The Pokémon Trading Card Game (Pokémon TCG) is a collectible card game based on the Pokémon video game series, first introduced in Japan in October 1996, then North America in December 1998. It was initially published by Wizards of the Coast, the company that produces Magic: the Gathering .
Upon its release in America, Pokémon immediately became one of the most sought after card games in history, with some booster packs selling for as much as $10.00.
Game concepts
The game is centered on the concept of the Pokémon battle. All Pokémon have attacks and Hit Points (HP); by doing damage to the opponent's Pokémon equal to their Hit Points, the player can knock them out and send them to the discard pile.
Victory conditions
There are three different ways to win a game:
- The first type of win condition is to retrieve a set of "prize cards." A number of cards (six cards for normal play and tournament status, and three cards for "speedy" play) are set aside from the top of each player's deck at the beginning of each game. Each time a player knocks out an opponent's Pokémon, he or she adds a prize card to his or her hand. Pokémon-ex cards, introduced in EX Ruby and Sapphire , are more powerful than their non-ex counterparts, but allow a player who knocks them out to take two prize cards instead of one.
- Second, a player loses if his or her active Pokémon (the one currently conducting battle) is knocked out and he or she has no other Pokémon in play.
- Third, a player must draw a card from the top of the deck at the beginning of his or her turn, and therefore loses if there are no cards remaining in the deck at the beginning of the turn. This is a trend common to most trading card games.
Card types
Initially, there were three types of cards in the game: Pokémon, Energy, and Trainers. With a dramatic rules change introduced in the Ruby & Sapphire set, there are now Supporter cards.(Stadium cards came out earlier) Prior to this, these were a special type of Trainer card. From the Ruby & Sapphire set forward, these are a separate type of card, and, as such, no longer count as a Trainer card when a Trainer card is referred to in the game's rules and card text. A player's 60-card deck may only contain four cards with the same name, with the exception of Basic Energy cards and Arceus from "The Advent of Arceus" set.
Pokémon cards
Pokémon cards are the basis of all decks. Without them a player cannot play the game, since both players begin the game by placing a Basic Pokémon in the active position on the playing field. Each Pokémon card depicts a Pokémon from the video games. Each player may have up to six Pokémon on the playing field at a time: one or two (depending on your choice of play) “active” Pokémon and up to five or four on the bench (these are considered to be in reserve, but they can still affect gameplay). Each Pokémon card has a name, amount of Hit Points, level of evolution, attack(s), weakness, resistance, retreat cost, and flavor text. Some Pokémon have effects, called Poké-Powers or Poké-Bodies, that are not attacks but can affect gameplay; occasionally a Pokémon will have no attacks. From Diamond & Pearl onwards, each Pokémon's level is given next to its name, although not part of the name itself (e.g. Magnezone LV.46).
Most Pokémon feature attacks that deal damage to the opponent's active Pokémon, or occasionally, their benched Pokémon; still others perform different functions, such as manipulating players' possession of cards. The vast majority of these attacks require Energy, which comes in the form of Energy cards, though the occasional Pokémon may have an attack that requires no energy (these attacks typically are weak or perform a function other than damage). Once per turn, players can use one of their active Pokémon's attacks.
The two types of Pokémon cards are Basic Pokémon and Evolved Pokémon. Basic Pokémon are Pokémon that have not evolved, and can be played directly onto the Bench. Each deck must have at least one Basic Pokémon to be considered legal. In contrast, an Evolved Pokémon cannot normally be placed directly onto the field; they must be played on the corresponding lower-stage Pokémon. Stage 1 Pokémon evolve from Basic Pokémon, and Stage 2 Pokémon evolve from Stage 1 Pokémon. As a Pokémon evolves, it gains HP and can use Energy more effectively. Baby Pokémon cards, introduced in Neo Genesis , are a special kind of Basic Pokémon, sometimes distinguished by a Poké-Power called "Baby Evolution." Baby Pokémon have low HP, but their attacks have strange and sometimes very powerful effects. Baby Pokémon can evolve into another Basic Pokémon, specified on the card. When a Baby Pokémon evolves into what would normally be a Basic Pokémon, that Basic Pokémon counts as being an Evolved Pokémon for the purposes of cards that affect Basic Pokémon and Evolved cards differently. Variations of Basic, Evolved, and Baby Pokémon cards have appeared in many sets, usually indicated with a word before or after the Pokémon's name.
The Diamond & Pearl set also came out with a new idea, Lv. X cards. Lv. X cards would replace the previous EX cards. Lv. X's are considered neither Basic Pokémon nor are they considered Evolution Cards, but simply Pokémon Cards. They are placed on the Pokémon Card in which the name specifies (ex. Gardevoir to Gardevoir Lv. X). In turn, though, Lv. X cards are not "named" cards. That means that only 4 altogether including regular and lv. x's are allowed. They can also only be placed when the Pokémon is active (not including effects of Trainers), but they can be retreated or switched out.
