Pokemon TCG Pocket's Triumphant Light Expansion Spotlights Pokemon God
The next trading card expansion arrives in-game on Feb. 28, 2025. Triumphant Light will focus on the mythical God of Pokemon, Arceus, which was introduced in the generation four Pokemon games Diamond, Pearl and Platinum.
This set releasing so soon after the previous drop is no coincidence: Space-Time Smackdown was themed around generation four, making Triumphant Light a natural extension of the Dialga and Palkia-themed release.
Here's everything we know about Triumphant Light, including the set size and what cards will be featured in the booster pack.
The new Pokemon TCG Pocket expansion is a companion to the recent Space-Time Showdown set, introducing more generation four Pokemon into the popular mobile game.
Whereas Space-Time Smackdown was a massive 155-card set, Triumphant Light will be a more focused, pared-down expansion -- the number of cards being added is more akin to the Mythical Island pack drop.
Mythical Island was themed around Mew and Celebi, and Triumphant Light is themed around Arceus. These smaller expansion sets focus on mythical Pokemon that didn't get to shine in larger set drops.
This establishes a sort of trend for the mobile trading card app. The first card set, Genetic Apex, was bolstered by Mythical Island right when the hype started to die down and players were running out of new cards to pull. Now that some of the luster has worn off from the Space-Time Smackdown set, the Triumphant Light expansion will revitalize new pulls.
Pokemon TCG battling isn't all about brute force and picking attacks with the highest damage numbers. It's also about utilizing special effects to get a leg up on your opponent when they least expect it.
Aside from Arceus Ex, several cards were shown off in the expansion trailer that have a special connection to the mythical Pokemon emblazoned on the pack art. Tyranitar, Abomasnow, Rotom, Raichu and Crobat cards all have Pokemon Abilities that buff them if Arceus or Arceus Ex is in play.
We also caught a glimpse at new Croagunk, Unown, Garchomp Ex and Shaymin cards -- Shaymin and Unown have Pokemon Abilities of their own, though they aren't connected to the presence of Arceus on the playing field.
Each new set in Pokemon TCG Pocket has focused on a specific mechanic from the trading card game. Mythical Island was all about supercharging the energy economy and Space-Time Smackdown added Pokemon Tools. It looks like Pokemon Abilities will be the next mechanic to get a chance to shine in the new expansion released on Feb. 28, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
This New Free Mobile Pokemon Puzzle Game Lets You Weave Digital Plushes
The Pokemon Company unveiled a host of Pokemon content at its Pokemon Presents event on Tuesday. We saw a new trailer for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, a release date for the second season of the Netflix series Pokemon Concierge and a free, new mobile game you can play now, called Pokemon Friends. The latest Pokemon mobile game is a puzzle game where you untangle threads of yarn in order to weave Pokemon plushes for your in-game collection. You can play it now on iOS and Android devices for free, or you can buy it for $10 on the Nintendo eShop. Here's what you should know to get started with Pokemon Friends. Puzzles, yarn and Pokemon To earn yarn, you have to solve puzzles in the game. To get to these puzzles, tap the Psyduck tile with the word Untangle near the bottom of the screen in the main room of the game -- poor Psyduck is always tied up in knots. Some of the puzzles include connecting a string of lightbulbs using only one line and rotating a box in order to free Pokemon, like Slowpoke, from the box. Slowpoke are always getting themselves into some kind of mess. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET After solving the series of puzzles, you are rewarded with a certain number of inches of yarn. Your reward depends on how quickly you solve the puzzles, so if you want the most yarn to make more Pokemon plushes, you have to be faster than an Electrode. How much yarn you get depends on how fast you solve the puzzles. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET Once you have your yarn, you'll stamp your calendar, which shows all the days you've solved puzzles for. You can use your calendar to keep track of what days you've solved puzzles, and you can use it to go back to older puzzles and try to beat your high score. You can revisit old puzzles from your calendar. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET When you have your yarn, tap the Plush-O-Matic -- the machine that looks like a giant Pokeball -- and you'll be able to make plushes with your yarn. Then tap Make and you can choose which yarn to create a Pokemon plush with. Certain yarns are used to make a handful of Pokemon, but it only took one bundle of yarn to make my first few Pokemon. However, I can't see a way to make one particular Pokemon. For example, when you select Fiery Yarn, you can tap Plush Rates in the bottom right corner of your screen to see what Pokemon that yarn can create. I found that my Fiery Yarn could create a Charmander, Charizard, Scorbunny or Fuecoco plush, but I had a 25% chance to make any of those Pokemon -- I got a Scorbunny! It's a cute little Scorbunny! The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET After tapping the Plush-O-Matic, you can also tap Catalog to see details of which plushes you've created, like their size, how many of them you own and what yarn it takes to create them. Decorate with your new Pokemon friend After you've woven your Pokemon plush, it's time to decorate. From the main room of the game, tap the tile in the bottom left corner of your screen that has a Scorbunny on it -- it was like that before I got my own Scorbunny. This will take you to your own room, which you can decorate with your plushes. Once in the room, tap the tile with the Pawmi and Buneary in the left corner of your screen to pull up all the plushes. Tap the plush you want to decorate with and then you can drag and place it anywhere in the room. Scorbunny and Pikachu are friends so they are sharing the basket. