I’ve been a fan of Pokemon since the initial Western release of the very first Game Boy games, back in the 90s.

Having played Pokemon Blue to death back then – Squirtle being the first Pokemon I ever ‘owned’ – I have incredibly deep and potent nostalgia for the first 151 Pokemon, all featured across Pokemon Red and Blue.

So I was very excited about getting my hands on new Pokemon Trading Card Game set, Pokemon 151, which brings them all back in updated form and with some genuinely gorgeous art too.

Apparently, so were lots of other people, as it’s been really hard to get hold of any cards!

Thankfully, I had some pre-ordered – so I did manage to open some at least.

Is it me, or does it feel like this year has been the biggest ever for Trading Card Games/Collectable Card Games?

With the world’s first CCG, Magic: The Gathering, celebrating its 30th anniversary, publisher Wizards of the Coast brought out their stunning Lord of the Rings set for Magic; which is on track to being the most successful release ever for the game.

We’ve also had Yu-Gi-Oh celebrating its 25th anniversary and even the launch of Disney Lorcana, which has gone crazy at retail, as well as seeing the prices of most cards going through the roof on the secondary market.

So 151 is another massive release for 2023, bringing yet more excitement to a newly overcrowded but hugely exciting CCG/TCG industry.

I’ve really enjoyed getting some very exciting cards in the limited number of packs I’ve opened.

Should you want to check these out yourself, the best way into the set for a reasonable price is to get hold of an Elite Trainer Box, which features 9 booster packs and plenty of very useful accessories, alongside a player’s guide for the 151 set.

Oh, and this exclusive Snorlax card too!

Be warned: excitement for the 151 set is pushing the value of different products up significantly at the moment – and the Elite Trainer Box is no different.

If you do want to get one, Amazon currently have them in stock – you can buy one from this link.

Happy hunting – gotta catch ’em all!