HORI Co. will be releasing a Nintendo DSi / DSi LL cradle charging stand called the "Pikachu Charge Stand DSi" (ピカチュウ チャージスタンドDSi). It will be released in Japan on September 18th, 2010 to coincide with the release of Pokémon Black and White. It will retail for 3,980 yen. It is 245mm × 155mm × 220mm (Width, Depth, Height) and weighs 580g when a DSi is resting in the cradle. The Official Nintendo DSi/DSi LL AC Adaptor WAP-002 （JPN) can be connected to the device to charge. It is also one of the first products branded with the new anime series Best Wishes.


Click on images for higher resolution.
Source: http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20100827_389531.html

The Pokémon TCG: Platinum Supreme Victors expansion was released on August 19th, 2009. Press release pictures from this set have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Pokémon TCG: Platinum Supreme Victors

Increase your power with impressive new Pokémon that will take you to the pinnacle of Pokémon battles—the Battle Frontier! The brand-new Pokémon Trading Card Game Platinum—Supreme Victors is available now!

In the new Pokémon TCG set, Platinum—Supreme Victors, you’ll find more sizzling Pokémon SP like Blaziken, more ferocious Pokémon LV.X like Charizard LV.X, and more opportunities to battle your way to the top. Victory will be supreme when you play with Pokémon trained by Team Galactic, the Battle Frontier elite, and the Sinnoh League Champion! This latest installment of the best-selling Pokémon TCG contains more than 150 cards and features new Pokémon SP and new Pokémon LV.X including Rayquaza, Garchomp and more!

• Collect Dragon-type Pokémon including Charizard and Rayquaza
• Discover new Pokémon LV.X including Charizard, Garchomp, and Blaziken
• More Pokémon SP including Frontier Brain’s Pokémon and Champion’s Pokémon

Get Smart with Frontier Brain SP Cards!
The Frontier Brains proved their worthiness as opponents in Pokémon Platinum Version. Now see these talented Trainers in action in Supreme Victors! Look for over a dozen Frontier Brain SP cards, including the Psychic-type Drifblim [GL] (3/147) and the hard-hitting Regigigas [GL] (9/147). There are even a few Pokémon SP LV.X cards to catch, including Staraptor [GL] LV.X (147/147)!

Brighten Up Your Deck with Shiny Cards!
There are three Shiny cards in Supreme Victors that you won’t want to miss. Shiny cards are easily recognizable by nonstandard colors of the Pokémon in the artwork, as well as their unique numbering. Notably, the Fighting-type Relicanth (SH8) can use the Deep Sea Pressure attack to make it more costly for the Defending Pokémon to retreat. Also be sure to check out the Water-type Milotic (SH7) and Grass-type Yanma (SH9), more Shiny cards that will surely bring sparkle to your deck!

Even Cuter in Clay!
Supreme Victors also marks the return of one of the coolest TCG card art styles. Illustrator Yuka Morii creates clay models of Pokémon then photographs them in natural environments. Supreme Victors marks the first time her illustrations have appeared in the Platinum series! Focusing on the most adorable Pokémon, Yuka Morii’s designs can be seen on the Electric-type duo Plusle (76/147), Minun (71/147), and on the darling Whismur (132/147)!

Get in on the fun of Supreme Victors at your local store with boosters plus great theme decks, Ignition and Overflow!

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/supreme-victors

Ignition / Overflow Theme Decks

Make Cyrus's Pokémon yours with the Ignition theme deck! Team Galactic's fiery Arcanine G roars through your opponent's Pokémon to attack the Bench with its awesome Overrun attack! And where there's fire, there's got to be an energy resource... The Bebe's Search Supporter cards and Energy Search Trainer cards will give you just what you need. Now get ready for Venusaur, who can endure tons of damage, and then change the game—making the Defending Pokémon Burned, Confused, and Poisoned with its Desperate Pollen attack! So, you've got the fuel and the fire... Can you bring the heat?