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET You can also tap the green chair under the Pawmi and Buneary tile to add or change furniture in the room. Beneath that tile is an hourglass icon. Tap and hold the hourglass to rewind your room, kind of like an Undo button. And in the bottom left corner of your screen is a toy chest with Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly Pokemon. This is the Tidy Up button. Tap this and then tap Pokemon plushes or furniture around the room to remove them from the room. And if you accidentally remove something, no worries, tap and hold the hourglass to undo the change. After decorating, tap the green door in the top right corner of your screen to go back to the main room. The mobile version is free but… The mobile version of Pokemon Friends is free up to a point. I could only solve the second series of puzzles the first time I played the game, but that might be different for you. After you solve your daily puzzles, Pokemon Friends says you can buy DLC to keep playing. To do so, tap Shop in the top left corner of your screen and you can buy different bundles. You might have to buy DLC at a point if you want to continue in Pokemon Friends. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET The Basic Pack ($10) lets you play puzzles as often as you like. Other packs include new puzzles, wallpapers for your plush room and more, and those packs start at $15. It's unclear if you can solve a limited number of puzzles every day without issue, or if you'll have to buy the Basic Pack at some point to continue playing. The Pokemon Company did not immediately respond to my request for comment. For more on the July Pokemon Presents, here's all the free stuff you can get from the event.
CNET
2 hours ago
- CNET
Pokemon Presents July 2025: Everything Announced
It's that time again, trainers: Grab your Pokedex and get ready to catch some new pocket monsters, because we've just been treated to a healthy heaping of the latest developments in the world of Pokemon. Today's Pokemon Presents stream was the first one since Pokemon Day in February. That stream ended up being pretty massive, featuring game announcements and content updates that we heard whispers about from GameFreak's infamous 2024 data breach. Read more: The Top 25 Best Pokemon Games of All Time, Ranked This time around, we were treated to a new mobile game announcement, a TV show reveal and the unveiling of a brand-new Pokemon theme park in Japan. If that isn't enough, this Pokemon Direct featured a smattering of mobile game updates and information about big releases like Pokemon Champions and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Here's everything that got announced during July's Pokemon Presents, what we wanted to see from the stream and how to watch the archived video for yourself. Substantial updates were announced for the biggest Pokemon mobile games, including Pokemon Go. Nintendo/Screenshot by CNET Everything announced during Pokemon Presents July 2025 This Pokemon Presents stream introduced us to a new theme park, a new game, info for Pokemon Champions and Pokemon Legends: Z-A and loads of free stuff for existing titles. Here's everything that was announced in July's Pokemon Presents. PokePark Kanto Enjoy touching grass at PokePark Kanto, the first permanent outdoor Pokemon attraction. Located in Tokyo's Tama Hills, PokePark Kanto is a new addition to the Yomiuriland amusement park. This segment of the park will be split into two distinct parts. You can frolic through the Pokemon Forest and find statues of your favorite generation one Pokemon in the wild, or you can shop and meet fellow trainers in the Sedge Town, which features a Pokemon gym, a parade and other attractions. PokePark Kanto is slated to open in 2026, but tickets will go on sale later this year. The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu Pokemon Concierge isn't the only Pokemon animated show coming out soon. Aardman Animation Studios -- the creators of Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and other stop-motion classics -- is partnering up with The Pokemon Company to create a new show, The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu. While the show doesn't have an official release date yet, it's slated to come out in 2027. Pokemon Friends A new Pokemon mobile game is coming out soon. In Pokemon Friends, players will solve daily puzzles to unlock Pokemon plushes. These rewards can be placed around a cozy virtual room. The game looks like a mix between a free gachapon machine and a casual brain trainer, which is an interesting genre blend. In my eyes, Pokemon Friends could be a great bridge between parents and their children as an introduction to the world famous pocket monsters. Pokemon Champions We