Kids these days

April 17, 2017 6:09 AM

Help me understand the confusing world of Pokemon trading cards. Is Pokemon Sun and Moon compatible with Pokemon EX?

My son has a tin of Pokemon EX cards. We bought an expansion pack today but the box says 'Sun and Moon'. Everyone in the playground has EX.

I'm confused. I know nothing about trading card games.

Are both sets the same thing? Can we combine the decks? Or should I return the Sun and Moon cards and hunt down an EX deck?

posted by popcassady to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (2 answers total)

Best answer: All pokemon cards can be combined together.

Pokemon EX is/was a way to sell more cards. Initially pokemon cards came in only two forms/stages: Basic pokemon (e.g. Squirtle) and the more powerful evolved forms called Stage 1 pokemon (e.g. Wartortle) and sometimes Stage 2 pokemon (e.g. Blastoise). As pokemon became more popular the creators began to introduce and sell NEW pokemon and NEW forms/stages of pokemon regularly in themed collections (the newest being Sun and Moon). These newer stages include Baby pokemon, Break pokemon, EX and even Mega EX pokemon. So you can now buy Squirtle, Wartotle, Blastoise AND Blastoise EX, AND Mega Blastoise EX.

Before the release of Sun and Moon, EX pokemon (and their rarer Mega EX forms) were the most powerful and expensive pokemon cards. Also the cards the kids most wanted to collect and play with. Now with Sun and Moon they've added another powerful form/stage called Pokemon GX. The kids I work with haven't started feverishly collecting the GX pokemon yet, but I imagine that that's the marketing goal.

Your son absolutely can mix and match his deck. If he plays the card game he'll need to pick and choose cards based on his strategy. If he only collects it makes no difference which cards he has (other than personal preference of course).
posted by eisforcool at 6:48 AM on April 17, 2017 [5 favorites]

In my experience, the ex cards are really expensive.
posted by k8t at 8:38 AM on April 17, 2017