Take your game to new heights with help from Cynthia, the Sinnoh League Champion! With powerful Champion's Pokémon Milotic C and Spiritomb C at your call, you'll discover how valuable Psychic and Water Pokémon SP can be. Exceptional Supporter cards like Cynthia's Feelings and Roseanne's Research provide a flood of game play options. Then watch Roserade C run riot with its Magical Leaf attack—flip a coin right and extra damage rains down while it heats itself. Take the plunge and submerge your opponents in the treacherous waters of Overflow!

February 9, 2009 - Bellevue, WA -- February 9, 2009 - Today, Pokemon USA, Inc. announced that it has expanded its retail presence for Pokemon in Toys"R"Us stores nationwide through 2009. Dedicated areas at the entrance of the "R" Zone video game departments now showcase a variety of Pokemon merchandise, including the top-selling video games, the Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG), TV and movie DVDs, select TOMY products that are making their U.S. debut, and a full range of Pokemon toys from JAKKS Pacific, Inc. Starting in April, Toys"R"Us Times Square, the company's International Flagship store, will highlight the Pokemon brand in a dedicated boutique through the remainder of the year. Toys"R"Us stores nationwide will also host retail events throughout 2009.

The expanded Pokemon area within Toys"R"Us stores spotlights several popular Pokemon video game titles, leading up to one of the most anticipated titles of the year-Pokemon Platinum Version for the Nintendo DS system. The dedicated area also features a wide selection of TCG expansion sets for the Pokemon: Diamond & Pearl Series and the newest Pokemon TCG: Platinum expansion. Additionally, the section includes a broad assortment of DVDs, strategy guides, and other toys from JAKKS Pacific.

The dedicated area establishes Toys"R"Us as the premier destination for fans looking for a wide selection of Pokemon products. Toys"R"Us will host video game events featuring character distributions for Pokemon Diamond Version & Pokemon Pearl Version (each sold separately), with the first event taking place from February 8 - February 14. A second event will take place in the spring. Toys"R"Us will also be the first retailer in the U.S. to carry select Pokemon toys by TOMY.

"Our partnership with Toys"R"Us speaks volumes about the unwavering popularity of the Pokemon franchise," said Caryl Liebmann, director, retail development and promotions, Pokemon USA, Inc. "We're excited that Toys"R"Us is offering our fans this first-class retail destination."

Pokemon is one of the most successful children's franchises in history and the #1 collectible trading card game of all time. The record-breaking TCG boasts 374 percent sales growth in the U.S. alone since 2005 and is sold in more than 30 countries around the globe. The Pokemon video game series has sold more than 186 million units worldwide through September 2008, with many more sales expected with the release of this spring's Pokemon Platinum Version. Other successful extensions of the property include eleven seasons on U.S. television with the debut of the series' 12th season this spring. Pokemon films and DVDs continue to reach fans in amazing numbers, often ranking at the top of the box office in Japan.

The Pokémon TCG: Platinum expansion was released on February 11th, 2009. Press release pictures from this set have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Platinum

The Pokémon TCG: Platinum expansion puts you in the middle of the action when you face challenges no Trainer has ever encountered before! From incredible Pokémon LV.X like Giratina to the mysterious new Lost Zone, from the newly discovered Pokémon Shaymin to the villainous Team Galactic, you’ll discover worlds you never knew existed and fight battles you never knew were possible. The Pokémon TCG: Platinum is your first step into the next great Pokémon TCG adventure!

• Introduces the never-before-seen Pokémon Shaymin!
• Includes all-new Trainer-specific Pokémon SP!
• New game play area, the Lost Zone, adds lots of new strategies!
• Features two theme decks built around the new Pokémon Shaymin and the Renegade Pokémon Giratina!
• Exciting holographic parallel set for players and collectors alike
• 130 cards in all!

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/platinum

Flourish / Rebellion Theme Decks

Sweet victory is yours with the fast-moving Flourish deck! Silcoon becomes the powerful Beautifly in the blink of an eye, while swarms of Fire and Grass Pokémon catapult into action. The amazing Shaymin enables you to dish out damage to your opponent's Pokémon with Energy Blow, while keeping your team in top condition by removing damage counters with Aromatherapy. When you don't have time to mess around, go ahead and win with a Flourish!

