Pokémon TCG Online

Pokémon TCG Online is a casual card game with marvelous mechanics and stellar visuals, but beware of grinding and bugs. Play, trade, and challenge other players worldwide for a fun and engaging experience. Despite its flaws, the game provides a platform for Pokémon fans to enjoy the beloved trading card game in a digital format.

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,992 reviews

graphics50 positive mentions

stability108 negative mentions

stability
114 mentions
4 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes, particularly at the startup screen featuring the pokeball. Many players have experienced issues following recent updates, rendering the game unplayable on various devices, including Samsung tablets and smartphones. Despite some users noting smooth performance, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game is plagued by bugs and stability problems that significantly hinder the overall experience.
- “Have had zero issues and the game runs great.”
- “Runs great.”
- “I love the Rioku deck and the game functions have no glitches.”
- “The most recent update has made it so the game will not open; it freezes on the Pokéball start screen. I will amend this score when this gets fixed.”
- “After the last update, the game refuses to load on my Galaxy S22 Ultra. I have a lot of code cards I want to get rid of. I tried reinstalling, clearing the cache, etc. Nothing works; it just freezes on the first screen that's shown.”
- “Game won't load; it freezes on the Pokéball screen. This happened after the update. I uninstalled and reinstalled, but still nothing.”
graphics
91 mentions
55 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the visuals and animations as beautiful and engaging, while others criticize them as outdated or buggy. Some users express a desire for smoother graphics and better character designs, particularly in comparison to other modern card games. Despite these criticisms, many still find the graphics enjoyable and fitting for the gameplay experience.
- “The graphics are nice, controls are easy, it runs smoothly and best of all - this game is 100% free!”
- “Beautiful app with stunning graphics and smooth, easy gameplay.”
- “Wow this is an amazing game and has incredible graphics.”
- “For 2 battles the graphics work fine but then the card graphics won't load after that.”
- “I wish it had better graphics like 'Pokémon Arena'.”
- “It's stuck loading data from the server and the graphics look like they are from a game that would be from the 2000s.”
gameplay
86 mentions
52 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally praised for being fun, intuitive, and engaging, with smooth mechanics that cater to players of all skill levels. However, many users report significant issues such as long load times, a confusing user interface, and bugs that detract from the overall experience. While the core gameplay mechanics are solid, there are calls for improvements in organization, graphics, and mobile optimization to enhance the user experience further.
- “The gameplay is smooth and fun!”
- “Amazing gameplay, card collecting, and deck building.”
- “Gameplay is good but I'm having trouble logging in even the online website has the same info.”
- “Gameplay is okay, but load times are atrocious.”
- “Restarts your progress after creating a login, unfriendly user interface, unresponsive gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is horrible; it takes forever to load the game.”
monetization
41 mentions
44 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is largely praised for its absence of ads and in-app purchases, allowing players to earn in-game currency and rewards through gameplay. However, some users express concerns that the lack of monetization options may hinder accessibility and progression, suggesting the introduction of in-game purchases or easier ways to earn currency. Overall, while the game is free-to-play and avoids aggressive monetization tactics, there are calls for more options to enhance player experience and engagement.
- “Free in-game currency, free tournaments, free battle-pass with rewards, no ads, no 'premium' membership, no cash purchases, free login rewards, an open player-to-player trading system, plus free friend-to-friend trading.”
- “No ads, no in-app purchases, and coins are very easy to earn.”
- “No microtransactions; you earn coins in-game or buy real-world card packs that give codes for in-game card packs.”
- “Game is being converted into a cash grab where you can't even trade.”
- “There may be no in-app purchases, however you can use real-world cards to bolster your collection and this encourages pay-to-win decks.”
- “Great game they just need to be where you can buy cards with money also so you're not always having to play to get points why not add in-game purchases and add a lot more decks and more cards why not also do a special buy one get one free like you 600 coins and you get two decks you know you're special like that and you'll get a lot more money in.”
optimization
31 mentions
48 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many users expressing frustration over its performance on mobile devices, particularly on various Android models. While some players report smooth gameplay and low system requirements, others highlight issues such as lag, crashes, and inadequate support for different screen sizes. There is a consensus that the game would benefit from further updates to enhance its optimization for mobile platforms.
