Pokémon Journey Together unboxing and review: The must-have TCG release of 2025

The Pokémon Trading Card game has few mechanics that are more nostalgic than Trainer’s Pokemon.

Blaine’s Charizard, Cynthia’s Garchomp, Sabrina’s Gengar – some of the best cards in the history of the game have been tied to their equally legendary trainers. Since the introduction of the mechanic in the Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge sets of the early 2000s, players and collectors have longed for the mechanic to become a more permanent fixture.

While many mechanics like Tag Team, GX, V-Star and more have cycled in and out of the game, there are few as beloved as Trainer’s Pokémon, which makes Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Journey Together such a highly anticipated set, and why we think it’s one of the best of the Scarlet and Violet era so far.

Following the release of the last main set, Surging Sparks, the Pokémon TCG is shifting focus away from the Scarlet and Violet games themselves and instead looking back across the history of the franchise. It’s notable that out of the four featured trainers that are part of the new set, only one of them, Iono, actually debuted in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on Nintendo Switch.

The others, N (Black and White), Lillie (Sun and Moon), and Hop (Sword and Shield), are a mix of fan favourites and recent rivals. It would have been easy to kick off the set with Red, Misty, Brock and Giovanni, but the mix of eras is something that not only makes this set unique but gives focus to characters that haven’t had the spotlight in a while.

Naturally, reintroducing Trainer’s Pokémon means a mechanical change that will hugely affect the way the competitive TCG is played. Trainer’s Pokémon have bespoke item and supporter cards, as well as abilities. For example, Hop’s Snorlax comes with the Ability Extra Helping, which means that all attacks used by Hop’s Pokémon do 30 more damage.

This new dynamic in the TCG is an interesting sidestep from the EX-dominated format we’ve been seeing recently. Although EXs, and Trainer’s EXs will still be a factor as we transition from EXs to the eventual introduction of Mega Pokémon later this year.

Trainer’s Pokémon returning in Journey Together also gives the TCG, which is currently enjoying its artistic peak in terms of card design, plenty of material to work with. Journey Together features the adorable and cartoony Iono’s Kilowattrel Art Rare, as well as the much sought-after Lillie’s Clefairy Special Illustation Rare.

The Pokémon Trading Card game has upped its game artistically in the last two years, but the reintroduction of Trainer’s Pokémon makes us think it’s going to go to a whole new level. A recent preview of a forthcoming Misty Psyduck from a future Japanese set guarantees that.

If we have one criticism of the new set, it’s that there are a decent amount of EX cards that aren’t classed as Trainer’s Pokémon, and feel like strange inclusions. It would have perhaps been overkill to make every single EX card a Trainer’s Pokémon, but sticking to four for this first set, when there are 8+ EX cards without a trainer, feels there could have been room to compromise.

The return of the Trainer’s Pokémon Era has kicked off with what is one of the very best sets of the Scarlet and Violet era of Pokémon cards. This coming so soon after Prismatic Evolutions means that 2025 could prove to be one of the best years for the hobby in a long time, if you can get your hands on the cards, that is.

The Trainer’s Pokémon mechanic has been smartly introduced, and this set gives us plenty of cards that are both competitively viable, and visually stunning. Our hope is that when Mega Pokémon return to the game later this year, Trainer’s Pokémon can exist alongside them, giving even more opportunity for some of the best Pokémon Trading Card Game art ever.