Scarlet & Violet: Why Journey Together Feels Like a Letdown | Image Source: screenrant.com
LOS ANGELES, California, March 22, 2025 – The Pokémon shopping card (TCG) game continues to be passionate about the demand for flight, elusive stocks and an increasingly frustrated range. This week, Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Travel Together, they are already available on Pokémon TCG Live and are officially published in physical form on March 28, 2025. But the latest expansion stirred a cocktail of curiosity, discontent and cautious optimism between players and collectors. With the return of the Pokémon del Coach – a nostalgic trait last seen in the early 2000s – Journey Together tries to revitalize the series. However, many question whether it is successful, or simply a position marker in an increasingly crowded release cycle.
What’s new in Scarlet & Violet – Travel together?
At his heart, Journey Together reintroduces the Pokémon of the long-time coach, a card mechanic last seen at Gym Heroes (2000) and EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua (2004). These cards connect Pokémon to its iconic coaches, such as Hop, Lillie, N, and the popular influence Iono. According to Pokémon.com, the Coach Pokémon only interacts with Tool, Trainer and Stadium cards, bringing an additional strategic layer to the game.
The expansion also produces significant structural changes, particularly in the digital format. With the Standard Form 2025 live at Pokémon TCG Live on March 27, cards with the “F” and mechanical control brand like Radiant Pokémon, Pokémon V and Pokémon VSTAR will be removed. Players can now start experimenting with new games based on a more refined pool, including cards offered such as Hydreigon ex and Dragapult ex. A series of start-up covers accompany this transition, designed to facilitate players in the evolving objective.
What are the coach’s tests, and why are they important?
Travel Together also presents a new game mode: Coach Trials. Position under the “Casual” section of the TCG Live boot screen, this rotary game mode brings a number of experimental formats that question bridge building standards. As Pokémon.com said, the instructor’s tests run every Thursday at 10:00 a.m. and last one to two weeks.
The trials planned are as follows:
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- Singleton Showdown (March 24 – April 9): Only one copy of each card allowed, excluding Basic Energy.
- Twin Battle (April 9 – April 23): Each card must appear twice, excluding Basic Energy.
- Gym Leader Challenge (April 23 – May 7): Uses a single-type deck with no Rule Box Pokémon; Expanded pool.
- Silver Series (May 7 – May 21): Uses only common, uncommon, and rare cards from Scarlet & Violet.
- CU Cup – Expanded (May 21 – May 28): Decks can only include common and uncommon cards.
These formats provide a space for creativity, especially for experienced players looking for a new challenge. However, some fans are skeptical as to whether these trials will get attention as part of more anticipated launches.
Why do fans call to travel together ‘Anticlimatic’?
Despite its nostalgic names and experimental games, Journey Together received a warm reception. According to Kotaku, the whole is perceived as overflowing, especially in its design and collection of maps. Compared to earlier expansions such as Prismatic Evolution and Sparks, Journey Together has fewer “secret cards” – only 31, compared to 61 and 59 in its predecessors, respectively.
“The load rate is terrible. Of 50 packages, I managed seven old base cards and only five rare ones. It’s discouraging.”
an examiner commented. The consensus among the first wells is that Journey Together is visual and mechanically inspiring, without the appeal and impact fans await an expansion of the badges.
Where are the special art cards?
Perhaps the brightest omission, Journey Together is surprisingly light in special artistic variants, a critical print for collectors. While maps like Bellibolt ex Special Illustration Rare by Iono should have high resale values, their visual appeal is apparently insufficient. This led to speculation that the whole is intentionally “tormented” to compensate for the chaos around recent and upcoming versions, such as Destined Rivals, which reintroduced Team Rocket with maps with Giovanni and Mewtwo.
According to Kotaku, this apparent “design drought” could be a tactical pause in a turbulent release rate. But with climbers still dominate distribution channels, it is difficult to see this movement as beneficial to the average player or collector.
What about building and fighting boxes?
Together, trips also make their debut in the new Construction and Combat Boxes, with pre-freedom games and promo cards. As described in Screen Rant, each box includes one of four promotional cards: Ribombee de Lillie, N’s Darmanitan, Kilowattrel d’Iono, or Snorlax de Hop, as well as a cover ready to play 40 cards and four driving packages.
These boxes are marketed as accessible entry points, but some evaluators pointed out that they may not be ideal for complete beginners. Decks, often classified as Level 2, require a basic knowledge of game mechanics and require strategic energy management and map release planning. However, they serve as a solid launch platform for those with previous experience.
For example, Lillie’s Rianombee cover largely depends on the strategies of confusion and poison, with Hop’s Corviknight line doing heavy lifting. Support cards and elements, such as Luminous Energy, add complexity without too many players.
Why is it so difficult to find Pokémon cards?
Despite receiving the package, availability problems remain serious. According to ComicBook.com, major retailers such as Walmart and Target have already started selling Journey Together products a few days before the official release. Reports on subreddit r/PokemonTCG confirm early observations, but also highlight the same problem: the stock disappears in hours.
“It shouldn’t be like trying to buy a launch console when looking for Pokémon card packages”
said a frustrated player. This feeling captures the mood: players want the game to be playable, not just collectible. Even Build & Battle boxes, designed for play, are often raised for resale.
This trend is exacerbated by the imminent release of Destined Rivals, which already generates a buzz due to the return of the fans’ favorite villains. Previous orders caused the collapse of Pokémon Center websites, and climbers quickly broke the available actions. The bottle neck has become so intense that collectors line up outside toy stores, sometimes days in advance.
What’s the future for Pokémon TCG?
Despite travel Together, there is cautious optimism for the following. The reintroduction of the Coach Pokémon can be a slow construction towards a greater mechanical change. Future games like Rivalos Destinations and potential future extensions could get these ideas more completely.
Yet fans are still skeptical. Without best distribution practices or efforts to stop climbing, even the most exciting expansions could remain inaccessible to the entire community. Pokémon International can be expected to begin addressing these challenges either through stricter controls or through better manufacturing and restoration strategies.
Meanwhile, Travel Together can serve as a brief interlude: a moment of calm before another wave of emotion and chaos spreads. For those who can help, it is always useful to explore the new formats and the Pokémon mechanics of Trainer. But for many others, it is another reminder of how difficult it has become to simply enjoy a loved amateur.
