Black and White
Status: Released (April 2011)
A New Beginning in Black & White
The Pokémon TCG underwent a massive reboot with the release of the Black & White base set on April 25, 2011. Just like the video games, this expansion offered a fresh start, featuring over 70 brand-new cards exclusively from the Unova region. Black & White is a historic milestone for introducing the "Full Art" card design—textured, holographic masterpieces that covered the entire card face. It also streamlined gameplay by replacing "Poké-Powers" and "Poké-Bodies" with the unified "Abilities" mechanic, making the game more accessible than ever.
Reshiram, Zekrom, and the Full Art Revolution
The crown jewels of Black & White are undoubtedly the Full Art Reshiram and Zekrom. These cards set a new standard for collectability and remain highly prized to this day. The set also introduced code cards in every booster pack, launching the *Pokémon Trading Card Game Online* and bridging the gap between physical and digital play. With powerful new archetypes like "The Truth" (Reuniclus/Vileplume) emerging from its card pool, Black & White laid a solid foundation for a new generation of players and collectors.
