Pokémon TCG Pocket Expands with Space Time Smackdown Today: Full Details

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has today unveiled its latest major update and introduced its first full set since launch with the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl-inspired Space Time Smackdown expansion now available to players.

This new set is available in two booster packs, themed around Dialga and Palkia, and comprises a total of 207 cards. While this is smaller than the 286 cards in the previous Genetic Apex set, Space Time Smackdown includes 52 alternate art, Star, and Crown rarity cards. This means a higher percentage of rare cards compared to Genetic Apex, which had 60 such cards.

Every Alternate Art 'Secret' Card in Pokémon TCG Pocket: Space Time Smackdown

52 Images

The official card count for Space Time Smackdown is 155, as alternate art cards are not included in the overall collection number. This set introduces 10 ex Pokémon: Yanmega, Infernape, Palkia, Pacharisu, Mismagius, Gallade, Weavile, Darkrai, Dialga, and Lickilicky. Every Pokémon type now has a new ex Pokémon, except for Dragon, with the Darkness type gaining two.

A significant addition to the set is the introduction of Pokémon Tool cards, which can be attached to the active Pokémon to enhance its battle capabilities. The new set includes three such tools: Giant Cape, which adds 20 Hit Points to the Pokémon; Rocky Helmet, which deals 20 HP to the opponent's Pokémon whenever the active trainer takes damage; and Lum Berry, which removes conditions like Poison from the Pokémon.

Battles

With the release of Space Time Smackdown, Pokémon TCG Pocket has added new Solo Battles across various tiers. The Intermediate tier now includes eight new battles, the Advanced tier has nine, and the Expert tier offers eight new challenges. No new battles have been added to the Beginner tier. These battles feature Pokémon from the new set, such as Dialga ex, Palkia ex, Togekiss, Bastiodon, Glacion, Magmortar, Magnezone, Rampardos, Tortrerra, and more.

In multiplayer, the meta may see significant shifts due to the powerful cards in Space Time Smackdown. For instance, Infernape ex can deal 140 damage with just two Fire Energy, a move potent enough to knock out most ex Pokémon in one hit. Palkia ex, reminiscent of Mewtwo ex, deals 150 damage for four Energy while also damaging benched Pokémon. Weavile ex has a one Energy attack that does 30 damage, or 70 if the defending Pokémon is already damaged. Steel type decks may receive a major boost with the inclusion of Dialga ex and other supportive cards.

Missions and Rewards

Alongside Space Time Smackdown, numerous new missions have been added to Pokémon TCG Pocket. These missions follow familiar patterns, such as collecting signature cards to unlock rental decks and completing the set to earn Dialga and Palkia icons. Museum missions are back, challenging players to collect each 1 Star card and full art 2 Star card. The secret mission, "Champion of the Sinnoh Region," requires collecting the full art Cynthia card along with 1 Star cards of her key Pokémon: Gastrodon, Lucario, Spiritomb, and Garchomp.

Completing missions rewards players with Pack Hourglasses, Wonder Hourglasses, Emblem Tickets for the shop, and other items. Notably, no Trading Tokens are awarded through missions, though Creatures Inc. did provide a free 500 Trading Tokens to celebrate the addition of trading to the game. Players can use their rewards to unlock new items in the shop, including Dialga and Palkia album covers and the Lovely Hearts backdrop. The new Poké Gold bundle, now focusing on Cynthia, has replaced the previous Gardevoir bundle.

Trading

Creatures Inc. has remained silent on the recent controversial trading update, focusing instead on promoting Space Time Smackdown. The "Trade Feature Celebration Gift" included 500 Trade Tokens and 120 Trade Hourglasses, enough to trade one ex Pokémon. The crux of the controversy lies with Trade Tokens, which are required for trading cards at 3 Diamonds or higher. Trading a 3 Diamond card requires 120 Trade Tokens, a 1 Star card needs 400, and an ex Pokémon (4 Diamond) requires 500.

Trade Tokens can only be obtained by selling cards from a player's collection. Selling a 3 Diamond card yields 25 Trade Tokens, a 1 Star card gives 100, a 4 Diamond card provides 125, a 2 Star card offers 300, a 3 Star immersive card also yields 300, and a Crown gold card fetches 1500. Lower rarity cards are considered worthless in this system and do not require Trade Tokens to trade.

This means players must sacrifice, for example, five ex Pokémon to trade one ex Pokémon, or five 1 Star cards to trade one 1 Star card. Selling one Crown rarity card, which may take months to obtain, only provides enough tokens to trade three ex Pokémon. The community has criticized this system as "hilariously toxic" and a "monumental failure," expressing frustration that a more straightforward trading system was not implemented.