What do you get when you team up Fighting and Psychic Pokémon? You get a hard-hitting team with some tricks up its sleeve! The mighty Giratina keeps you safe with its Dragonbreath as Mismagius and Dugtrio use their sneaky traps to catch your opponents off guard. Then, unleash Gardevoir and its double-barreled Energy Burst attack. The more Energy in the field, the stronger it gets! With your strength and savvy, you'll lead your Rebellion to supremacy!

The Pokémon TCG: Diamond & Pearl Stormfront expansion was released on November 5th, 2008. Press release pictures from this set have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Diamond & Pearl Stormfront

A turbulent force is approaching, and it’s on a collision course with everything you thought you knew about the Pokémon TCG! In Diamond & Pearl—Stormfront, you are met head-on by powerful Pokémon unrestrained and never holding anything back! In this frenzy you’ll find new Pokémon LV.X, Trainer cards that power up when played together, and the dramatic entrance of some of the most popular Pokémon ever! The time has come to enter the storm, and witness this awe-inspiring spectacle first hand!

• Powerful new Pokémon LV.X cards, including Dusknoir and Machamp
• Two theme decks built around the popular Gyarados and Tyranitar
• New strategies such as Trainer cards that can be played in pairs
• Exciting holographic parallel set for players and collectors alike

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/stormfront

Raging Sea / Dark Rampage Theme Decks

When you play with the Raging Sea theme deck, crashing waves mean the tide is turning in your favor! The ever-powerful Gyarados thrives on causing serious disruption in your opponent's forces. Its Dragon Beat attack gives you the chance to discard an Energy card from each of your opponent's Pokémon—leaving those Pokémon low on resources and running for higher ground! And watch as Sceptile becomes your favorite new ally with its Slice Drain attack—it does big damage and then heals itself with every impact! Unleash the Raging Sea theme deck and you'll ride out the storm on top!

Prepare for some serious crushing power when you play with the Dark Rampage theme deck. Each time your opponent uses a Poké-Power, the Armor Pokémon Tyranitar's Darkness Drive Poké-Body lets you attach a Darkness Energy card to power up Tyranitar's Grind attack for an additional 20 damage! Then, go for a quick finish by bringing in Staraptor. Its Clutch attack will grab onto the Defending Pokémon, making it unable to avoid the next big hit! No matter how you play the Dark Rampage theme deck, you're putting on the hurt each turn and never letting up!

The Pokémon TCG: Diamond & Pearl Majestic Dawn expansion was released on May 21st, 2008 . Press release pictures from this set have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Info:

Far From All Things Ordinary, the Majestic Dawn Rises! A new day is emerging for the awesome powers that wait just beyond the horizon. In the Pokémon TCG: Diamond & Pearl—Majestic Dawn expansion, the Evolution Pokémon Eevee is ready to be discovered in its ice and grass forms—Glaceon and Leafeon. With more new Pokémon, new Pokémon LV.X, a cool new Stadium card, and all seven powerful evolutions of Eevee, Majestic Dawn puts amazing origins right before your eyes!

Press Release

The all-new Pokemon Trading Card Game expansion Diamond & Pearl - Majestic Dawn hits store shelves nationwide on May 21, 2008. This latest installment features 100 cards and is guaranteed to change game strategy for Trainers everywhere. With more new Pokemon, new Pokemon LV.X, a cool new Stadium card, and the debut of two new powerful evolutions of Eevee, players can expect a titanic clash of some of the most powerful Pokemon ever!

Features:

• New powerful Pokemon LV.X cards - including Garchomp LV.X and Porygon-Z LV.X<
• Legendary Pokemon Darkrai and rare Pokemon Cresselia
• Seven evolutions of Eevee - including all-new Leafeon and Glaceon
• Features booster packs for collectors and players of all ages
• Booster packs include 10 randomly inserted game cards
• Features theme decks for beginner and intermediate players
• Theme decks will be available in two 60-card theme decks - "Polar Frost" and "Forest Force"
• Theme decks include one guaranteed foil card

The Diamond and Pearl Pre-release tournaments are coming to North America on the weekends of May 10th-11th and May 17th-18th, giving players a chance to play the cards in this new set, including all of Eevee's Evolutions and more Pokemon LV.X, it's a chance not to be missed!