got our first routine update on Pokemon Champions, a game first introduced during Pokemon Day 2025. This dedicated battling game will come to Nintendo Switch and iOS and Android devices. During today's Pokemon Presents stream, we found out that new quality-of-life features will make competitive battling easier than ever before. Players will be able to tweak a Pokemon's IV (individual value) and EV (effort value) stats and nature on the fly, gaining full control over how the monster will perform in battle. In addition, you'll have a chance to draft Pokemon to your team from within Pokemon Champions, foregoing a complete dependence on the Pokemon Home app. Pokemon Legends: Z-A The trickle down of information about the next Pokemon Legends game continues. Today's stream confirmed one of Legends: Z-A's new Mega Pokemon: Mega Dragonite. He has floppy ears and a pearl on his tail, which mimic the appearance of Dragonair. The other big Pokemon Legends: Z-A reveal showcased rogue Mega Pokemon, which will function similarly to in-game raids across the Kalos region. These powerful Pokemon will challenge you to use your wits, Pokemon abilities and AI companions to their fullest potential in order to achieve victory. Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution Following closely on the heels of the specialty Black Bolt and White Flare sets, the Pokemon TCG is focusing in on generation six with Mega Evolution. This aptly named set brings back the signature mechanic from the Kalos region just in time for Pokemon Legends: Z-A. It's unclear whether the setlist will only include Mega Pokemon from past games, or if we'll get a sneak peek at Megas from the new game as well. Pokemon Concierge season 2 Netflix's popular stop-motion slice-of-life Pokemon series has an official release date. You'll be able to watch Pokemon Concierge season 2 on Sept. 4. We also learned some plot details about the second season: as Haru settles into her role at the hotel, her ex-boyfriend shows up, threatening to upend her newfound stability. Only time will tell how she (and her trusty Psyduck pal) deal with this turn of events. Mobile games and live service updates: Pokemon Go, Pokemon Masters Ex and more The most popular Pokemon live service games got a series of rapid-fire updates in the latest Pokemon Direct. Pokemon Go players will soon be able to participate in the finale to 2025's Go Fest Global event. Popular characters from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will soon arrive in Pokemon Masters Ex. A pirate-themed summer event is beginning in Pokemon Cafe Remix, and a new location will soon become available in Pokemon Sleep. Latios and Latias make a legendary debut as playable characters in Pokemon Unite to celebrate the MOBA's fourth anniversary, marking it out as one of the series' most successful live service spinoffs to date. Best of all? There are plenty of free goodies to collect in these games right now. We heard about Pokemon Legends: Z-A today, but no dice when it comes to other Switch 2 games. Nintendo/Screenshot by CNET What wasn't announced during Pokemon Presents July 2025? The latest Pokemon Direct had a 24-minute runtime, so we were expecting to see some more new games. Here's everything that didn't make an appearance during the latest Pokemon Presents stream, leaving a Pikachu-shaped hold in my heart. Pokemon rhythm game In retrospect, it feels a bit strange that Pikachu DJ'd a full set before the beginning of this Pokemon Presents stream. The Pokemon Company hyped this up all over social media in the days leading up to the event, and it was definitely a nifty preshow. Still, this Pokemon Presents stream didn't showcase anything especially groundbreaking and new on the gaming front. Why choose to put together an elaborate DJ preshow for this particular stream? It doesn't make much sense to me, since we didn't see a Pikachu-themed rhythm game after all. I miss the Pokemon series' funky console game offshoots. At least I can hold New Pokemon Snap and the Mystery Dungeon remake close to my heart. Pokemon Generation 10: No classic mainline games for the Switch 2 (yet) Mainline Pokemon games generally come out once every three years. Pokemon Sword and Shield came out in 2019 and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet came out in 2022. We're due for generation 10 Pokemon games -- but they've remained noticeably absent from any Pokemon announcements. Maybe this means GameFreak has taken the performance and graphical criticisms of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to heart. It'd be fantastic to turn over a new leaf and get good looking, polished Pokemon games on the Switch 2. In the meantime, Legends: Z-A will provide Pokemon fans with a new adventure to enjoy. Grab a snack and stretch out -- this Pokemon Presents is nearly half an hour long. Nintendo/Screenshot by CNET How to watch July 2025's Pokemon Presents stream July's Pokemon Presents stream took place on Tuesday, July 22 at 6 a.m. PT (9 a.m. ET, 2 p.m. BST, 11 p.m. AEST). These announcements were livestreamed on the official Pokemon YouTube channel, where you can still find a video archiving the event. The hour-long DJ Pikachu preshow has also been cataloged on the YouTube channel, so you can still check out the Pikachu rave that preceded this Pokemon Presents stream any time you want. The latest Pokemon Direct had a 24-minute runtime, with Netflix show, mobile game and mainline game news scattered throughout the broadcast.
