The Pokemon Trading Card Game’s Scarlet & Violet era ends with not one but two special sets with plenty of shiny trinkets, but little in the way of meta-changing cards.
In an unexpected twist, the Pokemon Trading Card Game opted for a dual release for its summer special set – something we don't always see from the best card games. Black Bolt and White Flare are each small sets containing 86 normal cards and an equal amount of alternate art cards. Their sole focus is on the Unova region, continuing a mini-resurgence for the area since the 2023 Indigo Disc DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Every Pokemon from the Unova region is represented in one of these two sets, with a regular card and at least one corresponding Illustration Rare card. The retro elements don’t end with just a focus on Unova Pokemon, either; the sets also use the horizontal holofoil pattern from the Black & White era of cards.
