Us nerds are a nostalgic bunch, and Nintendo knows it. We'll chase after the first edition Pokémon cards we cherished in the nineties, and we gobble up every classic that returns to us remastered. We're gleeful, sitting ducks for all things Pokémon - so why has this one obscure videogame escaped us? Why haven't we seen a rerelease of Pokémon Trading Card Game 2?
If you're not familiar with that name, we're not surprised. This is a deep cut that even most nineties kids won't remember.
In the early days of the Pokémon TCG, Nintendo wasn't content to limit the game to paper cards. Instead, it took full advantage of the videogame franchise it was developing alongside its trading card game. Pokémon Trading Card Game (known as Pokémon Card GB in Japan) was structured similarly to a mainline Pokémon game, but its protagonist battled with cards rather than actual Pokémon.
The first three Pokémon sets were available in the game to create decks with, as well as a few extra exclusive cards. Defeat the eight Club Masters, and then the four Grand Masters, and you're rewarded with legendary cards and a sense of smugness.
The game was released in Japan in 1998, with a worldwide release following in 2000. 1.51 million copies sold in North America alone, and reviews were extremely positive. It's no surprise, then, that a sequel quickly followed. Pokémon Card GB 2 launched in Japan in 2001, just a year after US fans got their hands on the first game. This marked the first time that a Pokémon videogame was ever published by The Pokémon Company rather than Nintendo.
GB 2 improved on the original in plenty of ways. It features an expanded world, with a second island of new gyms added to the original map. Plus, it added the newest Pokémon set of the time, Team Rocket, to the usual card pool. The game's general interface and animations were improved, and you could play as a female character for the first time.
Given that the sequel featured all the content of the original, plus plenty of extras, it's apparently the superior version of Pokémon Trading Card Game. We say 'apparently', though, as Pokémon Card GB 2 never made it out of Japan.
We're still not sure why we never got an English-language sequel. The game reviewed fairly well in Japan, with Weekly Famitsu giving it a 29 out of 40 score. IGN confidently wrote in 2001 that it expected a sequel to the first game, but for one reason or another, it never materialized.
Now, almost 25 years later, we'd love to see this lost treasure get a revival. The only official way to get your hands on it is by buying a second-hand Japanese copy on sites like eBay. However, there is a simple, digital solution that could solve all our problems.
Nintendo has steadily brought vintage releases to modern audiences through Nintendo Switch Online, and we think that Pokémon Card GB 2 is a prime contender for the Nintendo Classics series. Yes, someone would need to do the work of translating it, but we think the cost of entry is worth it.
For more rarities, here are the most expensive Pokémon cards in history. Or, if you want to keep up with the current TCG, we're always happy to chat about decks in the Wargamer Discord.