Gizmodo
2 hours ago
- Gizmodo
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Isn't Quite Fantastic, But It's Pretty Great
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is like an ice-cold drink on a warm summer's day. A slice of apple pie with a glass of milk. It's a nice, simple, familiar-feeling movie that will make you feel warm and fuzzy for a while but maybe doesn't have the lasting power of something stronger. It's easily the best Fantastic Four movie ever, and yet, falls just short of being fully 'fantastic.' Nevertheless, it's still highly enjoyable. Directed by Matt Shakman (Wandavision), Fantastic Four takes place four years after Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) went to space, encountered a strange occurrence, and returned to Earth with superpowers. In that time, they've become, dare we say it, Earth's mightiest heroes, protecting everyone, everywhere. But the story picks up with Reed and Sue learning they're going to have a baby, which, despite what they tell themselves, means everything is about to change. In most iterations of the Fantastic Four, the fact that the group is such a tight-knit family unit is half the charm. In First Steps, it's all of the charm. Not only does the movie just drop in on these four adding one more to the group, but that group is magic together, exhibiting a comfortable chemistry that perfectly approximates their closeness. You can tell they know each other inside and out, and that gives the film an almost palpable energy. Simply put, we love anytime any of them are on screen, and the more they are on screen together, the better. The cast itself is primarily responsible for this, as each brings distinct characteristics and points of view to their characters. Pascal, for example, turns Reed into this linchpin that's both super confident and also surprisingly vulnerable. With that dichotomy, he can almost supercharge whoever he's on screen with by giving them so much to work with. Quinn's Johnny, who has some of the most entertaining lines and throughlines in the movie, reaps the most benefits from that and easily becomes the standout of the film. Across from him, Moss-Bachrach is perfect as Ben, giving the character a grounded, homely quality. It's just unfortunate that of the four, he gets kind of shortchanged in terms of more fully realized arcs, but we love him anyway. Then there's Kirby's Sue, who holds the whole group together—sometimes literally—with her charisma and likability. Put them together, and it's lightning in a bottle. That's tested, though, when a silver surfer (played by Julia Garner, who is never referred to as the 'Silver Surfer,' but instead goes by Shalla-Bal, an occasional alternate herald to Galactus from the comics) comes to Earth to let them know it has been marked for death by Galactus. Galactus (played by Ralph Ineson) is one of the biggest, baddest villains in all of Marvel Comics, and Fantastic Four does him justice, especially visually. It also sets him up as a near-impossible foe to beat, which raises the stakes and tension. The film then ups the ante of its warmth and kindness with themes of selflessness and family as we watch the world come together to back these heroes against a common enemy. Galactus' story, which ends up directly tying into Sue and Reed's child, Franklin, keeps the movie chugging along but also works against its best feature: the chemistry. As the group attempts to find a way to beat Galactus, each has to deal with their own emotions and reactions. When that happens, the film's aw-shucks, comfort food vibe clashes with the brooding and drama. It also doesn't help that, ultimately, everything happening with Galactus is a little too familiar, especially when the movie builds to our heroes saving the world by winning a battle in New York. Again. As a result, the film can at times lose a bit of its spark. It's not a big thing, but it's there, and you feel it. One thing that always lights that spark is whenever Michael Giacchino's score blares across the soundtrack. The man who has made music for Batman, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Star Trek, and more has crafted another banger of a score for Fantastic Four. Anytime it cranks up, the whole movie is elevated by it. But, conversely, when the film gets a little quiet or personal, that lack of electricity (and music) is once again noticeable. Fantastic Four is set on Earth-828 (after co-creator Jack Kirby's birthday), which is different from Earth-616, the primary MCU timeline. In this place, things turned out much differently. It's a futuristic 1960s. A live-action Jetsons, basically, and that unique design and look is another huge factor in the film's charm. However, beyond those choices of the settings and, of course, the cast, very little about Fantastic Four stands out. There's nothing wild, or overly interesting about the movie. It looks beautiful, has tons of charm, and breezes by as quickly as can be. It just never seems as if it's interested in being a top-tier Marvel movie. At all times, it plays things incredibly safe. Which, of course, is probably also the reason why it works at all. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a first step for these characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and even if it's not a home run, it had to work on a base level to move the franchise forward. And it does that. There are more than a few standout moments thanks to the cast, visuals, and music. But by ultimately playing it safe, we're left with something nice and sweet but a little underwhelming. Thankfully, the movie does such a wonderful job endearing the audience to these characters and this place that we leave wanting to see more of them. And we will soon (in Avengers Doomsday). In the end, film is indeed a great first step, but we were kind of hoping for a giant leap. The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters July 25. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
