are declared the winner. When the Internet connection is lost by an opponent, players are notified with a pop-up message.

Retired game features

The Pokémon Trading Card Game Online has been in continual development since its initial inception. Often updates involve the addition of new rules and card as new expansion sets are released, the resolution of program errors, player interface changes improving usability, and the addition or re-addition of new game features. Occasionally, updates to the game involve the removal of previously existing game features.

Achievements

The Achievements reward system was another feature retired on March 25, 2015, though it had not been actively updated for some time prior to its retirement. Players earned Achievements for completing various tasks. These Achievements had no special effect on the game. Pokémon Trading Card Game Online has announced the intention to reward players who completed a significant number of Achievements before it was retired with special card sleeve(s) to commemorate given Achievements. Specific details are not yet known.

Misc. Achievements

All Dressed Up. Customize your avatar Evolver. Play a Stage 2 Evolution card Legendary. Earn 6,000 or more points in a single game in the Trainer Challenge Legendary Trainer. Play a Legendary Pokémon, which are found in HeartGold & SoulSilver Series expansions Studious. View all Tutorials (unavailable to newer players after TCGO become a downloadable game) Technician. Play 3 Trainer - Item cards in one turn Trader. Trade a card

Trainer Challenge Achievements

Blade of Grass. Win 8 games with the Basic Green deck in the Trainer Challenge Firestarter. Win 8 games with the Basic Red deck in the Trainer Challenge Breaking Wave. Win 8 games with the Basic Blue deck in the Trainer Challenge Rallying Cry. Win 12 games with the Rallying Cry deck in the Trainer Challenge Verdant Frost. Win 12 games with the Verdant Frost deck (unavailable to newer players in later years) in the Trainer Challenge Royal Guard. Win 12 games with the Royal Guard deck (unavailable to newer players) in the Trainer Challenge Daybreak. Win 12 games with the Daybreak deck (unavailable to newer players in later years) in the Trainer Challenge Nightfall. Win 12 games with the Nightfall deck (unavailable to newer players in later years) in the Trainer Challenge Green Tornado. Win 12 games with the Green Tornado deck in the Trainer Challenge Red Frenzy. Win 12 games with the Red Frenzy deck in the Trainer Challenge Blue Assault. Win 12 games with the Blue Assault deck in the Trainer Challenge Night Hunter. Win 12 games with the Night Hunter deck in the Trainer Challenge Power Play. Win 12 games with the Power Play deck in the Trainer Challenge Toxic Tricks. Win 12 games with the Toxic Tricks deck in the Trainer Challenge Fast Daze. Win 12 games with the Fast Daze deck in the Trainer Challenge Furious Knights. Win 12 games with the Furious Knights deck in the Trainer Challenge Explosive Edge. Win 12 games with the Explosive Edge deck in the Trainer Challenge Voltage Vortex. Win 12 games with the Voltage Vortex deck in the Trainer Challenge Raiders. Win 12 games with the Raiders deck in the Trainer Challenge Shadows. Win 12 games with the Shadows deck in the Trainer Challenge Covering The Basics. Win one game with each color the three Basic decks Gold League Champ. Win all the games in the Gold League Platinum League Champ. Win all the games in the Platinum League Diamond League Champ. Win all the games in the Diamond League (unavailable to newer players in later years) City Champion. Win all the games in the City Championship Triple Crown Champ. Win the Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Leagues (unavailable to newer players in later years) Game Mastery. Earn four stars in a single game in the Trainer Challenge League Mastery. Earn four stars in all 12 games in a single League in the Trainer Challenge Trainer Challenge Mastery. Earn four stars in all 12 games in three different Leagues in the Trainer Challenge

Status-based Achievements

Imperishable Night. Take no Damage from an opponent attack while playing the Nightfall deck (unavailable to newer players in later years) in the Trainer Challenge Into That Good Night. Apply two simultaneous special conditions while playing the Nightfall deck (unavailable to newer players in later years) in the Trainer Challenge All-Around Conditioning. Inflict all 5 special conditions on opposing Pokémon while playing the Daybreak deck (unavailable to newer players in later years) in the Trainer Challenge Healing Light. Heal 60 or more Damage in a single turn while playing the Daybreak deck (unavailable to newer players in later years) in the Trainer Challenge Baffling. Confuse 5 opposing Pokémon in the same game. Incendiary. Burn 5 opposing Pokémon in the same game. Stunning. Paralyze 5 opposing Pokémon in the same game. Soporific. Put 5 opposing Pokémon to sleep in the same game. Venomous. Poison 5 opposing Pokémon in the same game.

