Battle Academy 2022: Pokemon Board Game Review

Features

• Release date : March 30, 2022
• Numbers of players : 2
• Average playing time: 30 minutes
• Minimum age: 6 years

A historical card game

Series Pokemon is born in 1996. Driven by the success of the time, the first idea proposed as an official derivative of it was the card game system. Although the idea is not innovative since the JDC (card game) have already existed for a while with, for example, the no less famous Magic the Gathering in 1993, it is nonetheless entertaining. With a craze that does not diminish over time, the Pokémon franchise continues to diversify with the help of video games or expansions of the series, thus allowing a parallel evolution of the card game.

If the era lends slightly less interest to this style of play, Pokemon nonetheless popular and the idea of ​​integrating and developing a larger community within the JDC is an interesting point to address to embolden the franchise. This is how the first version of Pokémon Battle Academy appeared in 2020 which, showing itself with the decks Charizard, Pikachu and Mewtwohad the ambition to popularize the genre while keeping an educational aspect.

Box contents

First of all, we would like to remind you of the board game’s appeal price, which comes down to just €35. You just have to look at the current prices of the franchise’s basic decks to understand that they are welcome to start without breaking the bank. Ideal for young and old alike, it is a leader that will quickly appeal to those who wish to learn the game without fear of shortages and current constraints.

The box contains:

• A game board
• Three decks including two beginners and one expert
• Three learning booklets
• damage tokens
• One coin for heads or tails

You are thus ready for your initiation. However, we regret that there are only two initiation decks which can slightly block replayability. However, compared to the first version of the game, we see the appearance of type “V” Pokémon as well as the new rules applicable to them.

Three decks to get you started

The decks present in Pokémon Battle Academy are suitable for progressive learning. Because of this, they keep it simple while offering a variety of card categories. The two starter decks are the Pikachu and Pyrobut. In the first edition of Pokémon Academy, we had the GX cards. In our case, new edition is equivalent to new comprehension objectives. The decks therefore adapt to the new features of the JCC to continue learning as well as possible. As it is, nothing really changes. V cards have more life and much stronger attacks than normal.

Pikachu deck (basic)

With the deck Charizard, these are the first game packs you will touch. Accompanied by the booklet of the same name, you follow step by step the evolution of the game and the opposing actions. This is an interesting point since the cards are numbered to be able to reclassify the deck more easily and start from the beginning. The flagship card is Pikachu V for a deck consisting of electrical boards and trainers.

Pyrobut deck (basic)

With the pikachu deck, these are the first game packs you will touch. Accompanied by the booklet of the same name, you follow step by step the evolution of the game and the opposing actions. As for the Pikachu, the cards are numbered to follow the evolution of an early game against the opposing deck (the Pikachu in our case). The lighthouse card is Pyrobut V for a deck composed of fire and trainer cards. Small problem, Pyrobut being an evolution, we would have liked to be able to evolve it rather than having it directly as a base map. In the first edition, Charizard GX came after Charmander and Reptincel to become one with the universe. Here, being able to use Pyrobut directly is nice, but unusual.

Eevee deck (advanced)

When you’ve got the basics down and played a few matches using the basic decksit’s time to learn a little more with the one Darkness, lead by Eevee. The design of the latter is relatively identical to that of the first two except for the addition of Pokémon and attacks with special effects. Health points and damage are therefore no longer the only source of interest and you will therefore have to think in more detail about your actions. Although it is possible to confront the decks between them, we regret not finding a second advanced to allow two players to test simultaneously. However, compared to the first version of the Combat Academy, we find that the basic decks have, this time, a few subtleties that integrate with the initial damage of Pokémon, such as card research or simply to draw.

Main interest of the game

We finally return to the heart of the matter with the reason for an arrival on the set of the pokemon card game. First of all, the board itself is very detailed as well as qualitative to allow you to learn more at first glance. The phases of turns as well as the layout of the cards are noted there to make learning even easier. Eventually and for further use of Pokémon game decks, the game board may become obsolete although very complete. It will therefore be doomed to disappear when you master the vast majority of games.

The manuals present with the decks allow a quick and innate handling. The advantage of playing with numbered cards is to be able to follow step by step the evolution of the game which is represented to perfection within the booklets. Of course, afterwards you will have to finish learning and discover for yourself. However, the approach proposed by Pokémon Battle Academy is very nice and could serve as an example for many other titles of the genre.

As you will have understood, this new Pokémon board game allows you to overcome your fear of playing without knowing the rules and thus make this historic game much more accessible. It is an asset for the franchise which continues to develop by keeping its card game up to date and in direct relation to developments in video games and associated series. Learn how to use your Pokémon, heal them, manage your deck as well as evolutions, the terrain and enter a fun new adventure.