Pokemon Trading Card Game Battle Academy Will Take You to School

The Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) has evolved into a powerhouse since it first appeared in the late 1990s, and like all long-lived card games, it can be tough to jump into. But The Pokemon Company says it has a solution to help introduce new players to the game: Pokemon Trading Card Game Battle Academy.

Battle Academy is actually a board-game version of Pokemon TCG, and it’s set to launch at Target starting June 21 and everywhere else from July 31.

The Pokemon Company International’s Senior Director of Consumer Marketing, J.C. Smith, said:

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 Pokmon TCG.

Battle Academy introduces new players to the game by walking them through the basics with tutorials and guides. So if you or anyone you know has ever wondered how to play the game, this is a great place to learn the rules. 

But there’s also advanced rule books and deck advice for veteran players, as well as a number of as-yet-unannounced “accessories” to help you expand your experience. However, details on that last bit are currently sparse.

In addition to those guides and accessories, Battle Academy comes with three decks of 60 cards each and a board that can accommodate two players. It’s not certain yet what each deck consists of, but from the game’s promo site, it seems they’ll be a Pikachu GX deck, Charizard GX deck, and Mewtwo GX deck.

Finally, there’s a code card that lets players enjoy the Pokemon Trading Card Game app download on iOS and Android.

And if all this sounds very appealing indeed, make sure to check out our starter guide for the Pokemon Sword and Shield trading card game expansion sets. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Pokemon news as it develops.