The Pokemon TCG's Next Expansion Channels Its Inner 2011 In More Ways Than One

Summary

• Pokemon TCG introduces Black Bolt & White Flare in Japan - packed with new features and rarities.
• Expansion includes Illustration Rares, BWRs, & old holo patterns for a nostalgic feel.
• Booster packs in Japan can have 35 cards, including Reshiram & Zekrom Full-Art cards.

The Pokemon Trading Card Game's hot streak looks set to continue this year, as over the weekend, its next set, the Black and White-focused Black Bolt and White Flare, were revealed in Japan.

Pokemon TCG: Every Heat Wave Arena Special Art Rare, Ranked

Cynthia, Ethan, and Arven are the headliners.

The set is going to be bumper-sized for a Japanese expansion, and it introduces a ton of exciting new features to the TCG, including a new rarity, an old holo pattern, and some packs that contain far, far more cards than usual.

Pokemon TCG's Black Bolt And White Flare Officially Revealed In Japan

There is so much to get excited about with this expansion that it's hard to know where to begin.

In Japan, as is not uncommon, Black Bolt and White Flare will be split across two products. The expansion will feature all 156 Pokemon first introduced in Black and White's Unova region, with every single one getting a special card, either an Illustration Rare, or a Special Illustration Rare. This is alongside the common, uncommon, and rare cards, as well as any Trainer/Supporter cards they decide to include.

Most excitingly, Black Bolt and White Flare will introduce a new rarity type— the BWR, presumably short for Black White Rare. It's this rarity type where the new expansion becomes a massive throwback to old sets.

It's been confirmed that the first two BWRs will be Full-Art cards of Reshiram and Zekrom, adorned in their black-and-white color scheme. These cards are modern throwbacks to the 2011 Black and White base set.

The expansion's standard holos are also a bit of a callback, with every card of that rarity having the horizontal line holo pattern seen in the original Black and White era.

Alongside the Reshiram and Zekrom cards, The Pokemon Company has also revealed a stunning Victini promo with a similar pattern, and Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus Illustration Rares.

In the Japanese versions of Black Bolt and White Flare, it's also been confirmed that there will be standard booster packs and expanded ones, which contain 35 cards for players to collect.

As somebody who has been collecting the Pokemon TCG since the original Black and White era, despite not actually being too hot on the games, this expansion excites me, and I'm looking forward to seeing what The Pokemon Company reveals for the English-language version.

I think it's probably time for the rumored Black and White remakes now.

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