Knock Outs based on history Achievements

50th Knockout. Knock Out 50 of your opponents' Pokémon 500th Knockout. Knock Out 500 of your opponents' Pokémon 1000th Knockout. Knock Out 1000 of your opponents' Pokémon 5000th Knockout. Knock Out 5000 of your opponents' Pokémon The Win of the Century. Win 100 games Triple Threat. Complete wins with all 3 victory conditions

Knock Outs based on a single match Achievements

KO!. Knock Out a Pokémon Too Easy. Knock Out a previously uninjured Pokémon in a single attack Two for One. Knock Out 2 Pokémon with one attack Hat Trick. Knock Out 3 Pokémon with one attack Quad Damage. Knock Out 4 Pokémon with one attack Full House. Knock Out 5 Pokémon with one attack Clean Sweep. Knock Out 6 Pokémon with one attack Eyes on the Prize. Win by drawing the last Prize card Patient. Win by opponent running out of cards Merciless. Win a game by knocking out your opponent's last Pokémon Perfectionist. Win a game without your opponent getting a single Prize card

Damage dealt or healed in a single match Achievements

First Blood. Deal 50 damage Super Effective. Deal 100 or more damage in a single attack Overwhelming. Deal 200 or more damage in a single attack Devastation. Deal 300 or more damage in a single attack Healer. Heal 100 or more damage in a single game

Booster Credits

This former in-game Currency was originally used with Redemption code cards found in physical Booster packs. Booster Credits could be redeemed for Booster packs of the player’s choice in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online from HeartGold & SoulSilver through Boundaries Crossed expansions. This Redemption code card method ended with the release of the Plasma Storm expansion when codes from a specific expansion Booster pack became redeemable for a virtual version of that specific Booster pack. The Booster Credit system officially ended on July 1, 2013. From July 2013 to December 2013, players with Booster Credits redeemed before July 2013 could redeem these credits for any pack from Next Destinies to Boundaries Crossed expansions. Players who still had Booster Credits after the February 7, 2014 update automatically had any remained credits redeemed for Boundaries Crossed Booster packs.

Diamond League

A higher league, fourth "Diamond League" existed in the Trainer Challenge prior to the February 7, 2014 update.

Practice Battle

Practice Battle was originally an Opponent type in Versus Mode found under Ranked Battle. This mode allowed players to practice using their chosen deck against another randomly selected player. These matches did not count toward player Player rank or earn Trainer Tokens or Bonus Wheel spins. The Practice Battle option was retired on March 25, 2015.

Professor Tutorials

The original dedicated set of tutorials taught by Professor Holly in the original browser-based release of the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online were never transferred to the downloadable version of the game, though a new set of in-game Tutorials has since been added to the beginning of the game for first time players.

Ranked Battle

The Ranked Battle option was folded directly into "Random Battle" in Versus Mode with the March 25, 2015 update after the removal of Practice Battle option rather than "Random Battle" being one of two options under "Ranked Battle".

Tournament Keys

Early expectation for the Tournament Mode envisioned Tournament Keys as the in-game Currency used to access special Tournament events. Tournament Keys were never implemented in open beta testing, which instead utilized Event Tickets.

Quick Match

Quick Matches were a single player mode using a randomly selected Theme deck that players have unlocked against another randomly selected player. The match did not count toward Player rank, earn Trainer Tokens, or a Bonus Wheel spin.

History

The Pokémon Trading Card Game Online was originally released on March 24, 2011 as a browser-based game. The game was subsequently redesigned as a downloadable game utilizing the Unity (game engine), and relauched on May 15, 2012 for PC, on November 5, 2012 for Mac, and on September 30, 2014 for iPad. The original browser-based version continued to function until August 8, 2012. Development continues on the downloadable version even after it officially emerged from open beta testing in February 2015. Additionally, some early features have also been retired or removed from the game.

