The Pokémon Trading Card Game is releasing a special Trick Or Trade BOOster pack set in September that will allow players to collect TCG cards during this year's Halloween holiday. Since launching in 2020, Nintendo has released a total of ten mainline Pokémon Sword and Shield TCG sets. With Generation 9 launching in November, the Galar region era of the Pokémon card game is winding down and coming to an end. To celebrate its final months, The Pokémon Company is releasing a Halloween-themed TCG set that is full of rare Sword and Shield Ghost-type Pokémon cards.
Although Gen 8 will conclude with the Silver Tempest set in November, The Pokémon Company is wrapping up the Sword and Shield series with a bang. The Nintendo tabletop game has already launched two major expansions with Brilliant Stars and Astal Radiance arriving in the first half of the year. On September 9, the Pokémon Lost Origin TCG set will make its debut and features the Sinnoh Legendary Giratina as a VSTAR card. The eleventh expansion will also bring back the "Lost Zone" mechanic, which made its first appearance in 2009's Pokémon Platinum.
The TCG isn't just getting expansions though, as The Pokémon Company is also releasing a wave of Sword and Shield Pokémon card accessories and products as well. One of the most anticipated releases is the Pokémon Trick or Trade set which hits retailers at the beginning of September and will be sold at grocery stores throughout October. The TCG goody bag comes with 40 mini-booster packs inside and will allow fans to hand out the Pokémon cards on Halloween. There are 30 cards in total in the spooky set, with only 10 of them having rare holographic foils. Below is a list of the best Pokémon TCG Trick or Trade cards.
Pokémon Trick Or Trade Gengar Holographic Card
With the Trick or Trade set being Halloween-themed, it's appropriate that beloved Kanto Ghost-type Gengar is one of the bag's rarest cards. The holographic collectible features the artwork of Gengar ascending a set of stairs while shooting out his long curly tongue. The card comes with the incredibly helpful "Last Gift" ability, which allows players to search their deck for two cards after Gengar gets knocked out.
While the card is technically a reprint from the Sword and Shield TCG Chilling Reign expansion, the Trick or Trade variant features an adorable holographic Pikachu Pumpkin stamp on the card. Ever since it made its debut in the Gen 1 Pokémon Red and Blue RPGs in 1998, Gengar has continued to be one of Game Freak's most popular Ghost-type Pokémon, making this one of the Halloween set's must-have cards.
Trick Or Trade Mismagius Pokémon Card Holographic Card
Fans of Gen 4 are in luck, as the Trick or Trade set also has a rare holographic card of popular Ghost-type Mismagius. In the original Sinnoh region games, the version-exclusive Pokémon was only available in the Pokémon Diamond version of the RPG. The Ghost-type was obtainable after trainers used a Dusk Stone on Misdreavus to trigger its evolution into Mismagius.
The Sinnoh Pokémon has recently seen a resurgence in popularity after being featured in the Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes, as well as 2022's Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The Trick or Trade Mismagius card originally made its debut in the Astral Radiance TCG expansion in May, but now has a spooky Halloween makeover.
Pokémon TCG Trick Or Trade Polteageist
Polteageist made its first appearance in the Gen 8 Pokémon Sword and Shield games in 2019 and quickly became a favorite from the Galar region. Players first encounter its adorable pre-evolution Sinistea in the Glimwood Tangle forest. The spooky cup eventually evolves into the haunted tea kettle Polteageist. One of the neatest features in the Gen8 RPG is that trainers can actually find counterfeit versions of the porcelain Ghost-type dinnerware.
Even though Polteageist is not one of the ten rare holographic cards available in the Trick or Trade bag, the Galar Pokémon card easily has one of the best artwork designs from the Halloween set. The vibrant illustration was done by veteran Pokémon TCG artist kirisAki, who has been creating card artwork since the release of the Gen 5 Unova Pokémon Black and White games. While it's not the rarest card by any means, the playful collectible is one that fans will not want to miss out on.
TCG Trick Or Trade Holographic Darkrai Card
One of the most sought-after collectibles to land in the Halloween set is the Trick or Trade Darkrai holographic card. The rare collectible features the popular Sinnoh Dark-type Mythical Pokémon, in one of its most colorful artwork designs in years. Players could originally obtain Darkrai in 2008, as part of a special distribution event. After unlocking it through the Mystery Gift feature, players could encounter the Dark-type Mythical on New Moon Island after using the Member Card item.
Game Freak re-distributed the Mythical Pokémon in 2022, with the special Darkrai Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl event. TCG fans can get the beloved Sinnoh Dark-type again this Halloween, in the Trick or Trade set. Players may have to open up quite a few packs though, as Darkrai is currently one of the rarest collectibles to find in the Autumn goody bag. The Gen 4 Mythical is one of the set's only ten rare holographic cards.
Pokémon Trick Or Trade Dusknoir Holographic Card
Another popular Sinnoh Pokémon featured in the Trick or Trade set, is the mummy-inspired Ghost-type Dusknoir. The Halloween collectible features artwork from beloved Sun and Moon TCG artist Otumami, who depicts Dusknoir getting ready to attack in battle. The rare holographic card originally made its first appearance in February's Pokémon Brilliant Stars TCG expansion.
In Diamond and Pearl, Dusknoir was infamously one of the more difficult Pokémon to obtain in the Sinnoh Pokédex. Players not only had to capture its pre-evolution Dusclops, but they then had to track down the rare Reaper Cloth item and equip it. The Ghost-type would then finally evolve after it was traded to another player. Despite its tricky evolution, the Dusknoir holographic is one of the best Trick or Trade cards to collect due to its epic artwork.
TCG Trick Or Trade Holographic Mimikyu Pokémon Card
In Gen 7, one of Pokémon Sun and Moon's most iconic moments happens when players visit the Thrifty Megamart on Alola's Ula'ula Island. After entering the haunted grocery store, trainers are treated to the creepy introduction to Ghost-type Mimikyu. The abandoned spirit hides its true appearance under a sack of cloth, which is designed to mimic the adorable Electric-type Pikachu.
It's fitting then, that the creepy Alola Pokémon is also one of Trick or Trade's best collectibles. The Pokémon Sun and Moon Mimikyu card features gorgeous artwork of the Ghost-type walking through a mysterious forest. The holographic foil makes the specter's energy particles pop off the card - which is a really cool effect.
Pokémon TCG Trick Or Trade Mewtwo Holographic Card
Ever since its debut in the classic Pokémon Red and Blue games decades ago, Mewtwo has continued to be one of the series' most popular Legendaries. So it should come as little surprise, that the Trick or Trade's best card goes to the beloved Psychic-type. The Halloween collectible features Mewtwo diving into action, as it prepares to launch its powerful Psyburn attack.
The card's swirling blue background energy also comes to life with its sparkling holographic foil. The Pokémon Red and Blue Mewtwo collectible will likely be one of the Trick or Trade sets most valuable cards, that many Pokémon Trading Card Game fans will be looking out for this Halloween.