The Pokémon Celebrations Elite Trainer Box is the perfect starting set! | Source: The Pokémon Company International

Train on — elite style!

The Pokémon Co. International’s Pokémon Trading Card Game: Celebrations Elite Trainer Box is the perfect pack for trainers ages 6 and up. Filled with beloved characters from the Pokémon franchise — as well as popular card artwork and gameplay mechanics — the Celebrations Elite Trainer Box contains everything kids need to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG).

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Pokémon released the highly anticipated Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG): Celebrations collection, which features the Celebrations Elite Trainer Box. The Elite Trainer Box has truly everything a trainer needs to play TCG — the set includes 10 Celebrations four-card booster packs, five additional Pokémon TCG booster packs, one special foil card featuring Greninja, 65 anniversary-themed card sleeves, 45 Energy cards, a player’s guide to the Celebrations expansion, a Pokémon TCG rulebook, six damage-counter die, one competition-legal coin-flip die, and two acrylic condition markers.

Whew. That’s a lot of Pokémon!

Although the Celebrations Elite Trainer Box is pretty special already, there are a couple things that set it apart from other TCG products (and will thrill every die-hard Pokémon fan!!). The Celebrations four-card booster packs contain four specially designed cards, each featuring a 25th-anniversary logo and foil treatment. These cards picture characters from across every region in the known Pokémon universe, from Pikachu to Zamazenta. The Celebrations Elite Trainer Box also features 25 close remakes of iconic Pokémon cards, including Base Set Charizard, Umbreon, and Tapu Lele-GX: That’s right, there’s something for every age of Pokémon fan.

One of my favorite things about this set is how accessible it is. As someone who had never played Pokémon TCG before, it was incredibly easy to set up and learn how to play. The Pokémon TCG player’s guide details everything that it’s in the box — including how to use the new cards and combos — while the Pokémon TCG rulebook carefully lays out how the game works.

Although it can look like a lot to digest, TCG is best learned through actual gameplay. It can take a couple tries to fully understand all the rules, but kids will catch on quickly. The Pokémon TCG rulebook is also pocket sized, which makes it easy to take for on-the-go battles.

There are a LOT of items in the Celebrations Elite Trainer Box, which is great because new trainers don’t need to buy multiple additional card packs to build their decks. However, I’d recommend having another place to store all your new Pokémon products. Although the product comes with a resealable lid, there are so many pieces that can easily slip through and get lost in the house. Parents of little trainers should also note that each piece is individually packaged. Little hands may require additional help opening their new decks!

Related: Pikachu and Eevee Will Sleigh the Skies Above Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Hitting the shelves just in time for the holiday season, the Pokémon Celebrations Elite Trainer Box is the perfect present for any Pokémon fan. There’s something for both new and old trainers, leaving us with only this sentiment: It’s time to catch ‘em all!

About the author

Hannah Sacks

Hannah Sacks

Hannah Sacks was an editorial assistant at The Toy Insider, The Pop Insider, and The Toy Book. An avid reader, her first love is late Victorian literature paired with a huge plate of dumplings. When she’s not reading, she loves to attend concerts, cook elaborate dinners, and snuggle up with her two cats, Oscar and Percy.

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