The entry fee for the tournament includes 6 Diamond and Pearl - Majestic Dawn booster packs that are yours to keep. You can receive two additional packs by completing the event and while supplies last, all participants receive a free Mothim prerelease promo card and a Diamond and Pearl - Majestic Dawn promotional item! All players in good standing are welcome to attend, and players will compete in three divisions: Junior (born in or after 1997), Senior (born between 1993-1996), or Master (born in or before 1992). Bring your Pokemon Organized Play Card if you have one, and if not, you can register for one at the tournament.

Source: http://go-pokemon.com/tcg/news/articles/74.html

Diamond & Pearl Majestic Dawn

Find out what's beyond the newest horizon in Diamond & Pearl—Majestic Dawn!

Take It Eevee
One of the most anticipated groups of Pokémon has arrived! Eevee gains two more evolutions in Majestic Dawn, bringing the total number of evolutions it has to seven, and you'll find each of them in this set! Leafeon (7/100) traps the opponent’s Defending Pokémon in the battle, locking it in for future damage with Leaf Guard’s combination of hard hits and built-in defense. Glaceon (5/100) can nullify incoming attacks when using its Snow Cloak each turn, and then kicks into high gear with Speed Slide, which avoids all kinds of defenses. One of the best parts of using Eevee and its evolutions is the amount of options you have for adding extra Pokémon types to your deck—it's easy to do and fun besides!

There’s a New LV.X Pokémon on the Block, and It's Coming for You!
Garchomp LV.X (97/100) breaks all kinds of rules, but as it's one of the most powerful Pokémon out there, no one is stopping it! Its Dragon Pulse Poké-Power has the ability to damage all of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon when Garchomp comes into play. In addition to being able to use the regular Garchomp’s attacks, it has a no-cost Restore attack. Restore allows you to bring any 1 of your Pokémon back from the discard pile and put it directly into play—even a Stage 2. That Pokémon doesn’t come in empty-handed, either, as it gets up to 3 basic Energy cards from the discard pile as well. Garchomp LV.X is powerful and extremely useful in bringing back Pokémon that have been Knocked Out.

Latest News in Rock
Majestic Dawn introduces 3 new Fossils—Dome Fossil, Helix Fossil, and Old Amber. Dome Fossil (89/100) and Helix Fossil (91/100) offer speedy evolutions into their Stage 1 forms—just by attaching an Energy card! Old Amber (84/100) quickly evolves into Aerodactyl (15/100), whose Primal Claw Poké-Body puts 2 damage counters on your opponent’s Pokémon any time that Pokémon uses a Poké-Power. Get Aerodactyl out fast for some easy damage. Fossils offer a variety of strategies for your game—you'll want to check these out!

Energize Your Game!
Every deck uses Energy cards. Most often, these will be basic Energy cards to match the Pokémon types in the deck plus a couple of Special Energy cards. Majestic Dawn has new Special Energy cards that could go into any deck! Health Energy (94/100) and Recover Energy (96/100) offer recovery from damage and Special Conditions in addition to providing Colorless Energy. Perhaps even more sought-after will be Call Energy (92/100). Call Energy provides a Colorless Energy as well but also gives you the option of searching your deck for 2 Basic Pokémon, and putting them directly onto your Bench. Using this ability ends your turn, but it can easily set you up for the rest of the game!

Find these cards and more in theme decks and boosters of Diamond & Pearl—Majestic Dawn!

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/majestic-dawn

Polar Frost / Forest Force Theme Decks

Don't miss the power inside the Polar Frost theme deck because if there's a chill in the air, Glaceon must be right around the corner! When the Fresh Snow Pokémon puts on the freeze with its Icy Wind attack, it just might blast your opponent into deep hibernation! Plus, Jolteon charges in with a signature attack that rarely needs to hit twice—Lightning Strike! With a Polar Frost theme deck, not only do you shock the competition, you put it on ice!