- “The mechanics are awesome, and in my experience, the game always runs smoothly.”
- “Runs smoothly, no bugs or glitches (so far), also low specs required.”
- “Great game but needs to optimize performance.”
- “The game itself is fun, but the app really needs to get updated to have better visuals, and needs optimization.”
- “Not optimized on mobile.”
- “Great game but definitely could use some optimization for the phone.”
story
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is criticized for lacking depth after the initial trainer challenges, with players expressing a desire for a more immersive narrative featuring character progression and gym battles. While the short campaign missions provide some entertainment, they are ultimately seen as insufficient, and technical issues further detract from the experience. Overall, players appreciate the nostalgic elements of the game but yearn for a more substantial story mode.
- “Btw, I love how they actually add a storyline.”
- “I sincerely hope the makers create a story where you have an actual character that can walk around and duel other players in gyms and eventually a Pokémon League.”
- “I loved the Pokémon TCG GBA game and getting to play what is essentially an expanded version of that (minus the 'story mode') on my phone for free is awesome!”
- “Cinematics are great, and I love the fact that there is so much room for strategy, but once you beat the 3 levels of trainer challenges, the game no longer has any kind of story.”
- “I sincerely hope the makers create a story where you have an actual character that can walk around and duel other players in gyms and eventually a Pokémon league.”
- “If I had one criticism, I wish I could use custom made decks in the story leagues.”
music
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally appreciated for its nostalgic value, reminiscent of older titles, but many users feel that the soundtrack is lacking and in need of an update. Some players express a desire for specific music tracks, such as card battle music, to be included in the game to enhance the experience without needing to resort to external sources like YouTube. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the gameplay atmosphere, it could benefit from modernization and expansion.
- “I have played this game for 2 years now and I think the gameplay, visuals, and music are fantastic.”
- “It's amazing! I play it every day, like in the song, I play Pokémon every day!”
- “I think the soundtrack, which is next to nothing, needs an update. I also believe that the avatars make the game feel dated, even though gameplay-wise it's not.”
- “I've got nothing but love for the old GBC game I played back in the day, and this feels a bit nostalgic; though it would be nice if TPC and Game Freak would allow TCGO to use the card battle music so some don't have to turn the app's music off and loop it on YouTube.”
grinding
9 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate that free-to-play rewards are attainable without excessive effort, many express frustration over the tediousness of grinding for cards and the slow pace of earning rewards. The interface is noted to be quicker than other games, but the overall grind can feel overwhelming, especially when compounded by technical issues like frequent logins and bugs.
- “It's maddening grinding out one or two packs at a time, because when you're losing, the game makes earning rewards really difficult.”
- “It's fun but it's very, very grindy; you have to play for hours to get anything good, but other than that, it's a good game.”
- “Grinding for new cards grinds 1 or 2 stars off this game's rating, and so does the use of energy cards and the fact that cards that allow you to build energy-efficient decks are a pain to get!”
humor
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it genuinely funny and entertaining, others criticize it for lacking true comedic value and highlight frustrating gameplay elements. Additionally, there are comments on the absurdity of matchmaking, which some users find amusing, while others express dissatisfaction with the overall experience.
- “Get this game is sooooo funny trust me”
- “I like this game its so funny”
- “You either play only with basic decks vs basic decks called theme or you can go play vs veteran players coz matchmaking in this game is extremely funny you get to play vs most expensive cards there is with starter deck where you will lose every single match”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express strong emotional reactions to the game, with some experiencing genuine feelings of joy and others facing frustration and disappointment, leading to tears. The interface limitations can exacerbate these feelings, as players feel a sense of loss when enjoyable features are inaccessible. Overall, the game elicits a wide range of emotions, from enjoyment to emotional trauma.
- “It legitimately gets me emotional.”
- “Tldr, good game, decent interface, but if you got the short end of the stick like me, it can cause emotional trauma by suddenly having something enjoyable taken away from you.”
- “This game is so stupid and every time I play a card I sometimes don't get an energy card. This game made me cry.”