Energy cards
Energy cards are attached to a Pokémon to enable it to attack. There are two types of Energy cards: Basic Energy cards and Special Energy cards. There are eight different Basic Energy types: Fighting, Fire, Grass, Lightning, Psychic, Water, Darkness and Metal. Darkness and Metal Energy could only be provided through Special Energy cards until the Diamond & Pearl expansion, where they became Basic Energy types. Basic Energy cards only provide one Energy of the specified type, while Special Energy cards have additional benefits and varying Energy provisions. Additionally, the amount of Basic Energy cards allowed in a deck is unrestricted, while Special Energy cards follow the standard rule restricting the number of cards with the same name in a deck to four.
Most attacks require a certain type and amount of Energy, depending on the type of attack and the Pokémon using it. If an attack requires Basic Energy, then that type and amount of Energy must be attached to the Pokémon, whereas if the attack has a Colorless Energy requirement, that requirement can be met by any Energy card. Colorless Energy is neither a Basic nor a Special Energy type and can be provided through both Basic and Special Energy cards. However, the Double Colorless Energy (released as the first Special Energy in Base Set) can count as only colorless Energy.
Each turn, the player can only put down one Energy Card. However, there are Pokémon Cards and Trainer Cards that allow you to place more than one Energy Down.
Trainer cards
Trainer cards perform various functions to affect the game. Some can remove damage counters from Pokémon, remove energy from the opposing Pokémon, or revive Pokémon that have been knocked out. Before the Diamond & Pearl expansion, all cards that were not Pokémon or Energy were considered Trainer cards, though they have since been subdivided into categories: Normal Trainer cards represent items that directly affect the battling Pokémon, Stadium cards represent custom arenas that add a special mechanic to gameplay, Pokémon Tools are cards that help Pokémon cards in some way, and Supporters are special kinds of Trainers.
Most Trainer cards are simply classed as Trainer cards , which display no text in the upper-right corner. The player follows the directions on the card and then usually discards it. They were introduced at the very beginning of the card game's history, with the Base Set . Normal Trainer cards make up the largest number of Trainer cards by far, and can affect any part of the game, including other Trainer cards. They are often illustrated using computer-generated imagery, the most having been done by Keiji Kinebuchi.
Pokémon Tools , a subset of Trainer cards, first appeared in Neo Genesis . They are the card game's equivalent to Pokémon items, objects that Pokémon can carry around and use at will. Which Pokémon can receive the Pokémon Tool is specified on the card, and a Pokémon may not hold more than one at a time. Some Pokémon Tools can stay on the Pokémon until it gets Knocked Out, whereas some are discarded after a certain condition is met. Like ordinary Trainer cards and Stadium cards, Pokémon Tools are illustrated in CGI, mostly by Keiji Kinebuchi and Ryo Ueda. While Technical Machines can be considered a subdivision of Pokémon Tools, they are worded as a separate category. These are the most recently introduced of the current kinds of Trainer cards, starting in the Expedition set. Technical Machines, like Pokémon Tools, are attached to a Pokémon and either stay with the Pokémon until it gets Knocked Out, or are discarded after a certain con
Black Jack Game - Free Online Card/Casino Games - Flash Card/Casino ...
You are here: Home >Card/Casino Games >Black Jack: ... Game Description: In Black Jack, you compete directly against the ... Get the free download here: (Flashplayer) ( ...
Card Games. Black Jack, Bridge, Canasta, Cribbage, Freecell...
Black jack, bridge, canasta, cribbage, free cell, hearts, & poker are just a few of the most popular card games around, and that we have downloads for. Any gambling games found do ...
Free Black Jack Card Games, Best Internet Black Jack, No Download ...
Free Black Jack Card Games at PCHGames. Your source for Best Internet Black Jack, No Download Black Jack, Black Jack Card Games Online, and Free Internet Black Jack
FREE BLACK JACK, BLACKJACK at freeblackjack.mediamonitors.org, black ...
... black jack winning black jack black jack odds java black jack black jack basic strategy free black jack download how to win at black jack black jack software black jack card game ...
Black Jack 1.0 Free Software Download - Clasic Vegas style Black Jack ...
Download Black Jack. Clasic Vegas style Black Jack card game.
Free Black Jack Card Games, Best Internet Black Jack, No Download ...
Free Black Jack Card Games at Great Day Games. Your source for Best Internet Black Jack, No Download Black Jack, Black Jack Card Games Online, and Free Internet Black Jack
Best free black jack downloads. Freeware Casino Style Black Jack Game ...
Black jack software: Black Jack Deluxe is the most popular card ga, Clasic Vegas style Black Jack card game ... Free Download Manager - Software Download Site Contact us
Black Jack free download. This game by WorkHorse Games is a Vegas ...
Black Jack free download. This game by WorkHorse Games is a Vegas style Black Jack game. It adheres to the rules of the game as described in Official Rules Of Card Games by The....
Filebasket - Free Download - Mister Black Jack - Card - Filebasket
Card Game -Beat the dealer by getting as close to 21 as possible without
Black Jack Rule Black Jack Blackjack
... Fitzwilliam Card Club ... Free Crap Games - Black Free Game Jack ... Hold em 3D Poker Free 3D Poker Software Games 3D Poker at is very best. Download ...