In the Forest Force theme deck, Leafeon surrounds itself in fresh air with a trick that breathes new life into your game plans! Wrapping up the opponents with its Spiral Drain attack—squeezing tightly while regaining health—Leafeon will take roots and dominate the competition! And get ready for another health boost when Espeon raises the HP for Leafeon and itself with its Sunlight Veil Poké-Body! When you play with the Forest Force theme deck, you put the enduring power of nature in your corner!

The Pokémon TCG: Diamond & Pearl Great Encounters expansion was released on February 13th, 2008. Press release pictures from this set have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Press Release - Latest Card Release Reveals Powerful Diamond & Pearl Pokémon to Seek, Find, and Catch

In Great Encounters, many incredible Pokémon come together to battle in an epic confrontation that will be a triumph for Trainers everywhere. Who will stand victorious? Dialga? Palkia? Or is it Darkrai, a new Legendary Pokémon who rises up from the darkness? With more brand-new Pokémon cards, more Pokémon LV. X, and a titanic clash of some of the most powerful Pokémon ever, Great Encounters is every player’s chance to encounter greatness.

The Pokémon TCG: Diamond & Pearl - Great Encounters expansion will be available in three 60-card theme decks - Eternal Time, Endless Night, and Infinite Space - as well as in booster packs. Theme decks, priced at $11.99, include a unique coin, an updated rulebook, card list, one-player playmat, and damage counters. Each booster pack, priced at $3.79, features 10 randomly inserted game cards.

Meet Darkrai (Great Encounters, 4/106), a pitch-black Pokémon known to lull people to sleep and make them dream during nights of the new moon. Making its grand debut in Diamond & Pearl - Great Encounters, Darkrai is a Darkness-type Basic Pokémon with great attacks and high HP. Its powerful Sleep Hole attack delivers 40 damage to the Defending Pokémon, plus 40 more damage if the Defending Pokémon is Asleep. If the Defending Pokémon is not Asleep, the attack causes it to be Asleep. Either way, your opponent won't be pleased with the outcome. Darkrai's entry into the Pokémon universe will definitely shake things up with a surplus of shadowy new strategies to explore.

Source: http://www.go-pokemon.com/tcg/news/articles/68.html

Diamond & Pearl Great Encounters

Check out the release of Great Encounters to find your new favorite Pokémon!

Darkrai Unleashed!
The moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived! Darkrai makes its first appearance in the Pokémon TCG. Darkrai (4/106) and Darkrai LV.X (104/106) both use powerful attacks that inflict the Asleep Special Condition on the Defending Pokémon. Darkrai LV.X not only has a possible Knock Out option because of that, but its Dark Shadow Poké-Body powers up your basic Darkness Energy cards to be just like Darkness Special Energy cards—10 more damage for each one!

More Cards for LV.X!
Not only does this set feature 4 powerful Pokémon LV.X, it also includes cards that interact with them as well. Milotic (25/106) has the Marvel Scale Poké-Body that protects Milotic from attacks by your opponent’s Pokémon LV.X, while the Trainer card Premier Ball (101/106) always finds a Pokémon LV.X, whether it’s in your deck or in your discard pile. Cresselia LV.X (103/106) adds an extra threat for your opponent to consider—if it Knocks Out a Pokémon with its Moon Skip attack, you draw an extra Prize card.

Get Your Own Energy Boost
There are some Pokémon abilities that just scream to be used in the next deck that you build. Togekiss (11/106) offers a one-shot use of Serene Grace as it comes into play; you can look at the top 10 cards of your deck and then attach the basic Energy cards you find to any of your Pokémon. Maybe you would like a different kind of Energy assist—Sceptile’s (8/106) Wild Growth Poké-Body doubles the effectiveness of Grass Energy attached to your Grass Pokémon. Porygon-Z (6/106) offers a trick for Energy cards instead—discard a basic Energy card for its Conversion Poké-Power, and Porygon-Z changes its type to match... a great tactic for beating the Defending Pokémon’s Weakness.

