It’s truly fascinating to see how fads repeat themselves over the years and which trends turn out to be more evergreen. There’s nothing at all original about trading card games, especially those that are based on popular properties. However, it’s interesting to see how many anime will even explicitly work the card game mechanic into the series, like in the case of Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yu-Gi-Oh! has remained a dominant force in the TCG community, but the other juggernaut is Pokémon’s TCG, which has become nearly as popular as the video games and anime. Both of these card games feature unique perks and benefits, but neither of them are perfect and they each have their own disadvantages.
10 Pokémon: There Continue To Be More New Pokémon
A successful trading card game obviously needs a strong foundation to pull from, but another way in which the Pokémon series benefits is that the sheer number of Pokémon continues to balloon. There are now nearly 1000 unique Pokémon out there and they’re all viable choices to be featured in the TCG. The Pokémon Trading Card Game isn’t stagnant, but even if it were, just the addition of new Pokémon of which people are fans of would be enough to bring new players into the card game.
9 Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Faster-Paced Rush Duel Alternative
The Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game has evolved in many ways since its debut, but the biggest shift has come in the form of a completely new version of the game that’s called Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Deal. Rush Deal is a very new development that just hit Japan in April, 2020 and it pulls from the new Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens anime for inspiration. Rush Deal uses a completely different set of cards and new rules that cater to faster and easier battles. It’s a level of versatility that the Pokémon TCG doesn’t offer.
8 Pokémon: Exclusive Promotional Card Giveaways
One area in which the Pokémon Trading Card Game has really been able to excel is how they lure in their audience with exclusive cards through limited promotional events. Pokémon has capitalized on this with the release of feature films, video games, and even exclusive events where cards are being handed out in small supply.
Granted, Yu-Gi-Oh! also indulges in this area, but to a much smaller degree. Pokémon has found a way to move products purely through them being bundled with an exclusive and rare Pokémon card.
7 Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Anime Reinforces The Game’s Rules
Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokémon both have popular anime series, but the difference between them is that Pokémon’s TCG is an adaptation of the video game and anime’s universe, whereas Yu-Gi-Oh! actually has characters engage in the same card game that the audience does. This level of representation in the anime series allows fans to casually learn how to play the game and figure out card strategies through osmosis. The Pokémon anime is entertaining, but watching it isn’t going to improve anyone’s skills at the trading card game.
6 Pokémon: New Mechanics And Cards Are Introduced Often
Pokémon’s video game series was still in its infancy when the trading card game debuted. The card game is a suitable translation of the Pokémon experience, but the titles have become more complex as video games have evolved over time. The Pokémon TCG tries to represent these changes by adding new cards and mechanics every few sets. It’s done at a rate that’s not overwhelming and still allows the audience to gradually acclimate to the new concepts. Not all of these new mechanics are fundamental, but it’s still better than if the TCG never changed at all.
5 Yu-Gi-Oh!: A Frequently Updated List Of Banned And Forbidden Cards
The Yu-Gi-Oh! series frequently introduces new and powerful cards, but there are times when certain cards are just deemed too strong. Yu-Gi-Oh! actively tries to do something about this rather than allow these overpowered cards to ruin tournaments.
Every several months the Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are reviewed and it’s determined if there should be any new additions to the Banned or Forbidden list. This means that these cards can’t be used in Advanced Format Play and it’s encouraging that the rules of the game are consistently being balanced and managed.
4 Pokémon: There Are Still Regular Tournaments
It’s nice for a trading card game to have easy to understand rules and an attractive product, but it’s not going to amount to much if there’s not an infrastructure for players to battle against each other. Pokémon has done an incredible job with keeping up a robust community for TCG tournaments. The Pokémon TCG strives to make these arenas accessible and divides them into three age groups. Even now they’re finding ways to engage in virtual tournaments so their audience can still find ways to interact with each other.
3 Yu-Gi-Oh!: It Allows For More Epic Game Strategies
Both the trading card games for Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! offer unique strategies in order to reach success. There are suspenseful heights that can be reached in both, but Yu-Gi-Oh! is the only one that allows for the sense of a truly epic climax. Yu-Gi-Oh! games can end in automatic victories by fulfilling certain requirements of particular cards, like to have all five Exodia the Forbidden One Cards at once. It adds a poker-like element and allows for card battles to end in many different ways and not just the standard win or lose.
2 Pokémon: Video Game Versions Exist
There’s a very clear resemblance between Yu-Gi-Oh!’s anime, trading card game, and video games, but Pokémon is much more unique in how it embraces its content. The Pokémon video games are totally different than the trading card game. However, there are actually Pokémon spin-off games that are video versions of the TCG. This is a beautiful expansion of the premise and it allows the audience to still play the game, even if they’re by themselves or if they don’t own a single card. It’s a satisfying substitute for the real thing.
1 Yu-Gi-Oh!: It Simplifies The Cards To Exciting Subject Matter
Both the Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! TCGs are a lot of fun, but they can be a little intimidating in terms of just how much is going on and what mechanics need to be properly understood. Yu-Gi-Oh! greatly simplifies this and restricts its deck to Monster, Spell, and Trap cards, which are all direct and action-based. Alternatively, the Pokémon TCG incorporates a lot more to get lost over. There aren’t just Pokémon Cards, but Energy Cards that are attached to the Pokémon, as well as Trainer Cards, which are divided even further into Item, Tool, Stadium, and Supporter Cards.