The newest Pokémon TCG expansion launches today, with Paradox Rift marking quite a few firsts for the card game. I’ve had a chance to take an early look at the new set, which features the first appearance of Paradox Pokémon, as well as all-new artworks and first-ever debuts of characters like the Elite 4 member Rika. The full scoop is below the fold alongside launch day deals.
The latest expansion to the Pokémon trading card game is here with Paradox Rift. This set was first revealed for the United States back in August when we got the first intel on its 182 included cards. Now, the collection is here, and we’re taking a hands-on look.
The new expansion marks the fifth set of Pokémon cards from the Scarlet and Violet era. Even with so many sets coming out in 2023 so far, the new Paradox Rift collection still manages to offer plenty of new releases, with more than just updated art.
All of the excitement is right in the name, with the new set featuring Paradox Pokémon for the first time. It brings all of the prehistoric and futuristic versions of some of the more iconic monsters into the card game. There are some very cool artworks to go alongside the updated looks for Pokémon.
Alongside the new Paradox Pokémon, the Paradox Rift TCG expansion also continues to deliver on the Tera Type cards. The new mechanic has slowly been saturating the card game, as many of the Scarlet and Violet sets look to bring the unique altered types into the game. This time around, we’re getting some new versions of favorites like Mewtwo and Garchomp, both of which are getting the EX treatment to boot.
The other big highlight for me with the new set is that the Pokémon TCG is finally debuting some of the final trainers from Scarlet and Violet who haven’t already been given the cards of their own. I might be a little biased, but finally getting cards for Elite 4 member Rika makes the Paradox Rift set a particular favorite for me. The other new full-art designs aren’t too bad, either.
Launch day deals go live on Pokémon
As we’ve come to expect from the days following the launch of a new trading card expansion from the Pokémon Company, launch discounts are now live.
It’s a bit of a different story, though, as far as which actual products are even up on store shelves, let alone seeing discounts. The usual Elite Trainer Box is, of course, getting in on the savings via Amazon, which is well below what you’d pay directly from the official Pokémon Center store for the new Pokémon Paradox Rift set. But there are also some other deals up for grabs, too, in place of the Booster Boxes that aren’t being released for the new expansion.
Everything kicks off with the Elite Trainer Box, which has long been the preferred way for Trainers to get in on the new cards. It’s certainly our favorite, too. We definitely think it’s the perfect introduction to the game, as it includes nine booster packs alongside some card sleeves and other gear. Snorlax is taking the stage as the mascot on the packaging, which is also reflected by the promo card included in the box.
Over at Amazon, the Pokémon Elite Trainer Box sells for $39.96 to headline the Pokémon Paradox Rift launch day deals. That’s $15 off the MSRP and lands as the best price out there to bring home the latest ETB from a trusted source.
As for Trainers looking to score an entire booster box, right now, Amazon is marking down the larger assortment of packs to $111.99. Not only is this a new Amazon low for launch day, but it’s also a sizable price cut from the $160 going rate direct from the Pokémon Company.
This package includes even more individual packs than the Elite Trainer Box but skips all of the extra gear in favor of maximizing your ability to get all of the cards you want from the new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet set. In total, you’re looking at 36 packs from the new expansion set, each of which comes with nine cards.
And if you’re looking for something more affordable, the new Paradox Rift Booster Bundle includes six packs of the new Scarlet and Violet expansion. This one sells at Amazon for $23.95 right now, dropping down from its usual $29 price tag. Those 20% in savings make this one of the best ways to pull some of the new chase cards from set without committing to any of the other, more expensive packs.
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