The Right Tools for the Job
Pokémon Tools appear for the first time in the Diamond & Pearl Series, raising the standard for cards that boost your Pokémon. Amulet Coin (97/106) allows you to draw a card at the end of your turn, if the Pokémon it’s attached to is your Active Pokémon. Maybe you don’t need the extra cards; try out Leftovers (99/106) instead! Leftovers will slowly remove damage counters, giving that Pokémon more time to Knock Out your opponent’s defenders!

Source: https://www.Pokémon.com/us/Pokémon-tcg/majestic-dawn

Eternal Time / Infinite Space / Endless Night Theme Decks

Eternal Time Theme Deck
Tick... Tick... Tick... BOOM! Set the timer to go when you behold the energy inside an Eternal Time theme deck! As Dialga races onto the scene, your opponents will bow before the pressure of its Flash Cannon attack as it forces them to devolve their Pokémon! And lurking in reserve, Primeape is all the backup you could want with its Anger Point Poké-Body: when it has any damage, it powers up with a strength that never ends!

Infinite Space Theme Deck
Prepare to blast through the atmosphere! When you play with an Infinite Space theme deck, the fantastic powers of the cosmos are at your command! Palkia's Transback attack knocks an opponent's forces off the battlefield—making it almost impossible to put together an offensive against you! And, once you've silenced your opposition, Exploud will rip space apart with its Ambient Noise attack that blasts them out into nothingness!

Endless Night Theme Deck
Get ready for the next Pokémon breakthrough—with Darkrai on your team, the opposition will fear the dark! Slipping from the shadows, Darkrai's Sleep Hole attack lulls your enemies to sleep, then hits them with a powerful impact where they lie! Loaded with Darkness, Fire, and Grass Pokémon at the ready, the Endless Night theme deck will make sure you have victory at hand against any opponent!

The Pokémon TCG: Diamond & Pearl Secret Wonders expansion was released on November 7th, 2007. Press release pictures from this set have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Info:

Uncover the Secret, Discover the Wonder. Make your opponents wonder what your secret power is! In Secret Wonders, you'll discover new Pokémon that will give your battles a powerful twist. Plus, with more exciting Pokémon LV.X, more strategy-changing Poké-Powers and Poké-Bodies, and brand-new Trainer cards, your best-kept secret will be surprise! The wonders never cease when you play the Pokémon TCG: Diamond & Pearl—Secret Wonders expansion!

Diamond & Pearl Secret Wonders

Discover new Pokémon in Diamond & Pearl—Secret Wonders and unlock a new horizon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Never-before-seen Pokémon, new attacks, and cutting-edge Trainer cards will have you on the edge of your seat!

Legendary Pokémon
Catch up with the legendary trio of Entei (4/132), Raikou (16/132), and Suicune (19/132)! Each of them has special abilities that give you an advantage in battle… whether it’s Entei as it does damage, Raikou when a Lightning Energy is attached to it, or Suicune that recovers your Water-type Pokémon from your discard pile. Which one will fit best in your new strategies?

No-Cost Attacks
Here’s an excellent variety of attacks that don’t need any Energy to use. Smeargle (66/132) can search your deck for 3 basic Energy cards for free while Banette (23/132) can damage the Defending Pokémon, putting equal amounts of damage counters on both. There are many Pokémon in Secret Wonders that take advantage of these attacks, allowing you to save your Energy for the Pokémon that need it more!

Wondrous Items
This expansion introduces "items" for the first time. Items are part of the Pokémon’s card, giving that Pokémon a unique distinction. Murkrow's (95/132) Dusk Stone allows it to immediately evolve into Honchkrow (132/132) during any of your turns—including the very first turn of the game! So, what other Pokémon have items? Find out in booster packs of Secret Wonders!

Look for booster packs of Diamond & Pearl—Secret Wonders as well as the new Lavaflow and Powerhouse theme decks at your local store today!

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/secret-wonders

Pokémon Fans Across North America Sneak a Peek at the Latest Cards!

Pokémon TCG: Diamond & Pearl - Secret Wonders doesn't hit store shelves until November 7th, 2007, but many Pokémon enthusiasts across the U.S. and Canada have already been treated to an early look at the latest cards. How did they score such a sweet opportunity? Savvy Pokémon fans got to play with brand-new cards before anyone else by attending Secret Wonders Prerelease tournaments. Additional Secret Wonders Prerelease tournaments will be taking place November 3rd and 4th, 2007.

