With the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet video games set to release on November 18, the trading card game should soon follow with its Generation 9 debut.
Typically, the new generation of Pokemon cards makes its debut in Japan a couple of weeks after the games are released, but in the United States, those cards don't usually arrive until February.
Either way, Scarlet and Violet Pokemon cards are on the horizon, and we have already seen some interesting wrinkles Pokemon intends to enact, such as bringing EX cards back.
But what are some other implementations Pokemon needs to make in order to ensure an amazing all-around experience for collectors everywhere?
Here are five changes that would greatly enhance the adventure for everyone.
5 changes that need to happen for Pokemon cards in Scarlet and Violet
5. Get rid of Rainbow Rares
Rainbow Rares made their debut during the Sun and Moon era, and when they first burst on to the scene, they were admittedly pretty cool. However, it didn't take long for them to wear out their welcome.
While Rainbow Rares were new and fresh at the time of their release in late 2016 (early 2017 in America), they had one conspicuous problem: they all basically looked the same.
When you are flipping through a binder of Pokemon cards, you should be able to notice stark differences in the art of each card. That's a big part of what makes the collecting experience worthwhile.
But when it came to Rainbow Rares, many collectors quickly came to the not-so-difficult realization that variety was lacking.
Sure, it was awesome seeing the Rainbow Rare Charizard GX from Burning Shadows for the first time, and that particular card still holds tremendous value to this day. But after seeing a plethora of more Rainbow Rare cards, the idea got old pretty fast.
Unfortunately, Pokemon carried Rainbow Rares into the Sword and Shield era, and it has gotten to the point where it is a genuine disappointment when that is your best pull from a bunch of booster packs.
Had Pokemon made Rainbow Rares exclusive to Sun and Moon, it would have given them infinitely more collectibility. After all, it would have been a nice touch to only identify Rainbow Rares with Sun and Moon. But printing them through Sword and Shield was just overkill.
Hopefully, Pokemon takes the hint and decides to go in a different direction for Scarlet and Violet.
4. Decrease the number of rarities
In case you may have noticed, Pokemon cards have far too many different types of rarities and card styles.
Holo Rares. Ultra Rares. Full Arts. Hyper Rares. Secret Rares. Gold Rares. Character Rares. Alternate Arts.
You get the picture, and it makes collecting a pain for a couple of reasons.
First of all, it severely complicates the process of completing sets. When you have eight million different types of rarities, some of which actually feature the same card art but only with a different color scheme, making a complete set is no longer fun. It becomes a chore.
Second, it diminishes the quality of the lesser rarities and makes them more akin to Commons and Uncommons. Remember the days when holos used to be the chase cards in a set? Now, a holo pull means absolutely nothing. You might as well just pull a Trainer card. And the fact that “Ultra Rares” are worth a dollar or two is just laughable.
Pokemon will almost certainly never do this, but decreasing the number of rarities would make things more fun and would increase excitement when you do pull great cards. You shouldn't be disappointed to pull an Ultra Rare.
3. Make sets smaller
This applies more to the English side than the Japanese side.
Modern English sets are just too big. For example, the most recent set, Lost Origin, has 247 unique cards in its stable. And to make matters worse, you also have reverse holos if you are trying to complete a master set, which is essentially doubling what is already a gargantuan set size.
Because English generally combines multiple Japanese sets into one, we get this weird mixed amalgam of cards that don't even really follow any particular theme.
Again, this probably won't happen, because English operates differently from Japanese, but releasing sets the way Japan does would be much wiser and would go a long way in helping collectors complete binder sets much more easily.
When Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge were all released back between 2002 and 2003, they were criticized for being too large. Those sets contained 165, 186, and 182 cards, respectively. At the time, those were massive numbers, but even Aquapolis is dwarfed by most modern English sets.
This is something that English should alter.
2. Better pull rates
While the Sword and Shield era is unquestionably one of the best eras in Pokemon card history due to its magnificent art and innovative new card styles, its horrendous pull rates hold it back.
Yes, you can just go on eBay and buy the cards you don't pull from packs, but because some of these cards are so astronomically difficult to pull, their prices are through the roof (hello, Umbreon Alternate Art from Eevee Heroes and Evolving Skies).
I've seen YouTube videos of people opening up tons of boxes and not landing a single alternate art card, and things seem to have gotten worse over the last year or so.
While incredibly difficult pull rates does increase the excitement when you do actually find the card you are looking for, it also makes the search beyond frustrating.
I actually expect Pokemon to correct this issue in Scarlet and Violet considering how many collectors have been complaining about it for the past several months.
1. Bring back the cosmos holo
We all know holos mean absolutely nothing anymore in terms of value, but there is no reason why they should look so unappealing aesthetically.
I mean, sometimes, you can't even tell if a holo is actually even a holo anymore. That's how bad things have gotten.
Holos haven't been the primary chase cards in any set since Neo Discovery, and that was all the way back in 2001. Once Neo Revelation introduced Shining Cards, holos ceased being the top dog. I understand that. But it wasn't until the X&Y era in 2013 (or maybe Black and White in 2010) that holos stopped mattering altogether.
But technically, holos are still a “pull” (or at least that's how Pokemon booster boxes are arranged), so do they really need to look so plain?
How about bringing back the cosmos holofoil pattern that we came to know and love back in the early 2000s? Pokemon still uses it on promo cards, so I don't see why they can't apply it to set cards, as well.
Will this increase the value of holo cards? Probably not, but it would at least make them more fun to pull and more pleasurable to look at.
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