The Pokemon Company has announced its latest project, which is being referred to as a board game related to the Pokemon Trading Card Game. Titled Pokemon Trading Card Game Battle Academy, it comes with everything one needs to play the TCG, along with a board that teaches players the rules, and a tutorial booklet that explains the intricacies of the game. Also included will be "accessories to enhance your game" and three full decks of legitimate TCG cards. It's being called a "board game adaptation of the TCG", but how this stands out from pre-existing starter deck sets that also come with their own playmats and rulebooks isn't quite clear, but you'll be able to buy it and see for yourself when the game launches on June 21st as a Target store exclusive in the United States, or July 31st for the rest of the world.

Bellevue, Wash.—June 1, 2020—Today, The Pokémon Company International has announced the Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy, the first-ever board game adaptation of the Pokémon TCG, one of the most beloved and best-selling trading card games in the world. Providing everything a “Trainer” needs to master the basics of the Pokémon TCG, Battle Academy offers fun family entertainment, combining strategic Pokémon TCG gameplay within a classic, easy-to-learn family game experience.

Known for its beautifully illustrated cards that are fun to collect, trade, and play with, the Pokémon TCG features a vast assortment of product offerings with something for every Trainer—from casual collector to avid competitor. Now, with the introduction of Battle Academy, there are even more accessible options for aspiring players.

“Battle Academy is designed to be easy to learn and fun to play for all types of Trainers, including children and parents that may be new to the Pokémon TCG,” said J.C. Smith, senior director of consumer marketing at The Pokémon Company International. “Pokémon has a unique ability to bring people together, and we look forward to seeing families enjoy Battle Academy at their next game night, as parents bond with their kids over one of their favorite entertainment brands and collectible Pokémon TCG cards.”

Each Battle Academy box comes with a two-player game board, three 60-card decks, tutorial guides, and gameplay accessories. It also comes with a code card that allows Trainers to enjoy the Pokémon TCG digitally through the free-to-play Pokémon Trading Card Game Online app on iOS and Android, as well as on Pokemon.com.

Launching around the world on July 31, 2020, Battle Academy will be available widely at participating mass and hobby retailers, as well as online retailers including PokemonCenter.com, the premier destination for official, high-quality Pokémon merchandise in the US. In addition, Trainers in the US will be able to grab Battle Academy early on June 21, 2020, exclusively at Target stores and online at Target.com.

For more information about Battle Academy, please visit https://tcg.pokemon.com/en-us/battle-academy/.

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[Clydefrosch]

what exactly is the point of the boardgame part? how would a boardgame teach the rules? are you sure it's not just a playmat with all the zones but cardboard?

 

[Chary]

what exactly is the point of the boardgame part? how would a boardgame teach the rules? are you sure it's not just a playmat with all the zones but cardboard?

Added the press release email where TPCI themselves call it a "board game". They're referring to it as a board game adaptation of the TCG, but they don't go into detail about that. It's further confusing because yeah, the board just looks to be a playmat.

 

[Mythical]

You shouldn't need to have a board game to teach people how to play your card game lol, but hey maybe I'm too tcg savvy for this.
Looks like it could be fun for new people to pokemon

 

[aarti]

that's about 10 years too late.

 

[Goku1992A]

Pokemon cards been died since 1998. Even Yugioh died a few years back

 

[Deleted User]

If your Card Game needs a fucking Board Game to teach players how to play it, maybe you need to go back to the drawing board and redesign your Card Game from the ground up.

 

[CrossOut]

What would be great is if they released a new trading card game like the 1st two on the Gameboy Colour. Even better officially release the 2nd version of the Gameboy game as well since it was not released anywhere outside of Japan. The first game must have not sold very well.

 

[Joe88]

that's about 10 years too late.

More like 20+, when I was a kid when they first came out, no one cared about the "game" aspect of the cards, only the trading part and the actual GB games and tv show.
Before they faded out of popularity ive never seen anyone try and play the game or even attempt to learn the rules, I guess the people who actually cared about card games went to yugioh instead, of course youalso had magic the gathering fans who werent really interested in it.

 

[raxadian]

What would be great is if they released a new trading card game like the 1st two on the Gameboy Colour. Even better officially release the 2nd version of the Gameboy game as well since it was not released anywhere outside of Japan. The first game must have not sold very well.

To be fair is not like Digimon been better, the only digital card game of Digimon you can find besides the PS1 game is a pay to win Android game.

 

[slimbizzy]

This seems silly. Although, I have faith in Nintendo... For the most part.

 

[Deleted User]

no. Just no.

 

[Goku1992A]

To be fair is not like Digimon been better, the only digital card game of Digimon you can find besides the PS1 game is a pay to win Android game.

It sucks Digomon didn't become mainstream like Pokemon I remember they had a TV show but I think after season 2 they canceled I hear good things about the games unfortunately I never played them.I used to watch alot of Digimon on TV that's when you had to catch the New Yu-gi-Oh episodes at 8am in the morning oh 2002-2004 was awesome years

 

[x65943]

More like 20+, when I was a kid when they first came out, no one cared about the "game" aspect of the cards, only the trading part and the actual GB games and tv show.
Before they faded out of popularity ive never seen anyone try and play the game or even attempt to learn the rules, I guess the people who actually cared about card games went to yugioh instead, of course youalso had magic the gathering fans who werent really interested in it.

Me and my pals used to play the actual card game, but it was very boring. The Digimon tcg was actually more fun. Then, as you said, we moved on to yugioh pretty fast. The whole prize system in the pokemon tcg was always stupid to me.

 

[Deleted member 512337]

Probably gonna be like $60 for a bunch of fuckin cardboard

 

[DarkCoffe64]

Would say any kiddo that's interested in learning how to play the tcg nowadays and has a lil bit of smarts is just gonna search a tutorial online or something.

They should've just released this on switch instead:

 

[raxadian]

It sucks Digomon didn't become mainstream like Pokemon I remember they had a TV show but I think after season 2 they canceled I hear good things about the games unfortunately I never played them.I used to watch alot of Digimon on TV that's when you had to catch the New Yu-gi-Oh episodes at 8am in the morning oh 2002-2004 was awesome years

Digimon got four shows.

An hiatus.

Then a show.

Then another hiatus.

Then two shows.

Then another hiatus.

Then a show.

And now they are making a remake of the first show.

And that's not counting all the movies, manga, comics, the card game, Ovas and games.

 

[CallmeBerto]

I could have used this 300 years ago when I was a dumb kid and couldn't figure out the rules.

 

[SG854]

More like 20+, when I was a kid when they first came out, no one cared about the "game" aspect of the cards, only the trading part and the actual GB games and tv show.
Before they faded out of popularity ive never seen anyone try and play the game or even attempt to learn the rules, I guess the people who actually cared about card games went to yugioh instead, of course youalso had magic the gathering fans who werent really interested in it.

But Magic the Gathering is for nerds though

 

[airrich]

Pokemon cards been died since 1998. Even Yugioh died a few years back

Definitely not dead. My nephew and a bunch of his friends still collect them.