To get a feel for the excitement, go-pokemon.com attended a Secret Wonders Prerelease tournament held at Phoenix Games in Mukilteo, Washington. When we arrived, there was electricity in the air as dozens of Pokémon fans prepared to play with cards they had never seen before.

One of the best parts of playing and collecting Pokémon trading cards is the excitement you feel just before opening a booster pack. What will be inside? Your favorite Pokémon? A powerful Trainer card? An oddly alluring Bidoof? Imagine this same feeling, but now consider that after you open the pack, you'll immediately have to put these cards to use against another player in your same position. That's a thrilling experience, and that's what Pokémon Prerelease tournaments are all about.

After opening six booster packs each, competitors have an equal amount of time to construct 40-card decks with which to challenge their rivals. At the Secret Wonders Prerelease tournament, foil wrappers were flying as eager fans soaked up the new possibilities and formed their plans of attack. It didn't take long for strategies to be formulated, and before long, the competition was underway.

The tournament bracket was broken down into three divisions based on age: Junior, Senior, and Masters. As we wandered from table to table, it was clear that the competition was fierce in each age group.

Attacks were flying everywhere. We witnessed Charizard using Blast Burn to K.O. an opposing Pokémon. Wild Waves from Gastrodon West Sea wreaked havoc on Benched Pokémon on more than one occasion. Damage counters flew in all directions, and Prize cards were snatched up with glee. With ultimate victory or an unfortunate defeat hanging in the balance, time seemed to stand still as coins were flipped and fates were determined.

When the dust settled, three Pokémon Trainers stood above the rest as the champions of the day. There wasn't a loser in the room though, because all participants got to keep the cards they opened during the competition. On top of that, tournament goers each received a special foil-stamped Prerelease card, as well as a couple Secret Wonders booster packs when they completed the event. Everybody wins at Prerelease tournaments!

If you missed last week's tournaments, you're not out of luck. Additional Secret Wonders Prerelease tournaments will be taking place November 4th and 5th. For more information, and to find a tournament near you, visit the prerelease tournament page at go-pokemon.com.

While most Pokémon Organized Play tournaments are free, Prerelease tournaments require a minimum $25 entrance fee. For more details, visit the Secret Wonders prerelease tournament FAQ.

Source: http://www.go-pokemon.com/tcg/news/

Lavaflow / Powerhouse Theme Decks

Lavaflow
The Lavaflow theme deck is ready to explode! Use your Fire and Grass Pokémon to build up to the eruption, then let Magmortar use its Flame Body, Flame Blast, and Fireball Bazooka to send a wall of hot lava cascading down on your opponent!

Powerhouse
Show your opponents who’s in charge when you play the Powerhouse theme deck! Your Lightning and Fighting Pokémon will rumble like thunder while Electivire uses its Motor Drive Poké-Power to keep adding more Lightning Energy to itself... until it uses its Discharge attack to electrify your opponent!

The Toy Industry Association's Fall Toy Preview got underway this morning at the Dallas Market Center. Fall Toy Preview is the by-appointment-only event where toy manufacturers privately show their newest product lines to long-lead buyers.

First impressions from the Fall Toy Preview

Jakks Pacific, Malibu, Calif., is looking to continue to make its mark in the action figure market with extensions to its Pokemon line as well as new Plug It In & Play TV Games. The company's Pokemon introductions for spring '08 are centered on the Battle Links System of bases that connect to playsets. The assortment includes: Pokemon Single and Multi-Pack Battle Links & (3-inch) Figures; Pokemon Battle Bases with different attack features; the Pokemon Sinnoh Region Playset, a the large playset with lights and sounds; Pokemon Real Attacks Figures, 5-inch figures with programmed attack actions, special effects and projectiles; Pokemon Flip Open Playset, a portable, large book-style playset that opens to reveal 3-D, vertical play areas for all Pokemon figures; and Pokemon Mechs, mechanized Pokemon characters that introduce vehicle play to the toy line with a simple push and play pattern.

Source: http://www.playthings.com/