In the mid-1990s, the masterminds behind Pokémon were building a powerful trifecta: a handful of role-playing adventures for Nintendo’s Game Boy, a physical card game, and an animated children’s television show following the adventures of a teenager and his best friend. , Pikachu. These were the early days of one of pop culture’s most beloved and enduring franchises, a heady mix of cute, colorful creatures and the jingle-friendly demand to collect it all.
“Gotta catch them all” remains a powerful mandate, even as physical media has fallen out of fashion. When I was a kid, I kept my Pokémon cards in carefully preserved laminated sleeves. Today they live on my phone, thanks to Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocketwhich allows players to collect digital cards and use them to fight, just as they did with physical cards.
PocketReleased on October 30 for iOS and Android, it ditches physical folders and booster packs in favor of a sleek mobile version that can sink its fangs into your wallet faster than you can finish a match. As Pokémon Goa successful game that became a global phenomenon, Pocket It has legs. In its first week, the game was downloaded more than 30 million times. On Monday, it was nominated for Best Mobile Game of 2024 at The Game Awards, a notable distinction given that it’s been available to play for less than a month.
The buzz around the game is widespread, from YouTube to unknown to everyone’s new favorite, Bluesky. in a video on tiktokKinda Funny host and producer Blessing Adeoye Jr. calls it “ridiculous” how much he enjoys playing, from opening packs to fighting. “I’m into this to the point where I’m like, oh no,” he says in the video. “They fucked my ass.”
Adeoye says Pocket It acts as a starting point that allows players to feel like they’re experiencing the Pokémon card craze from the beginning. Since there are only three types of packs available, everyone collects the same cards. “It feels special to open a full-art Pikachu or Mewtwo EX card that comes with a unique animation,” Adeoye tells WIRED. “There is a shared experience happening now, which is similar to what it feels like when a child opens their first packs of Pokémon cards.”
Getting a lot of people into the Poké-fold is, of course, the goal of Pocket. As Gothat used the appeal of a pop culture powerhouse to get people into augmented reality games on their smartphones. PocketThe appeal of is taking a piece of that ’90s fandom and putting it in your palm. Go wants you to capture your own collection of little monsters; Pocket wants you to replicate the feeling of going to the store, opening a pack, and getting a rare card. And just like those trips to the comic book store, your chances of getting something interesting may depend on how much you spend. (The game has reportedly made millions since its launch.)