Pokemon TCG fans name unexpected set as the best expansion of the decade
The Pokemon CompanyPicking one Pokemon TCG expansion set as the best of all time is certainly tough. There have been so many stellar expansions over the years that trying to find a single champion set can feel like an impossible task.
That being said, deciding on the best Pokemon TCG expansion set in a specific time frame is a little more plausible. Comparing Scarlet & Violet cards to Sword & Shield cards makes a lot more sense than contrasting them against the iconic Base Set, for example.
Pokemon TCG collectors recently crowned the “most popular English set” from the last 10 years on Reddit, kickstarting a debate that culminated with a few surprising expansion set winners.
Predictably, Evolving Skies was suggested by a large number of Pokemon fans in this thread. This expansion set from the Sword & Shield era has become almost infamous now – nicknamed “Evolving Cries” by collectors – largely in part due to social media hype and the beloved Moonbreon card.
Another popular expansion set that popped up in this debate was Hidden Fates, from the Sun & Moon era of the game. One player reminisced, “I ripped so much Hidden Fates I would go to about 10 stores daily searching for it… probably my most opened set to date”.
Out of all the suggestions from players, though, the one that stood out was the recent Scarlet & Violet – 151 special expansion set. Many agreed that it was hugely influential, getting scores of retired collectors back into the game and encouraging new players to join the community.
A collector observed, “As far as pure popularity, I would say 151. There were so many posts on all the Poke subs of people getting into the hobby for the first time because 151 was released… hella popular set with high hit rates and some extraordinary artworks paired with the pure nostalgia of the OG mons”.
Another noted, “151 is the only answer. When it comes to product sold 151 blows by all the rest.” They then elaborated that Hidden Fates was the best for rare cards and that Evolving Skies was blown up by “scalpers” searching for Moonbreon, too.
Deciding the best expansion set or most popular expansion set of the last decade will ultimately come down to personal experience and a little recency bias. That said, it’s clear from this lively debate that heaps of Pokemon TCG fans value the influence of Pokemon 151, alongside other sets like Evolving Skies.
Older sets are exciting to look through as a collector, but it’s important to look towards the future too – Pokemon’s release schedule isn’t slowing down any time soon. Twilight Masquerade is almost upon us, with Night Wanderer in the near future, too. We will have to see if either is able to take a prominent place in the game’s history.