The reprogramming and relaunch of the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online initially required the removal all game features except for the Trainer Challenge and the now retired Achievements reward system. Other features were gradually readded or added over time:

Avatar Creator — While rudimentary Avatar options (4 male and 4 female) were reintroduced on June 12, 2012, true functionality was not reintroduced until the June 20, 2013 update. Collection viewer, Deck Manager, Social menu, and Player Profile — Reintroduced on August 21, 2012. Versus Mode — Also reintroduced on August 21, 2012 and Deck formats introduced on December 12, 2012. In-game Shop — Also reintroducted on August 21, 2012 (initially allowing for just Code Redemption and Booster pack purchases through the now retired Booster Credit system) with the current Gems system added on April 19, 2013 and the Trainer Token system on July 25, 2013. Trade interface — Reintroduced with the October 24, 2012 update. Daily Login Bonus and Daily Match Bonus reward systems — Introduced on January 16, 2013 as two parallel reward systems. Both were temporarily retired on March 25, 2015 in favor of the new Daily Challenge reward system, but the Daily Match Bonus was subsequently reintroduced on April 23, 2015 and the Daily Login Bonus on June 2, 2015. Booster pack, Exclusive TCGO 5-card — Introduced with the July 25, 2013 update. Player rank — "Advantage" notification feature added on October 2, 2013. "Play as a Guest" option — Introduced in October 2013. Player Interface overhaul — Substantial changes to the game interface began in mid-2013 and continued to early 2014, which allowed for the introduction of the touchscreen based iPad client in September 2014. A streamlining of the overall Game menu navigation system was introduced on July 14, 2015. Tournament Mode — Introduced for testing with the March 27, 2014 update with occasional trial Tournament special events until it officially premiered on February 5, 2015 and continuously running tournaments on February 24, 2015. Bonus Wheel and Mystery Box — Added with the June 24, 2014 update, while the February 4, 2015 update split the Bonus Wheel into a Victor's and a Loser's Bonus Wheel. Tutorials Mode — Two match based Tutorials added on August 14, 2014. Five additional Tutorials with XY Basic Yellow Starter Theme Deck and Tutorial Reward Ladder added on July 14, 2015. Pokémon Trainer Club — Added ability for players to register for a Pokémon Trainer Club account from within the game on September 3, 2014. Daily Challenge — Implemented on March 25, 2015 replacing the briefly retired Daily Login Bonus and Daily Match Bonus and retired Achievements reward systems. The June 2, 2015 update reduced the requirements for Evolution challenges by ½ and Knock Out challenges by 10, replaced challenges with a "Play Basic Pokémon" completion requirement to a "Do damage to opposing Pokémon" requirement, and temporarily removed all challenges with Special Condition completion requirements. Special Challenges and Tournament Chests — Implemented with the May 6, 2015 update. Versus Ladder — Introduced on July 14, 2015 to complement the other existing Reward systems.

In other languages

Language Title French Cartes À Jouer Et À Collectionner Online German Sammelkartenspiel Online Italian Gioco Di Carte Collezionabili Online Brazilian Portuguese Estampas Ilustradas Online Russian Коллекционная Карточная Игра Онлайн Kollektsionnaya Kartochnaya Igra Onlain Spanish Juego De Cartas Colleccionables Online

See also

• Pokémon Trading Card Game

External links

• Pokémon Trading Card Game Online
• Download Pokémon Trading Card Game Online
• Pokémon Trading Card Game Online official forums

References

Spin-off Pokémon series Pikachu series: Hey You, Pikachu! • Channel • Dash TCG: Game Boy TCG series: Trading Card Game • Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR! Play It! series: Play It! • Play It! Version 2 TCG Client series: Card Game Online • Trading Card Game Online • Trading Card Game Live Misc. TCG: Card Game: How to Play DS • TCG Card Dex • Trading Card Game Pocket Super Smash Bros. series: Super Smash Bros. • Melee • Brawl • for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U • Ultimate Snap series: Snap • New Pokémon Snap Picross: Picross NP Vol. 1 • Picross (GBC) (canceled) • Picross (3DS) Pinball series: Pinball • Pinball mini • Pinball: RS Puzzle series: Puzzle League • Puzzle Challenge Trozei series: Trozei! • Battle Trozei Mystery Dungeon series: Red Rescue Team & Blue Rescue Team Explorers of Time & Explorers of Darkness • Explorers of Sky Blazing, Stormy & Light Adventure Squad Gates to Infinity • Super Mystery Dungeon • Rescue Team DX Ranger series: Ranger • Shadows of Almia • Guardian Signs Puck series: Battrio • Tretta (Tretta Lab) • Ga-Olé • Mezastar • Frienda Rumble series: Rumble • Rumble Blast • Rumble U • Rumble World • Rumble Rush PokéPark series: PokéPark Wii • PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond Detective Pikachu series: Detective Pikachu • Detective Pikachu Returns Playground: Pokémon Detective Pikachu Pokémon game templates Core series • Side series • Spin-off series • Pokémon mini • Individual spin-offs • Betas • Demos

This article is part of both Project Sidegames and Project TCG, Bulbapedia projects that, together, aim to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames and TCG, respectively.